London’s legendary blue plaques first started popping up in the 1860s and now number over 1,000. Timely reminders that famous people have walked the same streets, that significant events have happened in the very same places – those plaques are rightly cherished by Londoners.
While cities up and down the UK have other ways of marking historic places, they don’t have London’s Historic England-approved blue plaques – well, until now. Last year Historic England announced that its blue plaques project would be officially expanding throughout the rest of England.
And now the first of those non-London blue plaques has been unveiled. In Wavertree, Liverpool, it marks the childhood home of legendary singer, songwriter and Beatle George Harrison.
The plaque was unveiled today (May 24) by George’s wife, Olivia Harrison. George Harrison lived in the house on 12 Arnold Grove from his birth in 1943 to the age of seven.
George Harrison, for those not wizened up on Beatles lore, was the Beatles’ lead guitarist. He wrote plenty of the group’s best tunes, including ‘Taxman’, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and ‘Here Comes the Sun’, then went on to have a successful solo career. He died in 2001.
On top of all that, Historic England is also launching a project where the public can nominate places for new blue plaque. That’s gone live today, and will last until July 19. You can submit a nomination here.
Fancy visiting the brand-new George Harrison plaque for yourself? You can do so by heading to 12 Arnold Grove, Wavertree, Liverpool L15 8HP.
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