1066 Music Blue Plaques is a group formed by three local music fans, Jim Breeds, Tony Davis & Andy Gunton.
The group came together after a Facebook discussion regarding the lack of commemorative Blue Plaques celebrating musicians who used to live in the Hastings area, and important local music venues which have closed down.
We decided to see if that situation could be corrected, and set out to explore the possibilities of getting some Blue Plaques erected.
After contacting Hastings Borough Council and getting their approval and support for the idea, we are now in a position to move things forward.
After the tremendous success of our first project to buy and erect a plaque in memory of Poly Styrene in North Street, St. Leonards, we are now ready to start fundraising for our second project, a Blue Plaque on the former home of singer-songwriter John Martyn in Hastings Old Town, where he and Beverley Martyn lived between 1971 and 1976. We have the permission of the current home owner to erect this plaque. John’s good friend, singer-songwriter Nick Drake, was also a regular visitor at John & Beverley’s home until his untimely death in 1974, so we will also be including a reference to that on the plaque. During the years that John Martyn lived in Hastings he recorded and released some of his best-known work, including the albums Bless the Weather, Solid Air, Inside Out and others. Some of his well known songs, such as Over the Hill and Bless the Weather itself were inspired by his time in the town.
All money raised from this appeal will be used purely for the cost of manufacturing the Blue Plaque & for fees owed to Crowdfunder, we will not be taking any money ourselves.
Any money left after costs have been paid will be donated to Hastings Lifeboat (RNLI), a cause which John was known to have supported.
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