Events

September 11 Concert and Ceremony, Grosvenor Square

September 11, 2009

Annual concerts and ceremonies took place simultaneously on September 11 in both Hanover Square, New York and Grosvenor Square, London. Both events are organized in association with The September Concert series.

In London, the Grosvenor Square Concert and Ceremony took place at 5:30pm, and featured performances by The Regimental Band of the Coldstream Guards, The Band and Bugles of the Rifles, violinist and vocalist Laura McGhee and a capella singers Fulham Camerata.

British Memorial Garden Trust UK Ltd. is a global partner of The September Concert and this year the Memorial Ceremony and Concert attracted many to Grosvenor Square as a way of honouring the day. Music is renewal, and British Memorial Trust UK Ltd. will be expanding its programme of concerts and support of The September Concert's work in 2010.

United States Ambassador Louis B. Susman makes his address with the Coldstream Guards behind

The Band and Bugles of the Rifles

British Memorial Trust UK Ltd. directors Hon. Alex Foley and Arthur Rawl, MBE, talk with a guest

The Regimental Band of the Coldstream Guards

Sir Christopher Meyer speaks to the crowd

Fulham Camerata

Noel Le Grand with the Coldstream Guards behind

Laura McGhee performs for the audience

Alex Clarke of the September 11th United Kingdom Families Support Group says a few words

Laura McGhee and Fulham Camerata

US Ambassador Louis B. Susman and Laura McGhee at the post-concert reception at the US Embassy

Sir Christopher Meyer with Noel Le Grand

Sir Thomas Harris and Lady Greenstock at the reception

Following the concert, Laura McGhee wrote these words in her blog at www.lauramcghee.com:

"London 9/11 concert: I was performing my piece Commemoration for the special tribute concert for the anniversary of 9/11 in London at Grosvenor Square today. Was an amazing ceremony to be a part of. The Queen's Rifles band began the proceedings marching into the gardens. They were amazing. Followed by the Guards who were equally fantastic to watch. I played my piece Commemoration which I composed especially for those that lost their lives in the tragedy. A lot of the familes of lost loved ones were there so it was an important thing for me to do and share with them. I also sang my version of Robert Burns Auld Lang Syne which will be broadcast on BBC America this year, and also got the opportunity to perform a special song called "Give Us Hope" with the Fulham Camerata choir. I was leading the song with them. It was an amazing buzz, the first time I've ever sang with a full choir behind me. It felt great. There was a reception in the US Embassy after the ceremony and I got the chance to meet the US Ambassador and chat with some of the familes. They song "Give Us Hope" really struck a chord with them. I was also chatting with one of the members of the Bugles of the Rifles band who is really interested in arranging my piece Commemoration and recording it with me. That would be fab, so I gave him a copy of the music."

In New York, a short Concert and Ceremony was held in the British Garden at Hanover Square, followed by a reception at the India House Club, One Hanover Square.

The concert featured performances by renowned British tenor Russel Watson - "The Voice" - soloist Steve O'Connor, the Children's Choir of the British International School, New York and the New York Scottish Pipes and Drums. Among those speaking in commemoration of the event was Sir Alan Collins, British Consul-General in New York.

On April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which establishes September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

September 11 Concert and Ceremony, Grosvenor Square

September 11, 2008

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, meets with family members of 9/11 victims

Bringing the community together is never more poignant than on September 11 when British-American unity is honored and the 67 British lives lost are memorialized. Concerts were once again held simultaneously in New York’s Hanover Square and London’s Grosvenor Square, in association with The September Concert series, and symbolizing the solidarity and friendship uniting the two nations.

"The two greatest cities on earth are branches of the great tree of English-speaking democratic culture of which we are so proud, two cities united in their tolerance, love of freedom, their willingness to welcome people from all over the earth - and united in their grief at the losses they have both sustained,” said Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

In London, the concert began with a short recital from two British family members, Emma Lake and Rob Halligan, followed by performances from soprano Anna Johnston and tenor Siphiwo Ntsheb. The program concluded with music from guitarist Kris Buckle and the London Welsh Chorale. Boris Johnson and Ambassador Tuttle spoke of the memories of that day, and were joined by the Hon. Tessa Jowell and other leading dignatories.

The British Memorial Garden Trust would like to thank ICAP and Barclays Capital for making the concerts possible.

Soprano Anna Johnston

Tenor Siphiwo Ntsheb

Alexandra Clarke, head of the September 11th UK Families Support Group and Noel Le Grand

London Mayor Boris Johnson

Ambassador Robert Holmes Tuttle

Guitarist Kris Buckle

The London Welsh Chorale

The Grosvenor Square Concert is featured in the September Concert 2008 video. Click below:

The British Memorial Garden at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show 2008

May 27, 2008



Robert Holmes Tuttle, the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James's in the United Kingdom, visited The British Memorial Garden stand at the annual Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show, which ran from May 22-26, 2008. Seen here with Ambassador Tuttle are Alexandra Clarke, head of the September 11th UK Families Support Group and Camilla G. Hellman, MBE, president of the British Memorial Garden Trust.

The British Memorial Garden Trust were exhibiting the progress of the project and offering various ways of supporting the Garden, from making a donation to buying various unique and different memorabilia.

May 22-26, 2007

British Memorial Garden intern Sarah Tyrrell and president Camilla G. Hellman outside the garden's booth at the 2007 RHS Chelsea Flower Show held in London.

The booth offered an overview of the progress the garden project has made since its inception in 2003, and offered garden-themed items for sale. These included porcelain boxes and candle holders from Halcyon Days, a topiary charm from Links of London and BMG sweatshirts and bags.

Fundraising Dinner at Windsor Castle

October 19, 2006

On October 19, 2006, the British Memorial Garden Trust UK Ltd. held a fundraising dinner at Windsor Castle . His Royal Highness The Duke of York was the guest of honor, and music was provided by the Choir of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.  The event raised funds for the British Memorial Garden at Hanover Square , currently under construction in New York City .

 
The Duke of York, Rodney N.M. Johnson, Vice President of the British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc., Alexandra Clarke of the UK Victims' Families Support Group, the Earl of Albemarle and Karen Rawl.

Chargé d'Affaires David Johnson and Ms. Scarlett Swan

Camilla G. Hellman, President of the British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc. and Major General Sir Michael Hobbs, KCVO, CBE

HRH The Duke of York, UN Ambassador Philip Bonn, the Hon. Alexandra Foley

September 11, 2006
Memorial Concert in Grosvenor Square, London

arranged by the British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc.

The British Memorial Garden Trust concert, in association with Sept 11th UK Families Support Group and September Concert Series, took place at the end of a day of remembrance in Grosvenor Square, London, at  6pm, in front of the Roosevelt monument. This concert was part of the September Concert programme of Concerts.  The British Memorial Garden which is being built in New York at this time held a concert simultaneously with Grosvenor Square as an example of international unity and friendship - central to the message of the September Concert series which had concerts taking place that day throughout the world - including another one in Bath.  

British Memorial Garden board member, Patrick Owens, O.B.E.,  acted as Consul in New York during 9-11.  Having recently returned from New York to London, he presided over the evening and welcomed all to this free concert.  

Ryland Teifi, a Welsh BAFTA winner and Elin Manahan Thomas, a wonderful young soprano,  performed the national anthems and were joined by 14 year old Daily Blue singing 'Some One to Watch Over Me'.  

Everyone came together at the end of the concert with ' All You Need is Love', the message and chosen song of the September Concerts.  

Alex Clarke, Chairman of September 11th UK Family Support Group, spoke just before the final song.  Also attending were US Ambassador Robert Tuttle and UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell.

The Garden in New York is being built now on three quarters of an acre in Hanover Square.  It is a place of remembrance for the 67 British victims of the World Trade Centre attacks, as well as a place to celebrate the unity between the United States and the United Kingdom.  All of the elements of the new garden will come from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England.  

HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall visit the British Memorial Garden at Hanover Square, New York and dedicate centre stone

November 1, 2005

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Royal Patron of the British Memorial Garden Trust, Inc., and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall visited the British Memorial Garden site on November 1, 2005, the first day of their American visit. Escorted by British Memorial Garden Trust president Camilla G. Hellman and British Consul in New York Patrick E. Owens, the Prince and Duchess toured the garden-in-progress and met with City and State officials, including Governor George Pataki and Commissioner Adrian Benepe of the NY Department of Parks & Recreation. Also in the garden to greet the Royal couple were families of British 9/11 victims, supporters of the project and various dignitaries.

Following the presentation to the Duchess with a bouquet of roses, peonies and calla lilies by five-year-old Katherine Beaumont, Their Royal Highnesses unveiled and dedicated the center stone for the garden, carved with the Prince of Wales's crest by Simon Verity from a design by Isabel Bannerman.

The Royal couple then entered India House Club to meet privately with the British victims' families and attend a small reception of British Memorial Garden Trust supporters and representatives of various Lower Manhattan organizations. The Prince and Duchess toured the room, greeting the guests and later the Prince of Wales gave a short speech about the garden and its importance. He singled out Camilla Hellman, founder of the project, for her vital role in making the garden a reality. The speech was met with enthusiastic applause.

Isabel and Julian Bannerman, designers of the British Memorial Garden.

Left: Jill Sackler, Richard Kaplan and Edwina Sandys. Right: Sir Evelyn and Lady de Rothschild.

Tina Brown and Sir Harold Evans meet HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

Katherine and Richard Astor talk with HRH The Prince of Wales.

Sir Philip Thomas, the Earl of Albemarle and Ghislaine Maxwell.

HRH The Prince of Wales, Camilla G. Hellman and Frank Morgan.

British Memorial Garden Exhibition at 2005 RHS Chelsea Flower Show wins Bronze Medal

The British Memorial Garden Trust, in collaboration with the Royal Parks, mounted an exhibition at the recent Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show . The exhibition was awarded a Bronze Lindley medal in the "Lifelong Learning in the Garden" section of the famed annual show. The garden's British suppliers came together to help create an interpretation of the future garden.

The exhibition, based on the original garden design by Julian and Isabel Bannerman, featured large renderings of the garden as a backdrop, mock-ups of the benches, carved stone paving, the Memorial railing, City of London bollards and other elements that will make up the finished garden.

Part of the British Memorial Garden NY exhibit at the show

The lovely live plants that complemented the elements of the exhibition were provided by the Royal Parks, with special thanks going to Steven Edwards and Tom Jarvis. This was the first time in ten years that the Royal Parks has been part of an exhibition at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The exhibition was created by as John Kinnear, AIA, the project manager for the British Memorial Garden Trust, Camilla G. Hellman, president of the Trust, and watercolor renderer Michael McCann. The carved paving stones were the work of sculptor Simon Verity and the signage throughout the exhibition was the work of the garden press representative Peggy A. Brown.

A special thankyou goes to those worked so hard on the exhibition, including Chris Topp & Company, Ltd. for the iron Memorial railings, Caithness Stone Industries Ltd. for the paving, the Cast Iron Work Company Ltd. for the bollards, and Rutters for the graphics and backdrops.

Among the many dignitaries at the show, which drew crowds of thousands, were HRH Princess Anne, the Princess Royal and HRH the Duke of York. In 2003, Princess Anne, while visiting New York, made a special presentation of British heirloom seeds for planting in the garden.

HRH The Duke of York with Camilla G. Hellman at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

HRH Princess Anne, Camilla G. Hellman and British Garden designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman share a warm moment at the British Memorial Garden Trust's exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Grosvenor Square Exhibit, 1-22 April 2005

Left: Simon Verity at work in Caithness.  Right: Simon in Grosvenor Square, 31 March 2005 (AP Photo/John D. McHugh)

An exhibition of a portion of a hand-carved map of the United Kingdom and its counties was on display in Grosvenor Square from April 1st - 22nd, 2005.  The map, created by British artist Simon Verity, will form the paving for the British Memorial Garden in New York's Hanover Square.

The exhibition previewed the map for Britons before the stones are shipped to New York for installation in the three-quarters of an acre park.  The completed map will feature all the counties of Great Britain, as well as the boroughs of London and British islands and protectorates.  The map is carved from stone from Caithness and Morayshire, Scotland.  All of the building elements of the new park will come from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England, making it a truly British garden.