Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board

The plaque commemorating Thomas and Martha Combe in Jericho, Oxford.

The Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board[1] established in 1999 was the brainchild of Sir Hugo Brunner, then Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, and Edwin Townsend-Coles, Chairman of the Oxford Civic Society. The Board is an autonomous voluntary body whose members are drawn from cultural organisations and local government across the county. It awards and installs blue plaques on buildings in Oxford and Oxfordshire to commemorate very remarkable residents and, occasionally, historic events. For more detailed information, see the Board’s website.

Blue plaques in the City of Oxford

Blue plaques in the City of Oxford
Name Date(s) Notable for Address Unveiling
Sarah Angelina Acland 1849–1930 Photographer 10 Park Town 24 July 2016
Andrea Angel 1877–1917 Oxford chemist and home-front hero 15 Banbury Road 14 July 2018
Ronnie Barker 1929–2005 Actor and comedian 23 Church Cowley Road 29 September 2012
Abel Beesley 1851–1921 Waterman and punting legend 4 Upper Fisher Row 26 June 2021
  • 1863–1936
  • 1881–1960
  • Astronomer, philatelist
  • Seismologist, astronomer
 2 Winchester Road 8 October 2019
Richard Meux Benson 1824–1915 Vicar of Cowley and benefactor, founder of the Society of St John the Evangelist 16 Marston Street 9 May 2013
Sir Isaiah Berlin 1909–1997 Philosopher, historian of ideas Headington House, Old High Street, Headington 7 June 2009
Elizabeth Bowen 1899–1973 Author The Coach House, The Croft, Headington 19 October 2014
John Henry Brookes 1891–1975 Artist, craftsman, educationist 195 The Slade, Headington 16 March 2011
Edward Brooks (VC) 1883–1944 Company Sergeant Major 16 Windsor Street, Headington 29 July 2017
Rhoda Broughton 1840–1920 Popular novelist, independent woman, and wit River View, Headington Hill 22 October 2020
John Chessell Buckler 1793–1894 Artist, antiquarian, architect 58 Holywell Street 30 October 2015
Jane Burden 1839–1914 Pre-Raphaelite model and wife of William Morris St Helen's Passage 19 October 2007
Violet Butler 1884–1982 Social reformer, social work trainer 14 Norham Gardens 29 October 2021
Nirad Chaudhuri 1897–1999 Writer 20 Lathbury Road 4 October 2008
Noel Chavasse 1884–1917 VC and Bar Magdalen College School 30 September 2005
Chiang Yee 1903–1977 Artist and writer 28 Southmoor Road 29 June 2019
Civil War 1646 Surrender of Oxford in 1646 Cromwell House, 17 Mill Lane, Old Marston 16 June 2013
  • 1796–1872
  • 1806–1893
  • Printer
  • Patron of the arts
 St Barnabas Church 25 February 2007
Sarah Cooper 1848–1932 Marmalade maker 83 High Street 10 October 2001
The Cutteslowe Walls 1934–1959 Site of the former wall 34 Aldrich Road 9 March 2006
Sir Richard Doll 1912–2005 Epidemiologist 12 Rawlinson Road 7 June 2015
George Claridge Druce 1850–1932 Botanist, pharmacist, Mayor of Oxford 83 High Street 28 April 2018
  • 1900–1991
  • 1907–1999
  • Ecologist
  • Poet
 61 Park Town 8 June 2024
Sir Anthony Epstein 1921–2024 Virologist 19 West Street, Osney Island 2 November 2024
  • 1769–1846
  • 1809–1887
 Designers and builders of many Oxford buildings 34 St Giles' 19 October 2004
Mabel Purefoy FitzGerald 1872–1973 Physiologist 12 Crick Road 14 October 2022
Philippa Foot 1920–2010 Moral philosopher 15 Walton Street, Oxford 26 May 2023
Maureen Gardner 1928–1974 Olympic hurdles silver medallist 1948 17 Maidcroft Road, Cowley 7 July 2012
Olive Gibbs 1918–1995 Local politician and campaigner Christ Church Old Buildings, Osney Lane 11 April 2015
Gathorne Robert Girdlestone 1881–1950 Pioneering orthopaedic surgeon Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre Staff Accommodation, 72–74 Old Road, Headington, site of the Red House 9 May 2006
Sir Ludwig Guttmann 1899–1980 Neurosurgeon 63 Lonsdale Road, Summertown 29 April 2023
John Scott Haldane 1860–1936 Physiologist 11 Crick Road 2 May 2009
Norman Heatley 1911–2004 Biochemist 12 Oxford Road, Old Marston 17 July 2010
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin 1910–1994 Crystallographer, Nobel Laureate 94 Woodstock Road 5 May 2016
Iffley Road Track 1954 The first sub-four-minute mile by Roger Bannister at Oxford University Sports Ground on 6 May 1954 Iffley Road 12 May 2004
Cecil Jackson-Cole 1901–1979 Entrepreneur, philanthropist and founding member of the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam) 17 Broad Street 14 November 2002
William Kimber 1872–1961 Headington Quarry morris dancer and musician 42 St Anne's Road, Headington 30 May 2011
Thomas Henry Kingerlee 1843–1928 Major Oxford builder The River Hotel, 17 Botley Road 9 June 2021
Sir Leslie Kirkley 1911–1989 Humanitarian, Director of Oxfam 25 Capel Close, Summertown 16 June 2023
Sir Hans Krebs 1900–1981 Biochemist 27 Abberbury Road, Iffley 7 June 2008
Edmund Arnold Greening Lamborn 1877–1950 Headmaster, local historian, "man of letters", benefactor 34 Oxford Road, Littlemore 18 September 2010
James Legge 1815–1897 Sinologist and missionary 3 Keble Road 16 May 2018
C.S. Lewis 1898–1963 Academic and author The Kilns, Lewis Close, Headington Quarry 26 July 2008
Dr Isabelle Little 1889–1969 Pioneering GP 2 Holywell Street 6 July 2024
Mary McMaster 1914–2004 Physiotherapist, founder of St Luke’s Hospital and McMaster House McMaster House, Latimer Road, Headington 27 July 2022
Salvador de Madariaga 1886–1978 Statesman, scholar and writer Boxtrees, 3 St Andrew's Road, Headington 15 October 2011
Magnetic resonance imaging scanner 1980 Manufacture of the first commercial MRI whole-body scanner The King's Centre, Osney Mead 14 May 2007
Percy Manning 1870–1917 Antiquary and folklorist 300 Banbury Road, Summertown 8 April 2017
Chassar Moir 1900–1977 Gynaecologist, pioneering researcher, and surgeon 11 Chadlington Road 6 July 2019
William Morfill 1834–1909 Linguist 42 Park Town 1 November 2009
William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield 1877–1963 Car maker and philanthropist 16 James Street 25 April 2004
Sir James Murray 1837–1915 Lexicographer 78 Banbury Road 21 October 2002
Dame Iris Murdoch 1919–1999 Novelist, moral philosopher 30 Charlbury Road, Oxford 26 May 2023
Joan Murray née Clarke 1917–1996 Cryptanalyst and numismatist 7 Larkfields, Headington Quarry 27 July 2019
Paul Nash 1889–1946 Artist 106 Banbury Road 14 July 2007
Oxford Park & Ride 1973 First enduring Park & Ride bus scheme in the UK Redbridge Park & Ride, Abingdon Road 1 November 2019
Oxford Playhouse 1923–1938 Original auditorium and former Big Game Museum 12 Woodstock Road 14 October 2010
Oxford United Football Club 1893 Foundation here as Headington F.C. The Britannia, London Road, Headington 27 October 2019
  • 1839–1894
  • 1841–1910
  • Author and scholar
  • Pioneer of women's education
 2 Bradmore Road 3 July 2004
Penicillin 1938–1941 Development at Sir William Dunn School of Pathology Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road 29 May 2018
Penicillin 1941 First treatment in 1941 at the former Radcliffe Infirmary Outpatients Building (now the University of Oxford Radcliffe Primary Care Health Sciences Building) Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road 29 May 2018
Dame Margery Perham 1895–1982 Historian, key writer and adviser on African affairs 5 Rawlinson Road 1 June 2019
  • 1856–1943
  • 1889–1915
  • FRS, evolutionary biologist
  • Rugby football hero
 Wykeham House, 56 Banbury Road 11 June 2016
  • 1912–2001
  • 1913–2009
  • Poet
  • Printer
 14 Stanley Road 16 September 2016
Annie Rogers 1856–1937 Classicist, campaigner for women’s full membership of Oxford University 35 St Giles', Oxford 23 September 2020
St Ignatius' Chapel 1793 First Roman Catholic church at Oxford after the Reformation Angel Court, 81 St Clement's Street 31 July 2018
Sir Charles Sherrington 1857–1952 Neurophysiologist 9 Chadlington Road 28 April 2022
Sir Francis Simon 1893–1956 Physicist and philanthropist 10 Belbroughton Road 6 December 2003
Felicia Skene 1821–1899 Prison reformer 34 St Michael's Street 2 July 2002
Revd W. A. Spooner 1844–1930 Warden of New College, Oxford and eponymous word transposer 11 Keble Road 19 October 2024
Rev. Canon John Stansfeld 1854–1939 Priest and social reformer Former St Ebbe's Rectory, Paradise Square 26 June 2009
Star Inn 1794 Formation of the Oxfordshire Yeomanry (later the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars) 34 Cornmarket, now the Clarendon Centre 8 November 2003
Henry Taunt 1842–1922 Photographer 393 Cowley Road 10 January 2008
Nikolaas Tinbergen 1907–1988 Pioneering ethologist, Nobel Laureate 88 Lonsdale Road, Summertown 8 June 2022
J.R.R. Tolkien 1892–1973 Author and scholar 20 Northmoor Road 3 December 2002
Willam Turner of Oxford 1789–1862 Artist 16 St John Street 29 October 2002
Alan Villiers 1903–1982 Master of square-rigged ships, author, photographer 1A Lucerne Road, Summertown 6 May 2017
Mary Augusta Ward (Mrs Humphry Ward) 1851–1920 Social reformer and novelist 17 Bradmore Road 28 April 2012
William Wilkinson 1819–1901 Architect 5 Beaumont Street 19 October 2016
Ivy Williams 1877–1966 Lawyer and university teacher, first woman to be called to the Bar of England and Wales 12 King Edward Street 21 September 2020
Anthony Wood 1632–1695 Antiquarian Postmasters' Hall, Merton Street 28 April 2008

Blue plaques elsewhere in Oxfordshire

Blue plaques elsewhere in Oxfordshire
Name Date(s) Notable for Address Unveiling
Mont Abbott 1902–1989 Carter, shepherd, and storyteller Biddy’s Bottom, Fulwell 23 June 2007
Sir Patrick Abercrombie 1879–1957 Town Planner Red House, Aston Upthorpe 15 July 2023
Ælfric Grammaticus c.950–1010 Scholar and teacher, first Abbot of Eynsham Bartholomew Room, The Square, Eynsham 1 July 2022
John Alder 1715–1780 Lottery winner and public benefactor The Mitre Inn, now 39 Stert Street, Abingdon-on-Thames 24 April 2003
H. H. Asquith 1852–1928 Prime Minister 43 Church Street, Sutton Courtenay 30 June 2012
Alice Maud Batt 1889–1969 VAD, Albert Medal holder Batt House, 16 Market Square, Witney 1 October 2022
Thomas Beecham 1820–1907 Manufacturer of patent medicines Beecham Cottage, Curbridge 21 May 2022
Lord Berners 1883–1950 Composer, writer, artist, and eccentric Faringdon Folly Tower, Faringdon 6 April 2013
Sir John Betjeman 1906–1984 Poet, writer, and broadcaster Garrards Farmhouse, Uffington 24 June 2006
Sir William Blackstone 1723–1780 Judge and jurist The Town Hall, Wallingford 1 October 2009
Janet Heatley Blunt 1859–1950 Folk song and morris dance collector Le Hall Place, Manor Road, Adderbury 27 September 2009
Henry Boddington 1813–1886 Founder of Boddington’s Brewery 14 (54) Wellington Street (site of former workhouse), Thame 14 April 2011
Edmund Bradstock 1550–1607 Benefactor to Appleford-on-Thames and Sutton Courtenay Orchard House, Church Street, Appleford-on-Thames 3 June 2017
William Buckland 1784–1856 Geologist The Old Rectory, Islip 10 August 2008
Alfredo Campoli 1906–1991 Violinist 39 North Street, Thame 14 April 2011
William Carter 1852–1921 Founder of Carterton Carterton Town Hall, Carterton 30 March 2004
Robin Cavendish 1930–1994 Responaut, champion of the severely disabled The Old Rectory, Church Lane, Drayton St Leonard 16 June 2019
  • 1890–1976
  • 1904–1978
  • Author
  • Archaeologist
 Winterbrook House, Cholsey 8 May 2010
  • 1947–2003
  • 1866–1962
  • Magazine at Burford
  • Founding editor
 Greyhounds, Ship Street, Burford 22 June 2014
Sir Stafford Cripps 1889–1952 Politician and benefactor The Village Centre, Filkins 7 July 2007
Wytton Perowne D'Arcy Dalton 1893–1981 Champion and protector of Public Rights of Way The Limes (formerly Wyverns), Lower End, Great Milton 18 August 2017
General Sir Kenneth Darling 1909–1998 Soldier and General Vicarage Farmhouse, Alchester Road, Chesterton 4 July 2015
William Henry Dines 1855–1927 Pioneering meteorologist The Old Barn, Brook Street, Benson 9 June 2018
Charles Early 1824–1912 Blanket manufacturer Witney Mill, Mill Street, Witney 24 April 2009
Frederick Etchells 1886–1973 Artist, architect, writer The Thatched Cottage, West Challow 20 July 2024
Raymond ffennell 1871–1944 Philanthropist (with his wife Hope and daughter Hazel) Hill End Centre, Farmoor 20 August 2016
James Figg 1684–1734 Prize fighter James Figg pub (formerly the Greyhound Inn), Cornmarket, Thame 14 April 2011
Sir Terry Frost 1915–2003 Abstract artist 2 Old Parr Street, Banbury 15 July 2017
Humphrey Gainsborough 1718–1776 Innovative engineer Christ Church United Reformed Church, Reading Road, Henley-on-Thames 1 September 2002
Elizabeth Goudge 1900–1984 Artist Rose Cottage, Rotherfield Peppard 19 April 2008
Kenneth Grahame 1859–1932 Author Boham's House, Westbrook Street, Blewbury 25 May 2012
Robert Graves 1895–1985 Poet and writer World’s End, Collice Street, Islip 18 May 2014
  • 1920–2003
  • 1921–2017
  • Politician and author
  • Conservationist and public servant
 St Amand's House, Church Street, East Hendred 16 September 2023
Larcum Kendall 1721–1795 Watchmaker The Post Office (near site of cottage), 8 Market Street, Charlbury 3 May 2014
Cecil Kimber 1888–1845 Creator of the MG marque Boundary House, Oxford Road, Abingdon-on-Thames 4 October 2014
Frank Howard Kirby 1871–1956 Royal Engineers and RAF Wavertree, 18 Lower High Street, Thame 10 September 2021
  • 1625–c.1670
  • 1640–1711
  • 1650–1722
 Eminent clockmakers The Church Room, Claydon 25 September 2010
F. W. T. C. Lascelles 1875–1934 Pageant master The Manor, Sibford Gower 24 October 2003
William Logsdail 1859–1944 Artist The Manor House, Noke 13 July 2013
William Penney, Baron Penney 1909–1991 Mathematical physicist and public servant Orchard House, Cat Street, East Hendred 8 August 2014
William Potts 1868–1949 Author and editor of the Banbury Guardian Former printing works, 16 Parson Street, Banbury 30 April 2002
Arthur Edwin Preston 1852–1942 Mayor, antiquarian, and historian of Abingdon Whitefield, Park Crescent, Abingdon-on-Thames 12 June 2015
Barbara Pym 1913–1980 Novelist Barn Cottage, Finstock 1 September 2006
Ripon Hall, Oxford 1933–1975 Former Church of England Theological College Foxcome Hall, Boars Hill 27 May 2004
Francis Edward Robinson 1833–1910 Clergyman and doyen of bell ringers St Peter’s Church, Drayton, Abingdon-on-Thames 22 May 2016
L. T. C. Rolt 1910–1974 Engineering historian, champion of Inland Waterways Tooley's Boatyard, Banbury 7 August 2010
Sir Bernhard Samuelson 1820–1905 Industrialist and educationist Mechanics Institute, now Banbury Library, Marlborough Road, Banbury 30 April 2002
Samuel Edgar Saunders 1857–1933 Boat builder and engineer, pioneer of air and marine craft Former boathouse and showroom by bridge, Goring-on-Thames 7 September 2013
Freydis Sharland 1920–2014 ‘Spitfire Girl’, Air Transport Auxiliary Chalkstone Cottage, 40 Brook Street, Benson, Oxfordshire 18 May 2024
James Allen Shuffrey 1859–1939 Artist 7 Narrow Hill, Woodgreen, Witney 17 May 2008
James Allen Shuffrey 1859–1939 Artist 7 Narrow Hill, Woodgreen, Witney 17 May 2008
Patrick Steptoe 1913–1988 Gynaecologist, pioneer of IVF 52 West End, Witney 5 May 2019
Revd Edward Stone 1702–1768 Discoverer of aspirin Hitchman’s Brewery, Chipping Norton 1 October 2003
Sir Montagu Stopford 1892–1971 Burma Campaign Rock Hill, Chipping Norton 8 July 2008
Reginald Tiddy 1880–1916 Collector of folk plays and local benefactor Tiddy Hall, Ascott-under-Wychwood 8 September 2012
Jethro Tull 1674–1741 Inventor of the seed drill 19A The Street, Crowmarsh Gifford 17 September 2002
Daniel Turner 1710–1798 Baptist minister, theologian, hymn writer 35 Ock Street, Abingdon-on-Thames 17 July 2011
Westfield House 1937–1939 Refuge for Basque Children Bampton Road, Aston 17 July 2003
Alfred White 1804–1876 Innkeeper, church bellhanger, founder of Whites of Appleton The Greyhound, Besselsleigh 26 July 2014
Wytham Woods 1942 Bequest Keeper’s Hill Car Park, Wytham 7 October 2017

References

  1. ^ "Oxfordshire Blue Plaques scheme website". Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board. Retrieved 6 May 2021.