A Blue Plaque for David Parr

Aim

Help us raise £5,000 for a Blue Plaque to celebrate David Parr, Victorian art-workman who created an Arts and Crafts masterpiece in his home

Help us celebrate David Parr with a Blue Plaque 

We need your help to raise £5,000 to commission a handmade ceramic Blue Plaque to be installed on the modest, terraced house in Cambridge that was home to David Parr. This Plaque will recognise Parr, a Victorian art-workman, marking the extraordinary story of a skilled working-class artisan who transformed his family home into an Arts and Crafts masterpiece.  

Together, we can ensure his story receives the recognition it deserves and that the work of a skilled working-class art-workman, and this overlooked aspect of Cambridge history is celebrated for generations to come. 

The story of David Parr 

Behind an unassuming white door on a Cambridge terrace street lies an extraordinary testament to working-class creativity and craftsmanship: David Parr House. 

Born in 1854 into a working-class family, David worked for the decorative firm F. R. Leach & Sons from the age of 17. There, he painted decorative schemes in grand houses and churches, including interiors designed by leading figures of the Arts and Crafts movement such as William Morris. 

In his spare time, often by candlelight, David brought these skills into his own modest, terraced house at 186 Gwydir Street, transforming it over 40 years into an extraordinary Arts and Crafts masterpiece. Through intricate hand-painted decoration, he created something remarkable for himself and his family, demonstrating the power of personal vision, artistry, dedication, patience and attention to detail. 

The house is particularly special because its interiors survived thanks to David’s granddaughter, Elsie Palmer. She moved into the house aged 12 in 1927 and lived there for the rest of her life, preserving the remarkable decoration and offering us a rare glimpse into the life of a Victorian art-workman and his family. 

Unlike many historic houses, which focus on the lives of wealthy families and famous figures, David Parr House tells a different story. It celebrates the skilled working-class craftspeople whose hands and talents helped shape the decorative arts, but whose contributions are often overlooked. 

David’s home reminds us that extraordinary artistic achievements can emerge from ordinary circumstances, and that creativity and craftsmanship are not limited by social status. 

Why a blue plaque? 

In 2027, we will mark 100 years since David Parr’s death and Elsie’s arrival at the house. We want to use this important anniversary to celebrate David’s life and give him a lasting public tribute on the house he transformed. 

A Blue Plaque will recognise David’s historical significance to Cambridge and the wider Arts and Crafts movement, helping more people discover his story and the achievements of working-class art-workers whose contributions to our cultural heritage have often gone unrecognised. 

Blue Plaques are important features of the public realm, offering a glimpse into the histories behind the buildings they adorn. They help us recognise the people behind the decorative arts that continue to shape our historic buildings and ensure their stories are not forgotten. 

We plan to unveil the plaque on 8 February 2027, marking the anniversary of the day David signed a £189 mortgage agreement with Cambridgeshire Permanent Benefit Building Society, enabling him to purchase 186 Gwydir Street. 

What will your donation fund? 

We are raising £5,000 to make this Blue Plaque possible. Your support will help us to: 

• Commission and install a handcrafted Blue Plaque 

Made by local ceramicist David Stonehouse, the plaque will celebrate David while continuing the tradition of handcrafted ceramic Blue Plaques. It will give David the recognition he deserves and mark the house he transformed through his extraordinary skill and creativity. 

• Create a short film about making the Blue Plaque 

The film documents the making of the plaque, exploring the history and craft heritage behind this form of public commemoration. It will connect David’s legacy with craftspeople working today, reflecting David Parr House’s aim to champion craft heritage and contemporary craft today.  

• Support a new exhibition exploring David Parr’s work across the country 

Running from February to June 2027, the exhibition will explore the history of Blue Plaques and how Cambridge chooses the people it commemorates. It will consider why David Parr, a Victorian art-workman, deserves a place among the city’s celebrated names and how his story differs from those traditionally recognised. The exhibition will also explore the making of the ceramic plaque by local artist David Stonehouse, while reflecting on the importance of commemorating overlooked lives and the homes and places where they were lived. 

• Celebrate with our community 

Your donation will also help us deliver an unveiling event in February 2027, bringing together our community to recognise David’s life, his remarkable home and his lasting legacy. 

Every contribution will help us bring David’s story to a wider audience and share the remarkable story of 186 Gwydir Street with as many people as possible.  

Rewards for our supporters 

To thank you for helping us make the Blue Plaque a reality, we have put together a range of rewards, from Maker Making Made badges and handcrafted pieces by local makers to unique artworks and exclusive experiences at David Parr House. 

£10 – One Maker, Making or Made badge 

A small token of our appreciation for helping David receive the recognition he deserves. Receive one of our Maker, Making, Made metal pin badges, each with a matt finish and a diameter of 32mm, to keep or share with friends and family, helping to spread the word about David Parr and our Blue Plaque campaign. At David Parr House, Maker, Making and Made hold equal importance—a belief that underpins all we do. 

£25 – A Set of Three Maker Making Made badges 

All three of our Maker, Making and Made metal pin badges, each with a matt finish and a diameter of 32mm, to keep or share with friends and family, helping to spread the word about David Parr and our Blue Plaque campaign. At David Parr House, Maker, Making and Made hold equal importance—a belief that underpins all we do. 

£50 – A ceramic handcrafted David Parr House pin 

Receive an exclusive stoneware pin handmade by potter Kate Webber. Each pin is screen-printed by hand using coloured slip, with a design inspired by the painted interiors of 186 Gwydir Street. 

Choose one of four designs, each draw from details within David Parr’s beautiful hand-painted walls.  

£250 – Special Edition Sarah Vigliotti lino print (Edition of 10) 

A special limited edition print by Sarah Vigliotti, featuring a hand-carved lino cut printed with oil-based inks on Somerset Satin 300gsm printmaking paper. A blue dot has been added to the design to represent the Blue Plaque. 

The image measures 14 × 20cm and is mounted on conservation board to fit a 24 × 30cm frame. Limited to just 10 copies, the print is exclusively available through David Parr House. 

£500 – A unique Adam Bridgland print 

A special artwork created by artist Adam Bridgland for the David Parr House Blue Plaque campaign. Known for his distinctive use of text, monoprint techniques and mixed media, Adam has taken inspiration from the words David Parr painted onto the walls of his home, found in the Drawing Room and small bedroom upstairs. 

For this artwork, Adam has chosen the phrase 'There is room for fresh creations' from an 1850 hymn by Frederick Faber and is the verse that precedes that applied to the drawing room wall. 

Each work is unique, signed by the artist and marked A/P. Limited to just five copies. 

£1,000 – An exclusive David Parr House experience (One available) 

Join us for an exclusive experience at David Parr House, including a private tour followed by afternoon tea with Director Annabelle Campbell and Chair of Trustees Tamsin Wimhurst. 

Hear more about David's story, the work involved in caring for the house and collection and how we continue to share this remarkable example of working-class heritage with new audiences. 

Help us make it happen 

David Parr's home is a lasting reminder of what one person can achieve through creativity, skill and dedication. But his story also speaks to the many working-class people whose contributions to our cultural heritage have gone unrecognised. 

By supporting this campaign, you can help us celebrate David's achievements, make his story more visible and inspire future generations to recognise and value the makers and craftspeople behind our built heritage. 

Please donate today and help us reach our £5,000 target. Every contribution, whatever the size, will help us honour David's legacy, share more of his story and bring this tribute to life. 

Thank you for being part of this effort.

From our nominators for the Blue Plaque  

Thank you to Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CPPF) Blue Plaque, for awarding Blue Plaque to 186 Gwydir Street in recognition of David Parr and his contribution to the city’s heritage. 

“David Parr's legacy is not just an extraordinary house that leaves us in awe of his huge artistic talent, but he also represents an overlooked group of art-workmen. These unsung heroes carried out the designs of the great and the good, and David's house is a testament to their talents.”  

“David Parr was an ordinary working-class man who had an extraordinary vision for his house and family. The decorative artwork, which is preserved throughout a small Cambridge terraced house, is a testament to the talent and skill of an art workman.”  

“David Parr has left a unique legacy. From the extraordinary hand-painted decoration that adorns his modest, terraced house we are able to learn about the techniques, aspirations and skills of a Victorian 'art-workman' - a group of workers often overlooked in favour of the big names of nineteenth-century art and design. Parr thoroughly deserves the recognition that a Blue Plaque can bestow.” 

Thank you to Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CPPF) Blue Plaque, for awarding Blue Plaque to 186 Gwydir Street in recognition of David Parr and his contribution to the city’s heritage.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 29th January 2027 at 12:00pm