Blue plaques
Overview
Commemorative Plaques, commonly known as 'Blue Plaques' (even though they don't have to be blue), recognise the importance of a person or building to the history and heritage of South Tyneside.
There are currently thirty plaques located across the Borough, commemorating people and organisations such as:
- Elinor Brent-Dyer, a successful novelist during the 1920's from Westoe Village.
- John Simpson Kirkpatrick, 'the man with the donkey' who saved many lives through his selfless actions during World War One. There is a Commemorative Plaque at Littlehaven where he worked giving donkey rides to beach visitors.
- South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade has a Blue Plaque on the Watch House demonstrating the organisation's important role in the last 150 years and the service given by its members.
However, there is no plaque for:
- George Marshall, the band master who led St Hilda's Colliery Band to five world championships and whose compositions are still performed by brass bands across the world
- Andrew Leslie, who founded the shipyard in Hebburn
No doubt there are many other people and places that deserve some recognition and we are interested to hear your views.
To commemorate more people and places South Tyneside Council has established a formal Commemorative Plaque Scheme, raising up to three plaques each year.
The new plaques agreed for 2024 recognise Joseph Mason Moore, Dame Rosemary Camp and Flight Lieutenant Dominic Bruce.