Vote for your favourite Islington Person of all time

A while ago we mentioned that a new commemorative plaque scheme was being launched in Islington, celebrating the lives of past residents who've done something extraordinary. And now, a short-list of nominations has been drawn up so you can vote for the Islington figure who you think most deserves to be remembered with a plaque. Read on for the shortlist...

Douglas Adams (1952-2001), writer and dramatist, of Duncan Terrace, N1. Douglas Adams was best known for his Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

radio series and books, which inspired TV and film adaptations and

include frequent references to Islington. He moved to Upper Street in

1981 and to Duncan Terrace in the late 1980s.

Edith Margaret Garrud (1872-1971), Suffragette and teacher of ju jitsu, of Thornhill Square, N1. Edith Garrud, a self-defence instructor who taught ju jitsu, was one of

the first professional martial arts instructors in the western world.

She trained other Suffragettes to protect themselves from the police and

she and her husband ran a school of ju jitsu on Seven Sisters Road.

Crystal Hale (1915-1999), boat club pioneer, of Noel Road and Canonbury Square, N1. Crystal Hale lived in Islington for almost 50 years.  She led a campaign

to save the City Road Basin from being filled in and founded Islington

Boat Club, the Angel Community Canal Boat Trust and Angel Canal

Festival.

Florence Keen (1868-1942), founder of North Islington Welfare Centre.

Florence Keen founded the North Islington Infant Welfare Centre and

School for Mothers in 1913.  At that time, the infant mortality rate in

Islington was over 10 per cent and Keen worked to prevent disease and

death among women and children by educating mothers.

Mary Kingsley (1862-1900), writer and explorer, born at Tavistock Terrace, N19. Mary Kingsley was a Victorian explorer who travelled to Central and West Africa and greatly influenced European ideas about Africa and African people.

Thomas Lipton (1850-1931), businessman and philanthropist, Alexandra Dining Rooms, City Road, EC1. Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton Tea, established offices on Bath

Street, near City Road. He built an empire of shops and factories,

including outlets in Islington and Clerkenwell. As a philanthropist, he

sponsored the Alexandra Trust Dining Rooms on City Road, donating

£100,000 'to provide people of humbler means with a restaurant conducted

on generous lines'.

John Wright (1907-1991), founder of the Little Angel Theatre, Dagmar Passage, N1. John Wright founded the Little Angel Puppet Theatre in a derelict

temperance hall in 1961. Since then, the company has developed an

international reputation.

Finally, the scheme aims to celebrate some of Islington's most significant buildings, as well as the sites of its most important historical events. They include:

The Angel Inn, Islington High Street, N1. This public house dates back to the 17th century and possibly as early

as the 15th century and gave the Angel area its name.  Islington was an

important staging post for coaches travelling north from London and the

pub is mentioned as a coaching stop in Charles Dickens' Sketches by Boz

and Oliver Twist.

Bombing of Dame Alice Owen's Girls' School during the Blitz.

The basement of Dame Alice Owen's school was used as a public air raid

shelter. On 15 October 1940 around 150 people were in the shelter when

the building suffered a direct hit just after 8pm and over 100 people

were killed.  The Centre for Applied Studies, City & Islington

College, EC1 now occupies this site.

The Peasants' Revolt (1381), Highbury Park, N5.

The Peasants' Revolt was triggered by opposition to an unpopular poll

tax and in 1381, Wat Tyler, Jack Straw and their fellow rebels had their

final major rally in Islington.

Has that helped you make a decision? You can cast your vote online up until 28th February.