A house in Chelsea has become one of only nineteen buildings in London to bear two official blue plaques. 48 Paultons Square was once home to two Nobel prize winners - the dramatist Samuel Beckett and the eminent physicist Patrick Blackett.

Samuel Beckett, the author of Waiting for Godot, lived at 48 Paultons Square for seven months in 1934. During this time he was writing his first novel, Murphy. Two decades later, in 1953, scientist Patrick Blackett moved into the house, where he remained until 1969. During the Second World War, he was one of the heroes of the 'Battle of the Atlantic' thanks to his revolutionary work in U-Boat detection.

Other examples of 'double blue' building in London include 20 Maresfield Gardens in Hampstead (Sigmund Freud and Anna Freud) and 29 Fitzroy Square in Fitzrovia (George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf). Famously, Jimi Hendrix and George Frideric Handel have plaques on neighbouring houses in Brook Street, Mayfair.

Ronald Hutton, Chairman of the English Heritage Blue Plaques Panel, said: "It is a very special occasion to unveil two new Blue Plaques at once, let alone for two Nobel Prize winners. Beckett and Blackett are giants in their fields and these two plaques mark their achievements and celebrate their connection to London. This unveiling is a fitting opening to the 150th anniversary year of the Blue Plaques scheme."

150th Anniversary

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the English Heritage blue plaques scheme. On the 7-8 May 2016, we will celebrate the scheme's anniversary with a weekend of special blue plaque walking tours. We will also launch a blue plaques app which will help people to discover more about over 900 blue plaques across the capital.

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The English Heritage London Blue Plaques scheme is generously supported by David Pearl, the Blue Plaques Club, and members of the public.