Henley Archaeological and Historical Group

MARIE-LOUISE KERR, who is known as “curator without museum”, gave a lively talk to members of the Henley Archaeological & Historical Group in King’s Arms Barn on June 7.

Her topic was “Famous local folk: the blue plaques of South Oxfordshire”.

Blue plaques commemorate people who were notable for their contributions in a wide range of spheres.

Henley itself has a plaque commemorating Humphrey Gainsborough, the 18th century Nonconformist minister and engineering inventor, outside Christ Church, the successor to his own church.

One of his inventions, an agricultural drill plough, he developed from the idea of Jethro Tull, an innovator himself commemorated by a blue plaque in Crowmarsh.

Another, more recent, engineer is Samuel Saunders, who is recognised in Goring.

He was a builder of boats, including the innovative Consuta for Henley Regatta in 1898, and a founder of the Saunders-Roe company, famous for flying boats and the hovercraft.

Agatha Christie has a blue plaque dedicated to her and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan at their home in Cholsey.

Another famous writer, Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows, is commemorated in Blewbury.

There is a plaque for another writer, Elizabeth Goudge, closer to home in Peppard Common.

Perhaps you know of somebody you think deserves a blue plaque? If so, send an outline nomination to oxfordshire
blueplaques@gmail.com

To qualify, the nominee needs to have been demonstrably eminent, have been dead for at least 20 years and to have lived or worked in a location for at least five years. The next meeting of the group will take place after its summer break at King’s Arms Barn on October 4 at 7.30pm.

The speaker will be Alastair Lack, a qualified Green Badge guide, who will outline the history of Oxford University.

Tony Lynch