It’s time to honour the best of local history, with the 2017 Southwark Blue Plaque scheme nominations now open, writes Kirsty Purnell…
The scheme honours people, places and events which have historical significance and are connected to the borough of Southwark.
Past winners include Borough Market, Geoffrey Chaucer and Surrey Docks Farm and there are now over 50 plaques installed around the borough.
Residents have between now and the beginning of June to submit their nominations to either Southwark Heritage Association or Southwark News, lead partners in administering the 14-year-old scheme.
“If you want history and people to be remembered then the blue plaque scheme is ideal,” said Veronica Alden of Southwark Heritage Association. “We need people to get out there and say which sites they want to be honoured.”
The Southwark scheme came about in 2003, after many Southwark heritage sites didn’t qualify for the English heritage plaques.
“With the English Heritage plaques, the building needs to be still standing. With the amount of regeneration in this borough then that’s not always possible,” said Veronica. “We had more history and heritage than they can cope with!”
The News is collecting nominations. Email your selection to owen@southwarknews.co.uk.
Eligible nominations will go out to the public poll later in the year.