Canterbury currently has very few of the famous Blue Plaques, despite having been home to many interesting and important people.  The Canterbury Society Blue Plaques project was set up in 2020 and began by inviting suggestions from the general public for the names of individuals (and events) who have some connection with the city and who deserve to be remembered and commemorated. 

Many excellent suggestions for new blue plaques were received and from them eleven have been selected by the Working Group leading the project.   

The first new Blue Plaques in Canterbury will be for: 

• Sarah Baker 1736/7-1816  Theatrical entrepreneur and actor
• Bat & Trap was created and first played at The Old Beverlie public house
• Aphra Behn 1640-1689  Writer, poet, translator
• Canterbury to Whitstable Railway  1830  Terminus North Lane
• Ian Dury 1942-2000  Singer/songwriter, artist and actor
• Elizabeth Elstob  1683-1756  Writer, scholar and translator
• John Green Hall  1835-87  Architect, surveyor, worked on Canterbury sewage system
• John Lyly  1553-1606    Play wright, parliamentarian
• Michael Powell  1905-90  Filmmaker, directed A Canterbury Tale
• Audrey Williams  1902-78  Archaeologist, uncovered the Roman pavement
• Stephen and Catherine Williamson  1896 – 1977 Donated Tower House/Westgate Parks. She was the first woman Mayor of Canterbury.

Funding the project

The next stage will be to raise the £3000 still needed.  Some generous donations have already been promised and further funds are now being sought through a publicity campaign and a crowd-funding initiative.  The money be used to buy the plaques, fix them to buildings and pay for a leaflet and an app to publicise the scheme.  All donors will be invited to an opening ceremony, at which the leaflet and the app will be launched.

Please give generously to support the commemoration of some very interesting and important local residents and the putting up of the first new Blue Plaques in Canterbury for many years.

Further information about the project:

Contact Jan Pahl at:  J.M.Pahl@kent.ac.uk.  Or phone:  07775 746144

Donate at GoFundMe

https://www.justgiving.com/canterburysociety

or direct to The Canterbury Society at NatWest.  Sort code:  60-04-27.   Account number: 90903129.   Ref on donation: Blue Plaques