BLUE plaques are coming to the Colne Valley.
The voting is over and organisers are now working hard to deliver the official blue plaques to honour some of the Colne Valley’s most significant people, places and buildings.
The famous blue plaques are already a common site in London and have been slowly spreading around the nation – including to other parts of Kirklees.
Dewsbury has a Blue Plaque Trail, and the Holme Valley has a series of plaques in its villages, including several in Holmfirth.
Now thanks to funding from the council, the Colne Valley is set to join them.
Project manager, Mick Smith, from The River Colne Project, said he was approached by the Colne Valley Area Committee to oversee the project and had been working closely with local history groups and volunteers at a wide range of events and meetings to arrive at the 21-strong shortlist.
He said: “The nominations included a diverse range of buildings and features including Linthwaite Hall, the tenterposts in Marsden, Florence Lockwoods home at Blackrock Mills and the little jail in Slaithwaite.
“All the nominations were compiled and 177 votes were cast by local groups and residents, which gave us our shortlist.
“The shortlist is now being worked on and permissions being sought, and we hope to start fabricating this month.”
To install a blue plaque, consent has to be given by the property’s owner and in some cases, where a property is listed or in a conservation area, planning permission has to be given.
The final list of around 10 plaques should be revealed in the next couple of months.
The plaque pictured on the front page was placed by Colne Valley Civic Society on the Slaithwaite former home of the Rev Robert Meeke. It reads: “Robert Meeke, Diarist and Curate, who lived here from 1680 until his death in 1724. He set up Slaithwaite Free School endowing Ten places in it for local poor children. Restored 1986.” The plaque is dated 2003.
