A new statue of garden city movement founder Ebenezer Howard has finally been unveiled in one of the towns he planned,Welwyn Garden City, to mark its centenary.
image: Welwyn Garden City Centenary Foundation website
…commissioned by the Welwyn Garden City Centenary Foundation…
…He wanted properly planned towns, combining the advantages of both cities and the countryside…
BBC News writes:
The 2.2m (7.2ft) bronze statue has been installed in Howardsgate in Welwyn Garden City, which Sir Ebenezer founded in 1920.
His great-granddaughter Ursula Howard said the family were “honoured people will see the man behind the plan”.
Artist Ben Twiston-Davies said he hoped he had “done him justice”.
The statue was commissioned by the Welwyn Garden City Centenary Foundation as part of the town’s 2020 centenary celebrations and should have been unveiled last summer, but installation was delayed due to Covid restrictions.
The foundation spent six years planning for the centenary with more than 100 events scheduled, but most were either cancelled or postponed.
Chairman Peter Waine said he was “delighted to see this iconic sculpture” in our town centre.
“Howard had his own difficulties a century ago as his efforts to start the garden city were delayed as the Spanish Flu pandemic ravaged the country,” ….
Sir Ebenezer was responsible for establishing the world’s first two garden cities in Hertfordshire, Letchworth Garden City in 1903 and Welwyn Garden City in 1920….
Ursula Howard said she was “thrilled to see this wonderful representation of my great-grandfather”.
“Our family feel honoured that a century on, people will see the man behind the plan,” she said.
Welwyn Garden City Centenary Foundation writes:
Ebenezer Howard had huge vision when he created the concept of Garden Cities and the marriage of town and country, building Welwyn Garden City in 1920.
The crowning glory of our year of celebrations must be this magnificent sculpture of Ebenezer Howard, created by local sculptor Ben Twiston-Davies, finally installed in pride of place on Howardsgate on 14 April 2021.
The statue is full of symbolism. He presses forwards giving a rousing speech before digging the first spadeful of earth of our Garden City. The rose in his lapel reminds us of his patriotism, his socialism, his belief in the importance of beauty and the marriage of town and country.
