BRITISH sporting legend Fred Perry has finally had a plaque unveiled in his honour outside his former home in Ealing, after a lengthy wait and years of campaigning.
English Heritage carried out the unveiling at 225 Pitshanger Lane last Friday, following nearly eight years of efforts to have a blue plaque installed honouring the tennis champion.
A crowd of about 50 people gathered at the site, joined by civil dignitaries and Mr Perry’s grandson John. Speaking at the ceremony was renowned sporting commentator John Barrett, who was also friends with Mr Perry.
Paying tribute to ‘the single greatest sportsman that this country has ever produced’, Mr Barrett said: “Fred Perry’s origins were in the north of England but his development was right here in Ealing. I knew him as both a tennis player and a friend. He was an amazing man and an amazing achiever.”
Mr Perry’s grandson John said: “I hope people in the community will pass through so they can take a moment of reflection and see that greatness is achievable, and that you should seek it and be inspired by it.
“Fred always considered himself very English. He would be very honoured and extremely grateful to see this plaque. It was Ealing that defined him as the man that he was and the champion that he still is.”
One of the main campaigners in getting the plaque installed was Sue Elliot, former chair of the Brentham Heritage Society. She said: “We’re feeling extremely proud today.
“It’s been a very long haul because we first proposed this about seven or eight years ago. The wheels grind extremely slowly and English Heritage only installs nine plaques a year. This is the culmination of a great deal of work so today is a great cause for celebration.”
Ealing couple Iver and Ronnie Benattar, who bought the house in 1996, had no idea it belonged to Fred Perry until they discovered a feature on him taken from the Gazette in July 1984 rolled up inside a drawer.
Mr Benattar said: “It’s lovely to finally see the plaque. We’d spent a long time in talks with English Heritage so it’s wonderful that something has been done to honour him like this.”
Born in Stockport, Cheshire in 1909, Fred Perry won numerous tennis tournaments and won Wimbledon three years in a row. He was ranked World No. 1 for four years straight.
He was also behind a range of iconic sports and casual wear bearing the distinctive laurel wreath logo. He died in 1995, aged 85.
