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Unveiling the Lee Miller and Sir Roland Penrose Blue Plaque Unveiling the Lee Miller and Sir Roland Penrose Blue Plaque.Blue plaques, erected in London since 1867, are among the most familiar features of the capital’s streetscape. They adorn the façades of buildings in areas as different as Primrose Hill, Soho and Wimbledon; some of these buildings are grand, others look very ordinary, but all are connected by the fact that a remarkable person lived or worked there at some point in history.
 
Blue plaques celebrate great figures of the past and the buildings that they inhabited. They open a window into another time by showing us where the great and the good have penned their masterpieces, developed new technologies, lived or died. Actors, authors, politicians, painters, scientists, sportsmen, campaigners and reformers – people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds – have all been commemorated in this way.
 
The London blue plaques scheme has been run by English Heritage since 1986, and continues to grow at a rate of around 10-15 plaques each year. In their full range, totalling over 800, the capital’s plaques build up a fascinating picture of the varied activities of different ages and the achievements of London’s myriad residents.
 
A pilot extension of the blue plaques scheme on a national basis took place in 1998-2005; in these years, plaques were erected in Liverpool & Merseyside, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Click on a letter to find the plaque you require:

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R - London Blue Plaques

RACKHAM, Arthur (1867-1939),
Illustrator, lived here.
16 Chalcot Gardens, NW3
Camden 1981

RACZYÑSKI, Count Edward (1891-1993)
Polish Statesman, Lived here 1967-1993
8 Lennox Gardens, SW1
Kensington and Chelsea 2004

RADCLIFFE, John
See BOW STREET

RAGLAN, Lord Fitzroy Somerset , 1st Baron (1788-1855),
Commander during the Crimean War, lived here.
5 Stanhope Gate, Hyde Park, W1
Westminster 1911

RAMBERT, Dame Marie (1888-1982),
Founder of Ballet Rambert, lived here.
19 Campden Hill Gardens, Kensington, W8
Kensington and Chelsea 1997

RATCLIFF CROSS
See WILLOUGHBY, Sir Hugh

RATHBONE, Eleanor (1872-1946),
Pioneer of family allowances, lived here.
Tufton Court, Tufton Street, SW1
Westminster 1986

RATTIGAN, Sir Terence (1911-1977)
Playwright, was born here
100 Cornwall Gardens, SW7
Kensington and Chelsea 2005

RAVILIOUS, Eric (1903-1942).
Artist, lived here 1931-1935.
48 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, W6
Hammersmith and Fulham 1991

READING, 1st Marquess of
See ISAACS, Rufus

RED HOUSE,
built in 1859-1860 by Philip WEBB, Architect for William MORRIS, Poet and Artist who lived here 1860-1865.
Red House Lane, Bexleyheath
Bexley 1969

REID DICK, Sir William (1878-1961)
Sculptor, worked here in studio 3, 1910-1914
Clifton Hill Studios, 95a Clifton Hill, NW8
Westminster 2001

REITH, Lord (1889-1971),
First Director-General of the BBC, lived here 1924-1930.
6 Barton Street, SW1
Westminster 1994

RELPH, Harry (1867-1928),
Little Tich, (Harry Relph), 1867-1928,
Music Hall Comedian, lived and, died here
93 Shirehall Park, Hendon, NW4
Barnet 1969

RESCHID, Mustapha Pasha (1800-1858),
Turkish Statesman and Reformer, lived here as an ambassador in 1839.
1 Bryanston Square, W1
Westminster 1972

REYNOLDS, Sir Joshua (1723-1792),
Portrait Painter, lived and died in a house on this site.
Fanum House (site of 47), Leicester Square, WC2
Westminster 1960
Note: Replaces plaque put up in 1875 by RSA on building now demolished. Present plaque first erected 1947, and re-erected 1960 after completion of extensions to Fanum House.

RICARDO, Sir Harry (1885-1974)
Mechanical Engineer, was born here
13 Bedford Square, WC1
Camden 2005

RICHARDSON, Sir Ralph (1902-1983)
Actor, lived here, 1944-1968
Bedegar's Lea, Hampstead Lane, NW3
Barnet 2009

RICHMOND, George (1809-1896),
Painter, lived here 1843-1896.
20 York Street, W1
Westminster 1961

RICKETTS, Charles
In these studios lived and worked the artists: Charles RICKETTS (1866-1931), Charles SHANNON (1863-1937), Glyn PHILPOT (1863-1937), Vivian FORBES (1891-1937), James PRYDE (1866-1941), F. Cayley ROBINSON (1862-1927).
Lansdowne House, 80 Lansdowne Road, W11
Kensington and Chelsea 1979

RIE, Dame Lucie (1902-1995)
Potter, lived and worked here, from 1939 until her death
18 Albion Mews, W2
Westminster, 2008

RIPON, Marquess of
See ROBINSON, George Frederick Samuel

RIZAL, Dr José (1861-1896),
Writer and National Hero of the Philippines, lived here.
37 Chalcot Crescent, NW1
Camden 1983
Note: Plaque reads Jose without an  inflection over the 'e'. Replaces private plaque erected by Philippine Society in 1955.

ROBERTS, Earl (1832-1914),
Field-Marshal, lived here.
47 Portland Place, W1
Westminster 1922

ROBERTS, William (1895-1980),
Artist, lived, worked and died here 1946-1980
14 St Mark’s Crescent, Primrose Hill, NW1
Camden 2003

ROBESON, Paul (1898-1976)
Singer and Actor lived here 1929-1930
The Chestnuts, 1 Branch Hill, NW3
Camden 2002

ROBINSON, F. Cayley
See RICKETTS, Charles

ROBINSON, George Frederick Samuel, Marquess of Ripon (1827-1909),
Viceroy of India, lived here
9 Chelsea Embankment, SW3
Kensington and Chelsea 1959

ROBINSON, James (1813-1862)
Pioneer of Anaesthesia and Dentistry
Lived and worked here.
14 Gower Street, WC1
Camden 1991

ROBINSON, W. Heath
See HEATH ROBINSON

ROE, Alliott Verdon.
Under these arches Alliott Verdon ROE assembled his AVRO No. 1 triplane. In July 1909 he made the first all-British powered flight from Walthamstow Marsh.
Railway arches at Walthamstow Marsh Railway Viaduct, Walthamstow Marshes, E17
Waltham Forest 1983

ROGERS, Dr Joseph (1821-1889),
Health Care Reformer, lived here.
33 Dean Street, W1
Westminster 1996
Note: The ODNB gives Dr Joseph Rogers birth year as 1820

ROHMER, Sax, Arthur Henry Ward (1883-1959),
Creator of Dr Fu Manchu, lived here.
51 Herne Hill, SE24
Southwark 1985

ROMILLY, Samuel (1757-1818)
Here, Lived, Sir Samuel Romilly,
Law Reformer
Born 1757 Died 1818
21 Russell Square, WC1
Camden c.1903
Note: Erected privately by the Duke of Bedford. Adopted by the GLC in 1983.

ROMNEY, George (1734-1802),
Painter, lived here.
5 Holly Bush Hill, NW3
Camden 1908

ROSEBERY, 5th Earl of(1847-1929),
Prime Minister and first Chairman of the London County Council, was born here.
20 Charles Street, W1
Westminster 1962

ROSENBERG, Isaac (1890-1918),
Poet and Painter, lived in the East End and studied here.
Whitechapel Library, 77 High Street, E1
Tower Hamlets 1987

ROSS, Sir James Clark (1800-1862),
Polar Explorer, lived here.
2 Eliot Place, Blackheath, SE3
Lewisham 1960

ROSS, Sir Ronald (1857-1932),
Nobel Laureate, Discoverer of the, mosquito transmission, of malaria, lived here
18 Cavendish Square, W1
Westminster 1985

ROSSETTI, Christina Georgina (1830-1894),
Poetess, lived and died here.
30 Torrington Square, WC1
Camden c.1913
Note: Bronze plaque erected by the Duke of Bedford, taken over by the GLC in 1975.

ROSSETTI, Dante Gabriel (1828-1882),
Poet & Painter. Born here.
110 Hallam Street, W1
Westminster 1906
Note: Supplementary tablet reads: Tablet fixed 1906. Premises rebuilt & tablet refixed 1928.

ROSSETTI, Dante Gabriel (1828-1882),
Poet and Painter, and Algernon Charles SWINBURNE (1837-1909), Poet, lived here.
16 Cheyne Walk, SW3
Kensington and Chelsea 1949

ROSSETTI, Dante Gabriel.
In this house lived in 1851 Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), Poet and Painter, and from 1856-1859 William MORRIS (1834-1896), Poet and Artist, and Sir Edward C (Coley) BURNE-JONES (1833-1898), Painter.
17 Red Lion Square, WC1
Camden 1911

ROSSI, Charles (Felix)
See HAYDON, Benjamin

ROTHENSTEIN, Sir William (1872-1945)
Painter and Writer lived here 1899-1902.
1 Pembroke Cottages, Edwardes Square, Kensington, W8
Kensington and Chelsea 2000

ROWLANDSON, Thomas (1757-1827),
Artist and Caricaturist, lived in a house on this site.
16 John Adam Street, Adelphi, WC2
Westminster 1950

ROY, Ram Mohun (1772-1833),
Indian Scholar and Reformer, lived here.
49 Bedford Square, WC1
Camden 1985

ROY, Major-General William (1726-1790),
Founder of the Ordnance Survey, lived here.
10 Argyll Street, W1
Westminster 1979

RUSKIN, John (1819-1900),
Man of Letters, lived in a house on this site.
26 Herne Hill, SE24
Lambeth 1926
Note: Plaque dated 1925, on a post in front garden. Replaces plaque put up in 1909 on house now demolished.

RUSSELL, Bertrand (1872-1970)
Philosopher and Campaigner for Peace, lived here in flat no.34, 1911-1916
34 Russell Chambers, Bury Place, WC1
Camden 2002

RUSSELL, Lord John, 1st Earl (1792-1878),
Lord John Russell, 1st Earl Russell,
Twice Prime Minister, lived here.
37 Chesham Place, SW1
Westminster 1911

RUSSELL, J. Scott
See 'GREAT EASTERN'

RUTHERFORD, Dame Margaret (1892-1972)
Actress lived here 1895-1920
4 Berkeley Place, Wimbledon SW19
(Merton 2002)

RUTHERFORD, Mark
See WHITE, William Hale

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