George Evans: Artists invited to suggest designs for Wellington peace campaigner’s memorial

George Evans, who fought in Normandy and witnessed the liberation of Belsen and devoted his life to peace after the Second World War, died aged 97 last month.

Wellington Town Council members agreed to rename the peace garden, which he set up in 2012 outside the town civic centre, in his honour, and commission a monument to Mr Evans.

Policy and Resources Committee chairman Councillor Stephen DeLauney said a “noticeable” design would keep his memory alive among passers-by, and deputy mayor Paul Davis suggested a sculpture of the Wrekin would be suitable, as Mr Evans was an “avid climber”.

Born in 1923, Mr Evans served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and Herefordshire Regiment. After the war, he met Naomi Hurdley and married her in 1950.

He went on to found and become life president of Wellington Civic Society, chair Wellington Urban District Council and serve on the modern town council and wrote books about the town’s history and the nearby Wrekin.

Councillor DeLauney proposed placing a memorial in the peace garden and renaming it the George Evans Peace Garden, but said he didn’t know exactly what form the memorial would take.

“I think we need to approach a local artist, maybe, to come up with some suggestions – something quite noticeable, so when people walk past they stop and say ‘that is the George Evans Peace Garden’,” he said.

Councillor Davis said: “I would like to see some kind of rock sculpture of the Wrekin. It ties into being a town under the Wrekin, and George was a very avid climber.

“It’s just an idea for something that would help mark it as his peace garden. He fought for it, and I think a memorial is an excellent idea.”

Councillor DeLauney’s proposal to canvass local artists for design suggestions was approved unanimously.

He said their ideas would come back to the committee for approval “probably in a few months”.