Do you know a famous person who lived in Canterbury and whose life here should be commemorated with a Blue Plaque? Or is there a famous event which deserves to be remembered? The Canterbury Society and the Canterbury Commemoration Society have set up a new project with the aim of adding to the number of blue plaques commemorating famous people and events in the city.
For a person to be commemorated they have to have been dead for at least 20 years and to have genuine connections with Canterbury. Their name has to be recognised locally, nationally or internationally for having made some important positive contribution to human welfare or happiness. There also has to be a publicly accessible building associated with the person or event on which the plaque will be placed.
The project is being led by a Working Group which will operate in partnership with the Conservation team at Canterbury City Council. The criteria for the selection of the plaques will reflect those proposed by the City Council and by English Heritage. No figure will be listed on the basis of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. However, the Working Group will pay due regard to the overall balance of cases being shortlisted, and to the imbalances in representation that presently exist.
Anyone who is interested in proposing a new Blue Plaque can go to the Canterbury Society website for the form to propose a plaque and for guidelines about filling in the form. The closing date for submitting proposals is 12 November 2021. Completed forms and queries should go to: info@canterburysociety.org.uk