New round of voting for Blue Plaques

Four of the plaques erected in SE1 last year

A shortlist of ten historic buildings and people has been published with the public invited to vote for three.

The one person nominated for SE1 is writer George Orwell who lived in a doss house in Tooley Street and wrote part of ‘Down and Out in Paris and London' in nearby St Olave's Library.

Also nominated are the Hop Exchange in Southwark Street and the Time and Talents building in Bermondsey Street.

The Hop Exchange opened in 1868 with storage space for hops from Kent. Time and Talents, in a distinctive building, was started by women from the YWCA to help girls working in dangerous factory conditions in Bermondsey.

Terry Jones unveiled a plaque in honour Geoffrey Chaucer in Talbot Yard last November.

Southwark Council Leader Nick Stanton said: "We've always been proud of Southwark's incredibly rich heritage and the blue plaques campaign, now in its second year, is a chance to recognise the borough's icons by awarding them a people's plaque.

"We're expecting the competition to be as fierce this year as it was last, so I'd urge everyone to get voting for their favourite now."

• Voting is open to everyone. You can email [email protected]">[email protected]; vote online or by post by sending your choice to: Blue Plaques, Southwark Communications, Town Hall, Peckham Road, London SE5 8UB. The deadline is Thursday 24 June 2004.

• Voting forms are also available from the Young Pilgrims stand at the west end of Tooley Street, opposite London Bridge Station entrance, on Saturdays.