In a city as chaotic and hasty as London, sometimes it can be easy for our surroundings to go somewhat unnoticed. With our faces buried in Citymapper and Pret a Manger goods, and the buzz of everyday life filling our ears, the city can often blur into a familiar blend of sights and sounds. It’s only when you stop to look between the lines that you can see just how much history surrounds you.
Whether you're a visitor or a local, there’s a solid chance you’ve seen small blue plaques adorn the exterior of many of the city's buildings. Dating back to 1866, the commemorative blue plaques scheme has looked to celebrate the links between some of England’s (and even the world’s) most notable figures and the buildings that they once called home.
As it stands, there are more than 1,000 blue plaques located within the city, each dedicated to an individual renowned for their work. While I’d love to tell you about all of them, it would take a lifetime, so keep reading to enjoy the highlights and some honourable mentions.
Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales
Ahead of her time in the Royal Family, Diana Spencer returned to London in 1978 where she was gifted an apartment in July 1979 as an 18th birthday present from her mother. Located at Coleherne Court in Earl’s Court, Diana would share the space with three flatmates until 1981 when Charles, Prince of Wales, would propose in secret at Windsor Castle.
During her time at the flat, Diana embraced her landlady status by organising a cleaning rota for the other girls. Her efforts earned her a sign on her bedroom door reading “Chief Chick”, just in case anyone forgot who the boss was. Her flatmates were charged a total of £18 per week, or just shy of £80 by today's equivalent – bargain!
Thanks to her extensive charity work and royal duties later in her life, Diana received a blue plaque outside of her address in 2021.
You can visit Windsor Castle, where Prince Charles proposed to a young Diana, on various Windsor Caslte tours from London. Or discover more royal attractions in London.
Vincent Van Gogh
Few people know that the famed Dutch post-impressionist Vincent Van Gogh actually spent a short stint in London. In the year 1873, his employers, the Dutch art dealer Goupil and Co, sent a young Van Gogh to the city to work in their Covent Garden location. Seeking cheap accommodation, Van Gogh found himself lodging with a family at 87 Hackford Road in Stockwell.
Writing to his brother, the artist noted: “I now have a room such as I always longed for without a slanting ceiling and without blue paper with a green border. I live with a very amusing family now.”
Despite enjoying the family atmosphere, Van Gogh would only stay in London for around a year. Following his spell in the city, the artist’s career trajectory put him among the most famous artists of all time, so it’s only fair he got a blue plaque in the end.
See some of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous artworks at The National Gallery.
Bob Marley
Just like Van Gogh, Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley also had a fleeting stay in London. Following a failed assassination attempt in 1976, the singer fled Jamaica and landed on British soil in 1977 where he would make his way to number 42 Oakley Street in Chelsea.
During the same year, Bob Marley and the Wailers recorded the album Exodus, which would go on to become Bob’s second-highest grossing album. Featuring songs such as “Jamming” and “One Love”, the album is still considered to be one of the best reggae albums of all time to this day.
The reggae legend was honoured with his own blue plaque in 2019.
Uncover more things to do for music fans in London.
Charles Dickens
It might not come as any surprise, but famed Victorian author Charles Dickens was actually among the first to receive a blue plaque. Originally born in Portsmouth, Dickens spent his childhood in several of London’s areas including Camden Town, Borough, Holborn (where the plaque is located) and eventually Marylebone.
Located at 48 Doughty Street, Holborn, the blue plaque was first unveiled in 1903 and now sits outside what has become the Charles Dickens Museum. This is the very same location where the author is said to have delivered some of his best work, including novels such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield.
Unlike other plaques, the dates displayed do not relate to when Dickens lived at the address, but instead are the dates of his birth and death.
Discover more about the famous author on a Charles Dickens London Walking Tour.
Jimi Hendrix
Despite being a Seattle, Washington native, Jimi Hendrix called London home for much of his life. First arriving in 1966, the phenom guitarist spent many of the most successful years of his musical career living in the city. In 1968, Hendrix joined his girlfriend Kathy Etchingham at 23 Brook Street, in the upmarket Mayfair neighbourhood. Hendrix lived in, decorated and furnished the flat to his own tastes before embarking on a USA tour in March 1969.
During one of his brief spells returning to London in 1970, Hendrix passed away aged 27 in a hotel in Notting Hill. A blue plaque was unveiled outside his old flat in 1997, which coincidently placed it next door to another blue plaque belonging to famed baroque composer George Frideric Handel.
Handel’s plaque was already present at the address during Hendrix’s stay to which he famously confessed, “I didn’t even know this was Handel’s pad. And, to tell you the God’s honest truth, I haven’t heard much of the fella’s stuff.”
Visit the home of the two famous musicians at Handel and Hendrix in London.
Sir Alfred Hitchcock
London-born and raised, Sir Alfred Hitchcock is frequently referred to as one of the most talented film directors of all time. Born in Leytonstone, Hitchcock would later make his directorial debut aged 26, leading to a lengthy career and giving way to classics such as Psycho, Vertigo, The Birds and The 39 Steps.
Following his marriage to Alma Reville in December 1926, the duo purchased a modest two-bedroom flat on the top floor of 153 Cromwell Road, South Kensington. Hitchcock claimed that he “never felt any desire to move out of my own class,” which might be seen as a tad ironic today given the fact he lived in South Ken, one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in London.
Despite his ventures in Hollywood, the flat remained a base of sorts in London for Hitchcock for some years to come, earning the building its very own blue plaque in 1999.
If you're a film fan, why not check out these movie-themed attractions and tours in London.