Talk:Blue plaque

Small grammatical error/typo but not sure of the correction (sec English Heritage selection criteria)

Last sentence "proposals are be considered for the commemoration of sites of special historical interest"

I'd usually correct this kind of small error without discussion as it would be uncontroversial. However I am not sure whether to put "are to be" or cut "be". I don't know the original text or whether indeed it is quoted from literally so advice would be appreciated (or someone else to correct appropriately).

I am just getting used to Wikipedia edits and starting small so please excuse me if I am against netiquette.

-- SimonTrew 2009-Jan-14 07:19am GMT

List of hoax commemorative plaques

Hi, @KJP1 considers my addition of List of hoax commemorative plaques to the 'See also' section as a disimprovement to the Blue plaque page, as it's "a link to a poor, weakly-sourced list, most of the entries for which are not even imitations of blue plaques." Full disclosure, I created the 'List of hoax commemorative plaques' page, and it's something I'm interested in. Admittedly, it's not a list limited to hoax "Blue plaques" alone, but the Blue plaque is such a ubiquitous style of plaque to copy that the list inevitably contains the following quite obvious pastiches of it:

• Raven Bjorn
• Katherine Ford
• Jacob von Hogflume

There are undoubtedly more of these dotted around London. Maybe part of the reason 'List of hoax commemorative plaques' comes across as a "poor, weakly-sourced list" is because the article is not being granted the exposure it needs for more people to stumble upon it and add to it. If you're as interested in plaques as I presume you must be, you could also maybe help by improving it instead of just rubbishing it as a lost cause? Regards, Ridiculopathy (talk) 13:41, 21 November 2024 (UTC)

I agree with Ridiculopathy. The hoax list could certainly do with further development, but what's there is at least a start, and the topic is undoubtedly sufficiently related to this article to justify a modest "See also" entry. Note too that this article covers more than blue plaques in the narrow sense, so the argument that not all the spoof markers mimic "blue plaques" doesn't hold up. The list should also be included as a See also on Commemorative plaque. GrindtXX (talk) 14:49, 21 November 2024 (UTC)

Not a hill to die on, as User:GrindtXX says it's a modest addition, but for me it's not a particularly helpful one either. The List of hoax commemorative plaques seems a poorly-focussed article; in what sense is the sign for Llandegley International Airport a "commemorative plaque"? Nor is there consensus as to the List's notability, its been tagged since 2022. Nor is it well-sourced, a mix of blogs, dead links, no sourcing at all, and a few RS, and it's tagged for this also. Lastly, of the 12 entries, only two are identifiably efforts to imitate blue plaques, a point of relevance on which I part company with GrindtXX. But if there's a consensus to include it, I won't revert again. KJP1 (talk) 17:07, 21 November 2024 (UTC)

Agreed: the idea isn't completely crazy but this list isn't yet suitable for inclusion. Jonathan A Jones (talk) 18:20, 21 November 2024 (UTC)

Thanks for your contributions @GrindtXX, @KJP1 and @Jonathan A Jones. Considering your comments, I'll leave it until the hoax list is more robust, which I do hope will happen eventually. If any of you ever stumble across any books, or newspaper articles, on the subject of "hoax plaques" please consider sending a link my way. Regards, Ridiculopathy (talk) 08:51, 22 November 2024 (UTC)

Outside London

Re the recent decision to (re)extend the official English Heritage scheme outside London, we currently say that the first such plaque, commemorating Daphne Steele, was unveiled on 23 February 2024; but also that a plaque commemorating George Harrison, unveiled on 24 May 2024, was "referred to in the press as 'Historic England's first official non-London blue plaque'" – in both cases citing (reasonably) reliable sources. Is this just a case of "the press" (specifically Time Out) getting it wrong, or is there some more subtle distinction? (As an aside, Steele died on 23 July 2004, so it looks as if the usual 20-year rule was bent there.) GrindtXX (talk) 17:47, 25 May 2025 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion:

• The world's first regular high definition television service was inaugurated here by the BBC 2 November 1936.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 21:21, 29 October 2025 (UTC)