Blue & Green Plaque ‘winners’ are revealed

Blue & Green Plaque ‘winners’ are revealed

Following an online public vote that ran throughout July, Foresters’ Forest can now reveal the 10 historic figures who will be remembered with a special Blue or Green Plaque, displayed within the Forest of Dean.

A total of 396 people voted to decide which 10 historic Forest heroes should be remembered in this way.

The plaque ‘winners’ represent significant and wide-ranging aspects of the Forest’s cultural history.

The historic Forest heroes being commemorated with a Blue Plaque:

  • Dennis Potter (1935 – 1994) – Dramatist for some of the most popular plays in TV history, with the most votes
  • Dame Muriel Powell (1914-1978) ‘A British nurse ahead of her time’
  • FW Harvey (1988-1957) – Innovative poet and broadcaster
  • David & Robert Mushet (1847-1891) ‘The men of iron and steel’,
  • James Horlick (1844-1921) and William Horlick (1846-1936) – Inventors of baby food and malted drink

Those being awarded Green Plaques:

  • Warren James (1792-1841) ‘Freeminer and champion of Forest customs’, with the most votes
  • David Richard Organ (1876-1954) ‘Miner who fought for rights’
  • Dr ML Bangara (1881-1927)  ‘Well-loved community doctor’
  • Sir Francis Brain (1855-1921) – Pioneer of electricity in coal mining
  • Timothy Mountjoy (1824-1896) – Pioneer of trade union for miners

 

The plaques will be produced locally and installed within the Forest of Dean over the next few months.

 

They are being introduced as a Foresters’ Forest legacy, with National Lottery Heritage funding to officially recognise 10 notable historic individuals who died over 20 years ago, that lived or worked in the Forest and who made an important contribution to the Forest’s natural, built or cultural heritage. They also had to have achieved their ‘fame’ within the Forest of Dean’s ‘Hundred of St Briavels’ area because this is where the National Lottery Heritage funds can be spent. The fact that only 10 plaques are being provided doesn’t overlook that fact that the Forest of Dean has many more people that have played a huge part in our history.

 

A Blue Plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a nationally famous person or event. A Green Plaque is similar but commemorates a link between that location and a person famous within the Forest (but not nationally well known).

 

Foresters’ Forest previously requested public nominations for individuals who should be proudly remembered and celebrated in this way within the Forest. 18 plaque ‘nominees’ were shortlisted and the public votes this summer decided which final 10 individuals should be commemorated in this way, with five Blue plaques and five Green plaques.

 

For more details about the Blue & Green Plaque Scheme see Forestersforest.uk

 

ENDS

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