Blue Plaques in your area and the history behind them

Since 2001, the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques scheme has promoted recognition and awareness of people, places and events that have had a lasting impact in and around Oxfordshire from all historical periods.

All subjects suggested for Blue Plaques are considered by the Board according to the same criteria. The main point of the scrutiny is to ensure that the person, place or event commemorated is of lasting and clear significance.

Plaque of Nobel Prize winner Dorothy Hodgkin

The Board is made up of representatives from Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the four district councils, University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University among others and the scheme is administered by the Oxford Civic Society.

In order to qualify, a person must have been dead for at least 20 years (exceptions may be considered in rare cases, e.g. if the centenary of the person’s birth has passed), must have done work worthy of lasting recognition, and must have lived or worked in the building on which the plaque will be erected for at least five years.

For locations and particular buildings to be recognised, it must be locally or nationally known and for events, at least 20 years must have passed before it can be recognised by a Blue Plaque.

Within Oxford, currently there are more than 65 plaques erected, with two being erected in 2021 to honour Abel Beesley and Thomas Kingerlee for their achievements and impact in Punting and Building respectively. Below is a list of all the plaques in Oxford and where you can find them.

In the rest of Oxfordshire, there are currently 51 plaques and this is where you can find them.

How many of these plaques have you visited? Let us know in the comments below!

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