Celebrating London’s Black History
From musicians to politicians, discover some of the pioneering black figures whose achievements are celebrated with London’s blue plaques.
Find out more about London’s Black HistoryNEW BLUE PLAQUE TO DAME KATHLEEN LONSDALE
English Heritage has unveiled the first new blue plaque of 2021. The crystallographer and peace campaigner Dame Kathleen Lonsdale is honoured at 19 Colenso Road in Seven Kings, where she lived in her school and early university years.
Lonsdale conducted pioneering research into the movement of atoms within crystals, and campaigned extensively for international peace. She was the first female professor at University College London (UCL), and one of the first women to be appointed a member of the Royal Society.
English Heritage unveiled 11 plaques in 2020, to Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, Noor Inayat Khan, Sir Robert Hunter, Christine Granville, Juan Pujol Garcia, Gerald Durrell, Dame Barbara Hepworth and John Skeaping, Sir Cecil Beaton, Ottobah Cugoano and Abdus Salam.
Keeping in touch
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted our need to keep in touch, both with one another and with what’s happening in the outside world. The people below have all advanced communication in some way – from computing pioneer Ada Lovelace and founder of The Times, John Walter, to war correspondent Martha Gellhorn and TV and radio broadcaster Richard Dimbleby.
Plaques for women
Today only 14 per cent of London’s blue plaques celebrate women. We don't think that’s good enough. Since 2016 when we first launched our ‘plaques for women’ campaign, more than half of the people awarded plaques have been women, but only a third of the public nominations were for women. Nominations are the life blood of the London blue plaques scheme and if we are to see a significant increase in the number of blue plaques for women, we will need more female suggestions.
If you know of a woman who deserves a blue plaque and meets the selection criteria, nominate her now and help us address the gender imbalance in London's blue plaques.
Propose a woman for a blue plaqueBlue Plaque Stories
Behind every plaque is a story. From the creative output of international composers to the campaigns for women’s rights, discover the personal journeys and historic achievements of London’s notable former residents with our series of in depth articles.
Discover the stories behind the plaquesHistory’s Heroes of Health
Advances in the control, treatment and cure of illness and disease have depended on the work of many talented individuals, working in a variety of different fields.
The London blue plaques scheme celebrates many figures of outstanding achievement in this crucially important area. We explore some of their most significant medical breakthroughs and public health reforms.
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