Blue Plaques Panel

Open Minutes

Minutes of the 40^th meeting held at 11.00am on 7^th March 2007 at The Court Room, St Andrew's Holborn

Panel Members Prof David Cannadine - Chair

present: Dr Celina Fox - Vice-Chair

Miss Maria Adebowale

Mr Christopher Beauman

Ms Julia Elton

Mr Nicholas Kenyon

Dr Margaret Pelling

Dr Jane Ridley

Mr Stephen Fry

Dr Gavin Stamp

Staff present for Mr John Cattell - Blue Plaques Secretary

meeting: Ms Emily Cole - Head of the Blue Plaques Team

Dr Susan Skedd - Blue Plaques Historian

Mr Howard Spencer - Blue Plaques Historian

Ms Caroline Mathews - Blue Plaques Coordinator

Item 1 - Apologies and Announcements

Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Mr John Gross.

Announcements

Prof Cannadine welcomed Mr John Cattell, who heads the Architectural Investigation section at English Heritage. Mr Cattell has replaced Dr Borman as Blue Plaques Secretary.

Declarations of Interest

Prof Cannadine and Ms Adebowale mentioned that they were English Heritage Commissioners and as such had discussed the National Scheme issue in advance of the Blue Plaques Panel meeting.

1.1 National Blue Plaques Scheme - results of the review

Prof Cannadine reported that a paper on the National Scheme had been considered by the English Heritage Commission on 7 February. The Commission had made three recommendations. Firstly, that the funding and strategic management of the Blue Plaques Scheme be moved from the Properties and Outreach Group within English Heritage to the Research and Standards Group. As a result of this change, Dr Borman would no longer be acting as Secretary to the Panel. Prof Cannadine, as Chairman and on behalf of the Panel, wanted to pass on his appreciation to Dr Borman for her work; the Panel agreed that a letter of thanks be sent.

The Commission had also recommended that a change of approach be adopted with regard to the country as a whole. Henceforth, the scheme would focus on London only, and the spirit of the National Blue Plaques Scheme would be followed through the development of an advisory role, whereby guidance and information is actively offered to those who run or hope to set up local plaques schemes. Ms Cole reported that letters had been sent to the people and organisations in the East of England and the East Midlands whose suggestions for blue plaques had been shortlisted. So far there have been mainly positive responses. Norwich, for example, had decided to go ahead with its own scheme.

1.2 Prof Cannadine reported that, further to the Commission's recommendation, there would be a reconsideration of the existing shortlist of figures awaiting plaques in London. This would ensure that the backlog - and the time between suggestion and installation - was minimised, and that the quality of those commemorated remained high. Ms Cole commented that the backlog is due in part to an imbalance between the popularity of the scheme and the resources allocated to it. The Panel agreed that it would reconsider certain cases from the shortlist at its meetings in June and October 2007.

Item 2 - Minutes of the October 2006 meeting

Item 3 - Matters Arising and Secretary's Report (Oral)

3.1 Mr Cattell thanked the Panel for welcoming him as Secretary and also thanked Dr Borman for her work.

3.2 Mr Cattell returned to the subject of the National Scheme and reported that letters had so far been sent out to proposers of shortlisted suggestions, and further letters would soon go out to people who had attended the launches, local authorities and other groups. The next batch of letters will be sent to those who have made general enquiries about the National Scheme. It was asked if a template of the letter to proposers could be sent to Panel members after the meeting, and Ms Cole agreed to do this.

3.3 Mr Cattell reported staff changes within the Blue Plaques Team. Cathy Benson, Blue Plaques Coordinator, left English Heritage in January 2007 and will be greatly missed. Alison Frappell replaced Ms Benson as Blue Plaques Coordinator in January 2007 and is now on maternity leave until January 2008.

Mr Cattell welcomed Caroline Mathews as Blue Plaques Coordinator. Ms Mathews is being seconded from her role as Projects Officer with the Historic Environment Commissions Team at English Heritage. Mr Cattell reported that Elizabeth Wardle, who currently works for the Society of London Art Dealers, would be starting with the team on 12^th March as Blue Plaques Administrator.

Mr Cattell thanked and paid tribute to the Blue Plaques Team for their continued good work during this period of change.

3.3 Mr Cattell reported that the minutes of the Blue Plaques Panel would soon be available to download from the English Heritage website, alongside those for other English Heritage committees and panels. There will be open and exempt minutes to protect areas such as commercial interests, personal information of proposers and property owners, and information intended for future publication.

3.4 Mr Cattell reported on two negative articles on blue plaques that had appeared since the last Panel meeting, both of which had been circulated to members in advance, along with English Heritage's responses. The article published in the Sunday Telegraph in December 2006 resulted from information obtained through a Freedom of Information request, which had then been misinterpreted. The second article had appeared in the Camden New Journal in January 2007; responses from English Heritage and A. N. Wilson, a former member of the Panel, had been subsequently published in the Journal. Mr Cattell asked the Panel whether, in future, it would like to be alerted to significant negative or factually incorrect articles on plaques in advance of Panel meetings. This was endorsed by the Panel as being a useful course of action. Members offered to write letters to the press on behalf of the Panel, where appropriate/useful.

3.5 This report/minute is potentially exempt from public access under the Freedom of Information Act, Section 43: Commercial Interests. Please note that other exemptions may also apply.

3.6 Mr Cattell informed the Panel that the Blue Plaques Team had moved in January 2007 from Bunhill Row to English Heritage's permanent London offices at 1 Waterhouse Square, Holborn.

3.7 Mr Cattell reported that there had been one formal unveiling of a plaque since the last Panel meeting - that to Kathleen `Kitty' Godfree on 23^rd October 2006 at 55 York Avenue, East Sheen, SW14, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

3.8 The plaque to King Cetshwayo was erected at 18 Melbury Road, Holland Park, W14, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, on 25^th October 2006, as part of Black History Month. Mr Cattell reported that the South African High Commission had been unable to arrange an unveiling ceremony in time for October 2006, but that it had plans to organise a celebration - separately from English Heritage - in the near future.

3.9 Dates of future unveilings:

A plaque to Sir Michael Costa will be unveiled at 59 Ecceleston Square, SW1, on Thursday 19^th April 2007 at 11am. Prof Cannadine has kindly agreed to speak on behalf of the blue plaques scheme and Maestro Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera, will unveil the plaque.

A plaque to Edward Ardizzone will be unveiled at 130 Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale, W9, on Thursday 3^rd May 2007 at 11.30am. The unveiling ceremony is being organised by Ardizzone's daughter, Christianna Clemence.

The plaque to Harold Abrahams will be unveiled at Hodford Lodge, 2-4 Hodford Road, NW11, on Thursday 17^th May 2007 at 12.30pm. The unveiling ceremony is being organised by the Abrahams family.

Mr Cattell asked that the Panel contact the Blue Plaques Team if they would like to attend any of the above unveilings.

4.0 A plaque to Hertha Ayrton will be erected at 41 Norfolk Square, Paddington, W2, without an unveiling ceremony, at the building owner's request.

Item 4 - Information Reports: London

4.1 Prof Cannadine and Ms Cole reported that, as a result of the recommendations reported under item 1.1, the Terms of Reference and the Selection Criteria had been altered so as to be specific to London.

Item 5 - New Suggestions for Blue Plaques: London

5.1 The following new suggestions were endorsed for a full historical report to be made to the Panel:

Raymond Chandler (Literature)

Felix Mendelssohn (Music and Dance; Overseas Visitors)

Lionel Tertis (Music and Dance)

5.2 The Panel asked for further research to be carried out on the following suggestions:

George Murray Smith (Journalism and Publishing; Commerce and Business)

5.3 The Panel decided that the following new suggestions did not meet the selection criteria for the scheme and recommended that they should not be shortlisted:

Barry Kay (Applied Arts; Music and Dance)

Joan Hassall (Applied Arts)

John Seymour Lucas (Fine Arts)

Rowland Hilder (Fine Arts)

3 Savile Row (Historical Sites; Music and Dance)

Arthur Orton (Law; Politics and Administration)

Beverley Nichols (Literature)

Charles H. Lightoller (Maritime)

Dr John Brian Christopherson (Medicine; British Overseas)

Halliday Gibson Sutherland (Medicine)

John Langdon Haydon Langdon-Down (Medicine; Philanthropy and Reform)

Anna Pavlova (Music and Dance)

Pavlova's worthiness for a plaque was unquestioned, but the Panel noted that her long-term London address - Ivy House, North End Road, NW11 - already bears a ceramic blue plaque installed by the Hendon Corporation.

George Butterworth (Music and Dance)

Paschoal Carlos Magno (Overseas Visitors; Theatre and Film; Politics and Administration)

Sir George Williams (Philanthropy and Reform; Religion)

Whilst the Panel acknowledged Williams' lasting importance, it felt that his association with his only surviving London address - 22 Norfolk Crescent, Hyde Park - was not sufficiently significant to warrant commemoration. It was noted that a private plaque already marks the site of his residence at 13 Russell Square, Bloomsbury.

Dr Alfred Wiener (Philanthropy and Reform; Politics and Administration)

William Richard Sutton (Entrepreneur and Philanthropist)

Lord Robert Craigmyle Morrison (Politics and Administration)

Reverend Michael Scott (Politics and Administration; Philanthropy and Reform)

Thomas Jones (Politics and Administration; Philanthropy and Reform)

Dr Jacob Bronowski (Science; Radio and Television)

Vincenzo Consolato Antonio Ferraro (Science)

Sir David Lean (Theatre and Film)

The Panel noted that Lean was a worthy figure for commemoration, but decided to uphold the selection criteria, and asked that consideration of Lean's case be deferred until after 25 March 2008, when he becomes eligible under the centenary rule.

SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS: LONDON

Item 6 - Suggestions for which the Panel had asked for further research to be carried out

Phyllis Pearsall

Further research found that although Pearsall was very closely involved in the founding and publishing of the A-Z Atlas of London, the A-Z itself was not at all novel; street atlases of London, with indexes, have existed since at least the 1850s, and by the time of the A-Z's first appearance in 1936 there were a number of similar atlases on the market. Given that this was the case, the Panel felt that it would be inappropriate to single out Pearsall for commemoration. It was also noted that there was already a plaque to Pearsall, erected last year by Southwark Council.

Sir Victor Horsley

The Panel agreed that Horsley had a commendable medical career and could be classed as the first neurosurgeon. He was therefore shortlisted for a full historical report.

Percy Dearmer

Although Dearmer played a fascinating role in the development of Anglican worship, it was felt that his contribution was not wholly original, but instead formed part of the general movement towards reforming church liturgy and music that took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Panel concluded that Dearmer was not one of the great figures of the twentieth-century Church and therefore should not be recommended for commemoration ahead of leading churchmen such as Archbishop William Temple or Bishop George Bell.

Suggestions for which, on further investigation, there does not appear to be a building suitable for commemoration

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dr Skedd reported that Bonhoeffer's home at 23 Manor Mount, SE23, already bore a plaque installed by Lewisham Council. This was maroon in colour and embedded into the façade of the building. Although it was in poor repair and obscured by foliage, it could easily be rendered more visible. The Panel agreed that the existing plaque was sufficient commemoration of Bonhoeffer's home, though it was suggested that the owners and council could be contacted and a request made that the foliage be cut back.

Item 7 - Final Reports

Item 7a - Blue Plaque: Rachel McMillan (1859-1917) and Margaret McMillan (1860-1931)

The Panel agreed the proposal that, subject to the necessary consents being obtained, a blue plaque be erected.

This report/minute is potentially exempt from public access under the Freedom of Information Act, Section 43: Commercial Interests. Please note that other exemptions may also apply.

Item 8 - Any Other Business

8.1 Mr Cattell mentioned that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport had been consulted about the National Scheme review. He reported that he had just received word that the DCMS was content with the changes.

8.2 Ms Cole proposed that photographs of the buildings recommended for commemoration be appended to final reports submitted at future meetings. This was agreed by the Panel.

8.3 Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held at 11.00am on Wednesday 13^th June 2007 at 11.00am. The venue is to be confirmed.

Caroline Mathews

Blue Plaques Coordinator

7^th March 2007

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Minutes of Blue Plaques Panel meeting - 7^th March 2007