A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the UK to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. In the UK the term is used in two senses. It may be used narrowly and specifically to refer to the "official" scheme administered by English Heritage, and restricted to sites within Greater London; or it may be used less formally to encompass a number of similar schemes administered by organisations throughout the UK. The plaques erected are made in a variety of designs, shapes, materials and colours: some are blue, others are not. However, the term "blue plaque" is often used informally to encompass all such schemes.
PLAQUES COMMEMORATING PEOPLE:
BONCHURCH ARTISTS
Location: On the wall of Seaside House, towards the bottom of Shore Road, Bonchurch (near Bonchurch Pottery) PO38 1RN
Description: Property bears a plaque naming several artists who worked in the Bonchurch area.
Inscription: BONCHURCH SHORE, A MUCH FAVOURED RESORT FOR MANY EARLY ENGLISH WATERCOLOUR ARTISTS WHO WERE INSPIRED TO PAINT HERE DURING THE 19TH CENTURY.
- Clarkson Stanfield 1793 - 1867
- Edward W Cooke 1811 - 1880
- Thomas M. Richardson Jnr. 1813 - 1890
- Thomas C.L. Rowbotham 1823 - 1875
- Myles B. Foster 1825 - 1899
- Ernest A. Waterlow 1850 - 1919
WINSTON CHURCHILL
Location: Ventnor Holiday Villas (formerly Flint Cottage), at the top of Wheelers Bay Road at the junction with St Catherine Street, Ventnor PO38 1HR
Description: Property bears a plaque marking Winston Churchill's visit to Ventnor in 1878 as a four year old. It is believed that his nurse had relatives in the area.
Inscription: SIR WINSTON L P CHURCHILL ~ 1874 - 1965 ~ STAYED AT FLINT COTTAGE IN 1878, THE FIRST OF MANY VISITS TO VENTNOR. WHILST HERE HE SAW THE WRECK OF H. M. TRAINING SHIP EURYDICE WHICH CAPSIZED OFF DUNNOSE MARCH 24TH 1878 WITH THE LOSS OF MORE THAN 300 LIVES.
CHARLES DICKENS - MYLES BIRKET FOSTER - WILLIAM ADAMS
Location: Winterbourne, Village Road, Bonchurch PO38 1RQ
Description: This particular blue plaque is shared with 2 other people: Myles Birket Foster and William Adams.
Inscription 1: WHILST STAYING IN THIS HOUSE CHARLES DICKENS (ENGLISH NOVELIST) WROTE PART OF 'DAVID COPPERFIELD' IN 1849.
Inscription 2: MYLES BIRKET FOSTER (WATERCOLOUR ARTIST) PAINTED ON THE SHORE, BONCHURCH, IN 1862.
Inscription 3: WILLIAM ADAMS (CHRISTIAN SCHOLAR, AUTHOR OF THE SACRED ALLEGORIES) LIVED HERE FROM 1843 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1848.
SIR EDWARD ELGAR
Location: Bermuda House, 3 Alexandra Gardens, Ventnor PO38 1EE
Description: The property bears a plaque marking Edward Elgar's visit to Ventnor in 1889 during his honeymoon.
Inscription: SIR EDWARD ELGAR COMPOSER (1857 - 1934) STAYED HERE ON HIS HONEYMOON MAY May 1889.
EDGAR J HARVEY
Location: The Cascade Arch near the Paddling Pool, Esplanade, Ventnor PO38 1JR
Description: The Cascade arch bears a plaque naming Edgar J Harvey as the designer of the Cascade gardens. Edgar James Harvey was born in Wroxall in 1857, the son of James and Ann Harvey. James Harvey was a Plumber. In 1901 he and his wife Mary, with their 4 children, were living at Ingleside, The Grove, Ventnor.
Inscription: THESE CASCADE GARDENS WERE DESIGNED CIRCA 1900 by EDGAR J HARVEY, TOWN SURVEYOR FOR 19 YEARS, B. 1856 D. 1943.
ARTHUR HILL HASSALL
Location: Ventnor Botanic Garden, Undercliff Drive, Ventnor PO38 1UL
Description: The visitor centre bears a plaque naming Arthur Hill Hassall as the founder of the Royal National Hospital.
Inscription: IN MEMORY OF ARTHUR HILL HASSALL M.D., F.L.S. (1817 - 1894) PHYSICIAN & NATURALIST WHO, IN 1868, FOUNDED WITHIN THESE GROUNDS THE ROYAL NATIONAL HOSPITAL.
RENE HOWE
Location: Rene Howe Walk (Cascade Walk), Shore Hill, Ventnor PO38
Description: Rene Howe lived in Ventnor and was a outstanding teacher who also did a range of things for the local community. She died in 2001, aged 88.
Inscription: Unknown.
EARL JELLICOE
Location: Stone gate pillar at the entrance to Inglewood Park, Ventnor PO38 1UX
Description: Stone pillar bears a plaque marking the site of St Lawrence Hall, residence of Earl Jellicoe.
Inscription: VENTNOR & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY. SITE OF ST LAWRENCE HALL. THE RT HON EARL JELLICOE, ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET, LIVED HERE FROM 1924 TILL HIS DEATH IN 1935.
JOHN LEECH
Location: At Hillside Cottage, Bonchurch Shute, Bonchurch PO38 1NU
Description: The gate pillar bears a plaque marking it as a place where the caricaturist John Leech stayed in 1849.
Inscription: WHILST SAYING HERE IN 1849, JOHN LEECH (1817 - 1864), CARTOONIST & ILLUSTRATOR, CHIEF PICTORIAL PILLAR OF 'PUNCH' ILLUSTRATED A SPECIAL SHOWER-BATH CONTRAPTION ERECTED ON THE BEACH BY HIS FRIEND CHARLES DICKENS.
EDWIN H LEMARE
Location: At 15 High Street, Ventnor PO38 1RZ
Description: The building bears a plaque marking the Birth place Edwin Henry Lemare (born 9 September 1866, died 24 September 1934.)
Inscription: SITE OF THE BIRTHPLACE OF EDWIN H LEMARE, RENOWNED ORGANIST & COMPOSER. BORN 1865, DIED 1934.
LORD MACAULAY
Location: At Madeira Hall, Trinity Road, Ventnor PO38 1NS
Description: Property bears a plaque marking Lord Macaulay's visit to Ventnor in 1850. He was working on his "History of England" at the time. Although not mentioned on the plaque, a Miss Dick lived here around the 1820s. She is thought to have been the inspiration for Charles Dickens’ character Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. Miss Dick had been jilted at the altar and shut herself away, becoming a recluse.
Inscription: LORD MACAULAY HISTORIAN AND ESSAYIST STAYED AT MADEIRA HALL FOR SOME MONTHS DURING 1850.
SIR JOHN MARTIN-HARVEY
Location: To the right of Bonchurch Pottery, Shore Road, Bonchurch, Ventnor PO38 1RN
Description: The building has a large painted balcony overlooking the sea, and bears a plaque marking the summer residence of Sir John Martin-Harvey in Bonchurch.
Inscription: VENTNOR & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY. FOR MANY YEARS THIS COTTAGE WAS THE SUMMER RESIDENCE OF SIR JORN MARTIN-HARVEY 1863 - 1944 ACTOR AND THEATRE MANAGER.
KARL MARX
Location: Chimnitz, 1 St Boniface Gardens, Ventnor PO38 1PW
Description: The building bears a plaque marking the visits made by Karl Marx to Ventnor.
Inscription: KARL MARX SOCIALIST PHILOSOPHER LIVED HERE DURING THE WINTERS OF 1881-2 AND 1882-3.
ALFRED NOYES - this plaque is currently not on show to the public
Location: Lisle Combe, Undercliff Drive, St Lawrence, Ventnor PO38 1UW
Description: The former home of the famous British poet, Alfred Noyes, where his extensive library and chattels are still owned by the Noyes family who still live there. The large country house is Listed and retains many original features - leaded windows, tall twisted Tudor style chimney pots - in the beautiful 'Cottage Orne' style. Guests of Lisle Combe guest house have use of the extensive gardens and access to some rooms.
Inscription: Unknown.
ELIZABETH MISSING SEWELL
Location: St Boniface Court, Mitchell Avenue, Ventnor
Description: The building bears a plaque marking the foundation of St Boniface Diocesan School by Elizabeth Missing Sewell.
Inscription: THIS BUILDING WAS ERECTED AS ST BONIFACE DIOCESAN SCHOOL BY ELIZABETH MISSING SEWELL 1815 - 1906 OF BONCHURCH, AUTHORESS AND EDUCATION PIONEER.
HENRY DE VERE STACPOOLE
Location: Cliff Dene, Bonchurch
Description: The gate pillar bears a plaque marking the residence of Henry de Vere Stacpoole in Bonchurch.
Inscription: HENRY DE VERE STACPOOLE 1863 - 1951 PHYSICIAN NOVELIST POET LIVED HERE FOR THIRTY YEARS UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1951.
JOHN STIRLING - this plaque is currently not on show to the public
Location: Hillside Hotel, Mitchell Avenue, Ventnor
Description: ONCE THE HOME OF POET JOHN STERLING AND VISITED BY THOMAS CARLYLE, AS WELL AS DICKENS.
Inscription: Unknown.
ALGERNON SWINBURNE
Location: East Dene, Bonchurch
Description: The gate pillar bears a plaque marking it as the home of the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne.
Inscription: EAST DENE HOME OF THE POET ALGERNON SWINBURNE FROM 1841 - 1865.
IVAN TURGENEV
Location: Esplanade, Ventnor
Description: Property bears a plaque marking Ivan Turgenev's visit to Ventnor in 1860, the former site of Belinda Cottage.
Inscription: IVAN TURGENEV 1818 - 1863 RUSSIAN NOVELIST, LIVED HERE ON THIS SITE AT BELINDA COTTAGE AND HERE IN 1860 BEGAN HIS BEST KNOW WORK "FATHERS AND SONS".
PLAQUES COMMEMORATING PLACES OF INTEREST:
RADAR STATION
Location: Old Park Hotel, St Lawrence PO38 1XS
Description: The Old Park Hotel is Listed Grade II. Since the Memorial is situated on the wall of the Hotel, it is assumed to be covered by the Listing. Two plaques marking the location as the headquarters of RAF St Lawrence, one of the "Chain Home" Radar stations of World War II. The bases of the aerial pylons are still visible nearby on the cliff top.
Inscription: Ventnor & District Local History Society: The former Radar Station R.A.F. St Lawrence was near this spot during World War 2 1939 - 1945.
APRIL 10TH 1944 UNVEILED BY LADY BARCLAY & SIR PETER ANSON TO COMMEMORATE THE VITAL PART PLAYED BY RADAR DURING WORLD WAR 2 AND THE D-DAY LANDINGS
RADAR STATION
Location: St Boniface Down, Ventnor
Description: A plaque marking the site of RAF Ventnor, a World War II radar station, part of the Chain Home network.
Inscription: VENTNOR AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY SITE OF VENTNOR RADAR STATION (FORMERLEY RAF VENTNOR). BUILD 1938, AND REPEATEDLY BOMBED FROM 1940, BUT FUNCTIONED UNTIL THE EARLY 1960's.
STEEPHILL CASTLE
Location: Undercliff Gardens, Ventnor
Description: At entrance to Undercliff Gardens, Ventnor PO38 1UB.
Inscription: VENTNOR & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY: SITE OF STEEPHILL CASTLE 1835 - 1963 BUILT BY JOHN HAMBROUGH VISITED BY QUEEN VICTORIA
VENTNOR MILL
Location: Alexander Gardens, Ventnor PO38 1EE
Description: The gate pillar at the lower end of the row of houses bears a plaque marking it as the site of Ventnor Mil.
Inscription: VENTNOR & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY: FROM THE EARLY 18TH CENTURY (POSSIBLY EARLIER) VENTNOR MILL DEMOLISHED 1875 STOOD HERE
VENTNOR STATION
Location: Old Station Road, Ventnor PO38 1DX
Description: Wall of the HM Coastguard building bears a plaque marking the site of Ventnor Station.
Inscription: VENTNOR & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY: SITE OF VENTNOR RAILWAY STATION 1866 - 1966.
VENTNOR WEST STATION
Location: Castle Close, Ventnor PO38 1UD
Description: Property is the old railway station building that served Ventnor 1900 to 1952.
Inscription: Unknown.
