On 30thMay 2019 the Centenary Foundation celebrated 100 years to the day since the purchase with an event in the Howard Centre in Welwyn Garden City. At exactly 2.30pm, the actual time of the auction back in 1919, a birthday cake was cut by Shaun Wall, the Howard Centre manager, The Mayor, Councillor Roger Trigg and the Centenary Chairman, Peter Waine to great applause.
The event was designed to raise awareness of the Centenary Celebrations and providing information of events coming during the forthcoming birthday of the town next year.
On hand was Ben Twiston-Davies creating a sculpture maquette of Sir Ebenezer prior to creating a full size statue for installation in the town next year as part of the celebrations. The event also included a town trail whereby those taking part had to search out ‘golden Ebenezer heads’ displayed in various businesses in the town centre.
There was also a display telling the story of the auction and looking ahead to the first town plan created by Louis de Soissons in 1920.
