Community · Salisbury
Blue plaque to honour Salisbury GP Dr Salome Pelly
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Wiltshire Council has approved a commemorative blue plaque for Dr Salome Pelly, a former Salisbury GP whose medical career spanned from Wiltshire to India.
A new blue plaque is set to be installed in Salisbury to honour the life and medical contributions of Dr Salome Pelly, a general practitioner who served the city between 1965 and 1970. The tribute, approved by Wiltshire Council, will be located at 3 Mill Race Close, off Mill Road, where Dr Pelly once practised.
The commemorative marker is being brought forward by the Salisbury Civic Society as part of its 'Her Salisbury Story' project. This ongoing initiative is dedicated to recognising the significant contributions made by women to the city, many of whom have historically lacked formal recognition.
Dr Pelly lived an extensive life that reached far beyond Wiltshire. The daughter of Bishop Wordsworth, she spent part of her early life at the Bishop’s Palace in Salisbury before pursuing her medical studies at Oxford University. Her career path later took her and her husband to India, where they worked for several years before returning to England. Following a period of residence in Trowbridge, she returned to Salisbury to establish her local practice. During her time in the city, she was also involved with the Old Manor Hospital and the Samaritans.
The blue enamel plaque, measuring 33 centimetres in diameter, will be fixed to the east-facing elevation of the building, making it visible from Mill Road. To ensure the preservation of the Grade II listed structure, planning permission specifies that the plaque must be attached using the existing mortar joints rather than drilled into the masonry.
Planning officers concluded that the installation would have a minimal visual impact on the building and would not harm its historical or architectural character. Salisbury City Council raised no objections to the plans, and the project received no negative feedback during the public consultation period. Once installed, the plaque will become a new addition to Salisbury's collection of historical markers, documenting Dr Pelly's service to her local patients.
Source: Salisbury Journal — Salisbury · View original