Edgar Wallace Blue plaque

From fishmonger’s son to “King of Thrillers,” the Edgar Wallace Blue Plaque marks a pivotal chapter. Here at Edgar Wallace’s former residence, we celebrate a life as dramatic as his fiction. Born Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace in 1875, his journey began humbly. Abandoned as a baby, he was raised by a Billingsgate fish porter. Imagine young Edgar, surrounded by the boisterous energy of the market, dreaming of a life beyond fish scales and river smells. This Edgar Wallace Blue Plaque commemorates not only his residence here but his prolific career. He wrote over 170 novels, 18 plays, and nearly a thousand short stories. His output was staggering, some novels churned out in just three days fueled by tea and cigarettes. His famous trilby hat, ever-present cigarette holder, and flashy yellow Rolls Royce became trademarks. This Edgar Wallace Blue Plaque whispers tales of thrilling adventures. From the Four Just Men series to the colonial narratives of Sanders of the River, his stories captivated readers worldwide. He sold over 50 million copies. His fast-paced narratives, dictated onto wax cylinders and typed by his secretaries, pulsed with the rhythm of the streets he once roamed as a newsboy. The Edgar Wallace Blue Plaque represents a man who, despite his humble beginnings, rose to become a literary phenomenon. While some criticized his work, others praised his intricate plots and thrilling climaxes. He even delved into science fiction, penning the first draft of King Kong before his untimely death in 1932 in Hollywood. This blue plaque serves as a reminder of a life lived on the edge, a testament to the enduring power of a story, from the fish market to the silver screen.