English Heritage has unveiled London’s 1000th blue plaque. The latest addition to the London blue plaques scheme will mark the former London headquarters of the suffragist organisation, the Women’s Freedom League (WFL). One of the few parts of Robert Adam’s Adelphi development to survive, this three-storey building at number 1 Robert Street in Westminster was the WFL’s bustling base of operations for its longest and most active period.

Anna Eavis, Curatorial Director at English Heritage and Secretary of the Blue Plaques Panel, said:
“To reach 1000 blue plaques across London is a testament to the huge range of exceptional people and organisations who have made the capital their home over the centuries – and to the members of the public who have nominated them. The Women’s Freedom League, richly deserving of this milestone plaque, was remarkable for its campaigning methods, longevity, breadth and democratic ideals.”

The Women’s Freedom League was formed in 1907 following disagreements within the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), led by Emmeline Pankhurst. The WFL’s aim – to secure total emancipation for women – was underlined by their 1908 motto, coined at their Robert Street headquarters: ‘Dare to be Free’. While working from this building, the WFL were relentless in their campaign, targeting cabinet ministers at their homes, advocating the non-payment of taxes and leading the way in the 1911 census boycott. At the opening of Parliament in January 1908, members tried to present a petition to the King, reviving a traditional way to voice grievances. Later in 1908, three members protested in the Ladies’ Gallery in the House of Commons by chaining themselves to the metal grille which protected the MPs in the Chamber. Prime Minister Herbert Asquith’s resolute refusal to meet with women’s suffrage deputations led the WFL to organise ‘The Great Watch’ that year – a continuous picket of the House of Commons. They also brought an innovative approach to protest. When in 1909 women’s suffrage was again omitted from the King’s speech, an airship was hired to distribute WFL pamphlets outlining the right to petition government.

The National Union for Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) are also commemorated by the London Blue Plaque Scheme and, earlier in 2023, plaques were unveiled to fellow campaigners for women’s suffrage, Emily Wilding Davison and Princess Sophia Duleep Singh.

The London-wide blue plaques scheme has been running for over 150 years and has become an integral feature of the capital’s streetscape as well as inspiring many similar schemes in the UK and around the world. The scheme celebrates the links between notable figures of the past and the buildings in which they lived and worked. From John Keats and Charles Dickens to Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing to the plaque unveiled by English Heritage today, these 1000 iconic blue roundels bring history to life millions of passers-by every day.

The English Heritage London Blue Plaques Scheme is generously supported by members of the public.