Blue Plaques in Essex: Stories & People Who Make Us

With Essex Day coming up (26 October), we wanted to take this moment to celebrate the history of Essex, and the people that make our county what it is. Around Essex, we have an array of blue plaques that honour people who have had a significant impact, as well as momentous events throughout our county’s history. Read on for some highlights and inspiration on blue plaques to visit.

Dorothy Wadham, Ingatestone Station

Erected by Greater Anglia in collaboration with the Essex Women’s Commemorative Project (EWCP), commuters passing through Ingatestone Station can now view a blue plaque honouring the late Dorothy Wadham. Born over 400 years ago, she was brought up and educated at Ingatestone Hall before founding Wadham College, Oxford in 1613 when she was 75 years old. The station in which her plaque has been placed was built on land that once belonged to her father, Sir William Petre. The plaque was erected in 2025 following restoration of the station building, alongside celebrations for Railway 200. Learn more here.

Dr Ruth Bensusan Butt, The Minories, Colchester

At The Minories Gallery in Colchester, you’ll find a blue plaque honouring the cities first ever female GP, Dr Ruth Bensusan Butt. Born in South London in 1877, Ruth was the daughter of an ostrich feather merchant and trained at the Royal Free Hospital in London. She was a suffragist and member of the Labour Party, championing healthcare and social reform, founding clinics, nurseries, and clubs. She was a formidable advocate for women, children, and the poor, leaving a lasting civic legacy. Learn more here.

Discover the blue plaque trails in Colchester

Catherine Booth, Crossley View, Clacton-on-Sea

A blue plaque marks Crossley View, Clacton, honouring Catherine Booth, co-founder of The Salvation Army. Booth spent her final days there before passing in 1890. A fearless advocate for social justice and women’s ministry, she helped shape Victorian Britain’s moral landscape. The plaque, part of the Essex Women’s Commemoration Project, celebrates her enduring legacy and influence on faith, equality, and community reform. Learn more here.

Kate & Louise Lilley, Quality Diner, Clacton-on-Sea

At the site of the Quality Diner on Rosemary Road in Clacton, you’ll find the blue plaque commemorating Kate and Louise Lilley, local suffragette sisters who lived on Skelmersdale Road and campaigned from the WSPU office in Rosemary Road. Arrested during Black Friday in 1910 and imprisoned in 1912 for smashing War Office windows, they endured hunger strikes and were awarded WSPU medals. Their plaque celebrates their fight for democracy and the vital role Clacton played in the suffrage movement. Learn more here.

Sir Winston Churchill, Epping Town

Next time you pop to M&S on Epping high street, be sure to stop and look at the blue plaque that resides on the building to commemorate none other than Winston Churchill. The plaque is in the location where he spoke to the people of the town outside of the Victoria Buildings, now the location of the M&S branch. Sir Winston Churchill was the MP for Epping for 21 years, from 1924 to 1945.

Father Thomas Byles, Ongar Station

A blue plaque at Ongar Station commemorates Father Thomas Byles, parish priest of St Helen’s Catholic Church. He left Ongar on 10 April 1912 to board the RMS Titanic, enroute to officiate his brother’s wedding. During the disaster, he courageously comforted and prayed with passengers – bravely refusing a lifeboat so that he could bring some peace to others during their own final moments. He died on 15 April 1912, remembered for his faith, compassion, and heroism.

Learn more about Blue Plaques in the Epping Forest area.

Edward Bright, Maldon High Street

At 57-59 Maldon Hight Street, you’ll find the blue plaque that honours the legendary Edward Bright, otherwise known as the ‘Fat Man of Maldon’. Bright worked as a grocer and candle maker and was once considered the heaviest man in all of Britain, weighing over 57 stone. A famous wager included buttoning seven men into his waistcoat! Despite his size, he was a respected tradesman, family man, and Freeman of Maldon, remembered fondly in local folklore and heritage. Learn more here.

Check out the Blue Plaque Walk by The Maldon Society.

Princess Dinubolu, Southend Victoria Station

With an unveiling in 2023 organised by the Essex Women’s Commemoration Project, the blue plaque for Princess Dinubolu in Southend Victoria Station honours her as the first ever black woman known to have entered a British beauty pageant. The princess is said to have arrived on a third-class carriage to the station before the event that took place at the Kursaal in 1908. Despite being advised not to enter the pageant by the venue manager due to ‘local prejudice’, the princess competed in the brunette, best hair, and even the blonde categories after confirming no rules barred her participation.

Guglielmo Marconi, Marconi Building, Chelmsford

Guglielmo Marconi, thought of as the ‘father of wireless’, opened the world’s first wireless factory in Chelmsford in 1898 after setting up the Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company a year prior. His pioneering work led to the first international wireless message and transatlantic transmission. A blue plaque at the Marconi building on New Street commemorates his legacy, including the UK’s first official radio broadcast by Dame Nellie Melba in 1920, received as far as Newfoundland. Learn more here.

Discover more blue plaques in Chelmsford and take part in the City Heritage Scavenger Hunt.

Danbury WWII Maternity Hospital, Danbury Palace

During WWII, Danbury Palace became an emergency maternity hospital after expectant mothers were evacuated from London in 1939. Around 2,000 babies were born there, cared for by Red Cross nurses and local staff. In 2019, a blue plaque was unveiled in Danbury Park to mark the hospital’s 80th anniversary, honouring its vital wartime role and the community’s compassion. The Queen Mother even visited to celebrate the 2,000th birth. Learn more here.

Do you know of a person or historical event in Essex that deserves a blue plaque? In celebration of Essex Day this year, we are inviting you to submit your blue plaque nominations, and one will be chosen and commissioned by Visit Essex! Submit your nominations before 19 October 2025 here.