London women win recognition
by Jess McCabe // 24 April 2005, 20:41
Southwark Council are giving the public a chance to vote for who should be the recipients (both people and places) of the next round of blue plaques, commemorating the history of the area.
There a couple of interesting ones, including the Cross Bones Graveyard where it is thought that Winchester Geese (prostitutes) were buried in medieval times.
You can also vote for Octavia Hill, the woman who founded the National Trust in 1895. Before that she worked at the Ladies' Guild, a co-operative association, and was involved in giving classes to women at the Working Men's College. She was also heavily involved in efforts to house poor people in the local area.
Other people up for recognition include the woman behind the A-Z and Connie Smith (an American music hall performer and one of Britain's most famous black actresses). There's even a chance to vote for yet more plaques to William Blake, the truly brilliant and visionary poet given to revolutionary verse and visions. He was a very early exponent of free love.
Founder of The F-Word, Catherine Redfern, has co-authored a new book with Kristin Aune. Find out more at the 
