Paul Golder writes for the Brentwood Gazette
There’s a mission in Essex to promote the unveiling of blue plaques all over Essex – and we were very pleased to tell our listeners all about it.
Recently we’ve featured film and theatre director Graham Watts who has been talking about his aim to commission blue plaques on buildings in Essex, specifically involving famous women.
The first event took place in 2021 and commemorated the birthplace in Colchester of the philosopher, poet, scientist, writer and playwright Margaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle – who unlike many women authors of her time, actually wrote under own name.
This project has now been taken on by the Federation of Essex Women’s Institutes and the first event under their sponsorship took place in May to celebrate the life of Nancy Tennant.
Nancy played a prominent part in the life of Women’s Institutes in the 1940s, and was active in the development of their musical life. She also helped to create two notable 20th-century gardens, in Essex and France.
She lived all her life – all 106 years! – in Essex, spending a century in Ugley. The plaque was unveiled at the Village Hall there.
Our daytime presenter Scott Ross welcomed Jan Curtis, the chair of the Federation, into the studio to talk in detail about the scheme, what they hope to achieve and how the federation became involved.
It’s a fantastic scheme which really highlights our local history and heritage. I always stop and read blue plaques whenever I see them and I’m sure I’m not the only person who does this.
You can hear the interview again on phoenixfm.com. Scott has a real passion for Essex history and you can find hundreds of interviews with local historians on our website too, recorded over the last 12 years.
