Plaque at his first home

A  plaque is to be unveiled at Frankie Howerd’s first home tomorrow.

The comic was born in York in 1917 and spent his first two and a half years in 53 Hartoft Street, the terraced house where the tribute will be erected.

David Fraser, chief executive of York Civic Trust, said: ‘For generations to come, people will see this plaque and know that the son of a soldier and chocolate worker from the city went on to become a familiar and well-loved national figure in British popular culture, spreading joy and happiness with his unique comedy for decades.’

Money for the memorial was raised largely by a screening of American: The Bill Hicks Story at last year’s Great Yorkshire Fringe.

Howerd already has one plaque in the city, at the Grand Opera House, installed by Comic Heritage who thought it would be more visible there than at his home.

The Up Pompeii and Carry On star once said he had only one memory of living in York – of falling down the stairs, an experience which left him with a life-long dread of heights.

There is also a plaque to him at  27 Edwardes Square in Kensington – the London home where he spent the last 25 years of his life. That was erected in 1993 by the Dead Comics' Society and unveiled by Cilla Black and June Whitfield. 

Published: 25 Jul 2016