Cambridge pub's blue plaque replaced to recognise Rosalind Franklin

The new plaque recognises the contribution of Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins and others to the discovery of the structure of DNA

A blue plaque has been replaced at the pub where scientists first announced they had discovered the structure of DNA to recognise the work of Rosalind Franklin and other scientists.

The first plaque, put up in 2003, marked the moment when Francis Crick and James Watson celebrated their findings at The Eagle in Cambridge.

But it did not mention Franklin, who played a pivotal role in the discovery.

It was Franklin's X-ray photo that helped them to work out DNA structure.

The Eagle, in Bene't Street, Cambridge, was the "local" for scientists such as Crick and Watson, working at the university's Cavendish Laboratory.

It was there in February 1953 they announced their discovery of how DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) carries genetic information.

Someone scrawled "+ Franklin" on the old blue plaque

Penny Heath, chair of the Cambridge Blue Plaque Committee, said over the years, the old plaque had "provoked debate" - and in 2017 someone scrawled "+Franklin" on it - because it did not recognise the contribution of Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, who were studying DNA using X-rays.

Franklin produced an X-ray photograph that allowed Crick and Watson to work out the 3D structure of DNA - the double helix.

"In recent years there have been efforts to increase awareness of the role played by important female scientists, whose work has sometimes been overshadowed by their male colleagues," Ms Heath said.

"Rosalind Franklin was one such scientist and so the DNA plaque without her name became emblematic of this cause."

She added: "Over time, the condition of the plaque had deteriorated, and we decided to replace it, and this has given us the opportunity to recognise the work of Franklin, Maurice Wilkins and others, as well as that of Crick and Watson."

It was Franklin's X-ray photo that helped Watson and Crick work out DNA structure