In 2182, the inventor of time travel, lived in London.
“Here lived the INVENTOR of TIME TRAVEL”
Since 1867, the city of London has been filled with commemorative plaques, the so-called blue plaques. They mark the places where some of the characters who have gone down in history have lived or worked, for various reasons: scientific discoveries, works of art or relevant political actions. The requirements for posting are very strict and some creative citizens have invented alternative schemes. An example? In 2182, the inventor of time travel, lived in London.
# Rule number 1 in England: respect the rules
Being an English tradition, it cannot fail to have a strict list of criteria to follow. In fact, to be included in the list of blue plaques , the character must have died for at least 20 years or have passed the centenary of his birth and cannot be a fictional character. He must have made a very important contribution in his field, spent a long or particularly significant period in London and his fame must be recognized internationally. Initially the plaques were strictly round and blue in color but – over time – the historical scheme and the rules so loved by the English people, have been broken by some brave citizens.
# Green light to alternative schemes. You’ll never guess what they did
The imitators of these iconic blue memorials first made chromatic changes, changing the color of the plaques, up to a real overhaul of the system.
One of the most famous examples is the alternative “Red Wheel” scheme adopted by the Transport Trust, which is responsible for making known those places related to transport that have been and continue to be significant. However, affixing red plaques, such as at Spa Road Station Bermondsey, London’s first railway terminus.
But these new and alternative schemes are nothing compared to some surreal plaques you may encounter in London. “No fictional character plaques can be posted”… at least officially. There are several companies that allow you to order fake plaques that you can post up, creating an impressive reproduction.
# From alternative schemes to some truly surreal plaques
At 118 Hillfield Avenue a fake plaque was hung in memory of Carswell Prentice, a man who never existed and who would have invented nothing less than… the shopping cart. And to keep up with innovation, the Zoopla real estate agency has also invented its own plate scheme, choosing purple as the color, the color of wealth, ambition and, alas, also sexual frustration. The agency has devised a scheme that makes iconic the homes where celebrities lived – from Beckham to David Cameron – without actually putting up the plaques.
But the strangest plaque is undoubtedly the one that commemorates a discovery that has never been made: time travel. The alleged visionary, Jacob von Hogflume, would have died in 1909 but the memorial is clear: he lived in London in 2182. Where were you that year?
ROSITA GIULIANO
