Unveiled in Budleigh Salterton

It’s five years now since I blogged about local blue plaques in an earlier post here  wondering whether Budleigh Salterton should follow the example of other British towns and have a standardised blue plaque to honour notable residents of its past. 

Unveiled: (l-r) Cllr Courtney Richards, Roger Saunders, Budleigh’s Mayor Cllr Chris Kitson, Clly Lynda Evans, Anita Jennings, Cllr Alan Dent, and blogger Michael Downes

The latest to be remembered in this way is the architect Colonel William Hatchard-Smith. The plaque, on the town’s Public Hall, was unveiled on 23 May 2016 by the Mayor of Budleigh Cllr Chris Kitson in a ceremony attended by other local councillors and  by local resident and Friend of the Museum Anita Jennings, who originally made the suggestion that the architect should be honoured.

Roger Saunders, Chairman of the Otter Valley Association, and I as a representative of the Museum were also at the unveiling.  The plaque was co-funded by The Friends of Fairlynch and the OVA.

 

Seen above is Budleigh’s Public Hall, now with a distinctive blue plaque. The new addition definitely appears to be in a traditional mould, following the style set by English Heritage: it’s round and blue with white lettering. You can find out more about this notable Budleigh architect elsewhere on his blog: one example is here