Birthday Tribute To Town Founder

On January 29 - which would have been the 153rd birthday of town founder Ebenezer Howard - Foundation Director General Stuart Kenny received two engraved plaques from Gavyn Arthur, the 675th Lord Mayor of London, at Mansion House. One plaque commemorates town visionary Ebenezer Howard and the second depicts the Centenary, this year, of the world's first Garden City.

The Lord Mayor told Mr Kenny that it was a "special year" for Letchworth Garden City and sent the whole town his best wishes. He then indicated to Mr Kenny that he would be pleased if small parties (up to 10 visitors at a time) of Letchworth people paid a visit to Mansion House during Centenary year. "Just get them to ring my Diary Office at Mansion House," he told Mr Kenny.

The plaques are now on display at the town's Tourist Information Centre in Station Road.

In addition, on the evening of January 29, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation organised birthday celebrations at Plinston Hall with over 230 invited guests, made up of representatives from the town's organisations and societies, who had attended previous Centenary planning meetings, hosted by the Foundation.

The guests were treated to a sit-down supper and entertainment, which included a brilliant Charlie Chaplin tribute by Calvero and Duo Du Sol, early Garden City stories and poems from Mary Tear as well as early 20th century music by Pink Champagne.

In welcoming the guests, Stuart Kenny, the Heritage Foundation's Director General, praised the organisations and societies for arranging to hold such a large number of Centenary events and echoed previous statements that the Centenary was in the ownership of the whole town - not just the Heritage Foundation.

Foundation Chairman Peter Harkness led the grace before the meal and Foundation Director Alan Howard (no relation to the great visionary), compered the successful event and also read passages from some of the town's early literary works.

For further information contact:
Terry Gray
PR & Media Manager
01462 476055