FollowLondon’s Blue Plaques are a source of constant inspiration, fond memories and learning. Tourists visiting London for the first time always notice the bright blue plaques attached to random buildings. They quickly realize that someone important in history has been right where they now stand.
When you are traveling around London with children, it is a great idea to pull them into the fun of searching for London’s Blue plaques that somehow relate to them. Many of the people commemorated in these plaques touched or changed the lives of children throughout history, and today.
Here is a sample of a London Blue Plaque for Carolyn DeCamp Benn
Here are just a few of the more notable blue plaques of London for kids.
Robert Baden Powell, Founder of Scouting
Robert Baden Powell is one of the most familiar names for both boys and girls across the world. The scouting movement began with him, when he decided that boys needed something better to do with their time. Baden-Powell was an Army lieutenant, and authored a handbook for boys interested in outdoor survival and light military skills. The book was just the beginning though, and from it hundreds of thousands of children around the world have been introduced to and participated in the scouting movement. Considered a resident of the world, Baden-Powell lived in his Hyde Park residence where the plaque commemorates his life.
London Blue Plaque located at 9 Hyde Park Gate, Kensington, London SW7
J.M. Barrie, Author and Playwright
Most children know the story of Peter Pan, the boy that did not want to grow up and went about on daring adventures with a band of boys. Barrie had already written several very successful and well received play before writing Peter Pan. The plaque is installed on the home where he lived, and where he brought the Davies boys, the inspiration for Peter Pan, to live with him after adopting them. Always benevolent, Barrie donated Peter Pan to a local hospital so that they might benefit from the residual income provided by the books and story.
London Blue Plaque located at 100 Bayswater Road, W2
Alfred Bestall, Author
Rupert Bear is, and still is, one of the most beloved, cute bears, and Alfred Bestall was responsible for making Rupert a household must have. Born in Burma, Bestall worked in London where he took over writing and illustrating the comic strip for the Daily Express. Rupert stories have gone on to be rerun, compiled into books and added to the images of hundreds of different children’s toys. When television for children began to be created, Rupert was worked into one show at first, and then several thereafter. Bestall’s Blue Plaque is located at his London home, where he lived and worked for thirty years before retiring to Wales– one of the biggest sources of inspiration for the landscapes in his illustrated scenes.
London Blue Plaque located at 58 Cranes Park, Surbiton, London
Enid Blyton, Author
Enid Blyton was one of the most celebrated children’s book writers of her time, authoring over 600 titles that are all highly collectible to this day. Her most favorite books were the Noddy collection, featuring a young elf and his adventures. The Enid Blyton Society worked to have her commemorated and there are now Blue Plaques at her Hook Road Beaconsfield residences. In the town of Beaconsfield, there is even a small park with sculptures of Noddy and Big Ears.
London Blue Plaque located at 207 Hook Road, Chessington KT9
