London’s Blue Plaques
London’s famous blue plaques link the people of the past with the buildings of the present. Now run by English Heritage, the London blue plaques scheme was started in 1866 and is thought to be the oldest of its kind in the world.
Across the capital over 900 plaques, on buildings humble and grand, honour the notable men and women who have lived or worked in them. Discover some of the people commemorated with blue plaques, or search for a plaque, below.
NEW BLUE PLAQUE TO DEREK JARMAN
English Heritage has unveiled the first new blue plaque of 2019. The film-maker Derek Jarman is best remembered for his art house films Caravaggio (1986) and The Last of England (1987), as well as his activism for LGBTQ rights. His plaque can be found at Butler's Wharf Building in Southwark, London, where he lived and worked from 1973 until 1979.
In 2018 we unveiled plaques to: Sir William Beveridge, Margaret Lockwood, Agnes Arber, Flanders and Swann, The Cooper Car Company, Harry Mallin, the Bauhaus Designers, Peter Cushing, Henry and CRW Nevinson, PL Travers, Sir Hugh Carleton Greene and John Thelwall.
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 plaquesChildren's Authors
Discover the authors behind the much-loved characters of our childhoods. Click on the images below to find the blue plaques commemorating their London homes and learn more about their time in the city.
The Blue Plaques Book
The lives of London’s most significant residents are placed at your fingertips in this new book. With all 900-plus official plaques mapped onto the city, The English Heritage Guide to London’s Blue Plaques is the definitive companion to London’s iconic memorials and the people who have helped shape the history of this city. Use it to explore the capital at street level, or read it in the comfort of your own home and discover little-known stories from London’s past.
Order Your Copy Now
Blue Plaques App
The official blue plaques app is now available to download for free for iPhone and Android. Use the app to follow guided walks around Soho and Kensington, or explore all of the 900 plaques by finding ones nearby and searching for your favourite figures from history.
From Sylvia Pankhurst’s former home in Chelsea to Jimi Hendrix’s flat in Mayfair, let English Heritage’s blue plaques guide you through the streets of London.
Download the free app now from the Apple App Store for iPhone or the Google Play Store for Android.
