Edith Sitwell Blue plaque

A plaque, a simple ceramic square, marks this unassuming building as something special. It commemorates the life and work of a woman who, for a time, called Flat 42 of Greenhill her home. This is the Edith Sitwell Blue Plaque, a tribute to the remarkable Dame Edith Sitwell, a towering figure in 20th-century English poetry. Born into an aristocratic family with a lineage that boasted kings and queens, Edith’s path was far from ordinary. Her governess, Helen Rootham, ignited a passion for poetry in her young charge, introducing her to the works of Verlaine, Rimbaud, and Mallarme. These decadent 19th-century poets inspired Edith, and she began composing her own verses. By 1913, at the age of 26, her work saw the light of day in print. Seeking creative freedom, Edith and Helen moved to London, a city that would become her muse and her stage. Her early poetry, with its experimental style, ruffled the feathers of conservative critics. It was her 1923 performance of Façade at London’s Aeolian Hall that catapulted Edith to fame. Imagine, if you will, the scene: Edith, draped in flowing robes, her back to the audience, reciting her avant-garde poetry through a Sengerphone, an instrument crafted from compressed grasses. The music, composed by William Walton, ranged from waltzes to paso dobles, adding to the eccentricity of the performance. The audience was bewildered, some even believing it to be a hoax. Yet, Edith’s audacity worked. She became the most talked-about poet in England, a title she held with her signature flamboyance and sharp wit until the very end. Though she achieved great fame, Edith’s time at Greenhill was marked by melancholy. Her health was declining, her finances were a concern, and her circle of friends was dwindling. Yet, her creative spirit remained undimmed. She continued to write, filling the small flat with her words. This plaque serves as a reminder that even in the twilight of her life, within the walls of Flat 42, Dame Edith Sitwell’s poetic voice continued to resonate, leaving an indelible mark on the world of literature.