Local heritage blue plaques

Around the Borough of Waltham Forest, there are numerous blue plaques, recording and celebrating famous former residents, historic buildings and notable past events. 

Most common are the blue oval plaques installed over the past c.20 years, although there are a variety of others installed at various times and in differing designs, including those from English Heritage, former institutions such as the Greater London Council and the Leyton Urban District Ratepayers Association (LUDRA), as well as those from resident and community groups

A full list is kept at Waltham Forest Archives. Contact wfa.enquiries@walthamforest.gov.uk for more information about these. 

Although the Council is no longer able to resource a plaque nomination, permissions, production, and installation process, we do encourage residents and groups to produce and install their own plaques.  Community Ward Funding could support production and installation costs. 

English Heritage manages the London-wide circular blue plaques commemorating places and people who are no longer living.  To propose a new official blue plaque, contact English Heritage.

English Heritage guidance for private plaques.

Step one: research the subject 

As the plaques will be on public display, it is essential to ensure they are thoroughly and accurately researched, to avoid misinformation and errors, and to ensure the subject justifies having a plaque.

Ensure that you verify the spelling of names and dates, and use trusted research sources such as the Dictionary of National Biography to find the full story about the person, site, or event in question.

Waltham Forest Archives and Local Studies Library is a good starting point for any research, and staff should be able to help direct you towards trusted sources and materials. The Searchroom is open by appointment, and staff can help you find sources to aid your research.

Step two: confirm the location and get permission from the property owner

A plaque should usually be located on or within a building or site that has relevance to the subject in question. This might be a birthplace, a place of residence, or a location closely associated, such as a former school or workplace. 

Regardless of the location chosen, permission from the property owner must always be sought and granted before a plaque can be installed.  Remember that the owner may not always be the occupier of the building, so do make sure to check this thoroughly.

Step three: check whether other permissions will be required 

In some locations, and depending on the size of the plaque, specific consents such as planning permission or listed building consent may be required.

If a building is statutorily listed, it may also require Listed Building Consent. 

Details of statutorily listed buildings within the borough can be found on Historic England’s website.

We recommend contacting the council’s conservation officer to confirm whether specific planning permissions will be required to install a plaque, placeanddesignteam@walthamforest.gov.uk. 

Step four: draft the wording to feature on the plaque

Whilst the sizes and shapes of blue plaques can differ, their size will limit the amount of text that can be included. 

When drafting the text for the plaque, think about what information is essential, and what could be left out. This is especially important as plaques are often displayed at first floor level, making small lines of text difficult to read from the ground. 

Subject to the size of the plaque, we recommend it features the name of the subject in question on the top line in larger font, any relevant dates on the second line, and two-to-three lines of supporting text, or around 20-25 words. 

It can also be helpful to include the date when the plaque was installed, and the name of your organisation if you are a local/community group. 

Step five: get the plaque designed and made

Once you have decided on the specific wording of the plaque, it’s time to get it designed and produced. 

If you plan to produce more than one plaque, we recommend taking the time to decide on a design and colour that can be consistently replicated. This can be particularly helpful if you’re thinking of plaques in relation to walking tours/routes, or multiple plaques on the same theme/subject. The English Heritage Celebrating People and Places guidance has examples of different designs.

Typically, plaques are produced in metal, so that they can withstand being outdoors, but other options are available, including vinyl window stickers.

This is not an exhaustive list, but here are fabricators who could produce plaques (the companies on this list are suggestions not recommendations or endorsements):

M&L sign makers

Leander

Sign of the times

Here before us

Make awesome

Step six: install the plaque 

Installation of each plaque will vary depending on its style and material, but they should be attached securely. The blue enamel plaques required small screws for example. Depending on the position, you may also need to get permission to erect scaffolding or obstruct pavement/roads.

Some local blue plaques are displayed inside, within property windows, which may be an easier option.

Step seven: consider an unveiling event

Once you have the plaque installed you might want to consider an unveiling ceremony, perhaps inviting the local press, friends and family and supporters.

Any unveiling event will require the permission of the property owner, so please make sure to check beforehand. 

Step eight: update Waltham Forest Archives and Local Studies Library 

Finally, please contact Waltham Forest Archives and Local Studies Library to confirm that a new plaque has been unveiled. They maintain a record of plaques within the borough, and letting them know there are new plaques will help to keep the records updated.

wfa.enquiries@walthamforest.gov.uk