Author Archives: Deirdre Molloy

Reclaiming plaques for the people: art raids the archives

When people talk about historical plaques and markers, who should get one, why they matter and what they’re ultimately for; things can get heated. And not just because there’s very long waiting lists on most of the bigger plaque schemes … Continue reading

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Peer Plaques: community voices writ large

Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, London, was once the symbolic epicentre of free speech, a concept mirrored in city and town public squares wherever people were entitled to speak their mind or insisted on doing so. Nowadays the web with … Continue reading

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Digital co-op treasure hunt maps Manchester’s history

Open Plaques resources are explicitly geared for re-use by others, taking on new forms beyond the main website in related apps and ebooks. This was taken a step further when our (current) list of 145 plaques in Manchester was brought … Continue reading

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Plaques at risk: heritage today gone tomorrow?

We’re used to thinking historical plaques tell us about the past. There’s clearly no disputing this. That said, whilst working on Open Plaques I’ve gradually come to realise that the converse is equally true. They’re also about the here and … Continue reading

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Flicker Alley plaques reveal innovation hub of early British film industry

Earlier in December I met with two resident traders in the bustling sidestreet of Cecil Court to find out more about the plaque-like blue discs dotted round the windows of its many retail outlets. Today referred to as ‘Booksellers Row’ … Continue reading

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Pinpointing Mozart’s new plaque via London maps and patterns

Until the early part of the nineteenth century the area to the right of London’s Charing Cross Road – then in its previous incarnation as Castle Street – stretching across St Martin’s Lane over to Bedford Street in the heart … Continue reading

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Finding Flann O’Brien: plaques, places, tongues and names

Three is a curious number and if he could speak to us now, I wonder what author Flann O’Brien would make of the three plaques in Ireland erected to commemorate him. He’d probably make a darkly memorable quip that appeared … Continue reading

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The People’s Plaques of Islington

Two weeks ago we visited the Islington Local History Centre, part of Islington Library, and underneath which you’ll find Islington Museum (@IslingtonMuseum). Yes it’s all about Islington in this post – and Islingtonians! – because Islington Council in London runs … Continue reading

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Plaque to the future: the ebook edition

Much as we hope Open Plaques will support and expand public exploration of our surroundings past and present, we didn’t imagine a selection of our community’s content gracing an ebook in the Kindle store quite yet. Our mistake clearly, as … Continue reading

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