British Cultural Garden Centennial
Cleveland Ohio June 12, 2016
The British Cultural Garden was dedicated April 14, 1916. It was originally called the Shakespeare Garden. On June 12, 2016 a 100 Year celebration of the British Cultural Garden was held.
The Irish American Club East Side (IACES) Pipe and Drums opened the ceremony in the British Garden for the Centennial celebration.
Irish American Club East Side (IACES) Pipe and Drums
Sheila Murphy Crawford, president of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation, welcomed the crowd.
Sheila Murphy Crawford
Sheila introduced Honorary British Consul Sandra Morgan brought greetings from Her Majesty's government. She told of the rich history between Cleveland and the UK.
Sandra Morgan
Kenston High school junior Anna Truax sang God Save the Queen.
Singing God Save the Queen
Rev. Mark Webster gave a brief sermon about gardens and then an invocation at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the British Garden in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
Rev. Mark Webster
Daughters of the British Empire President Veronica Pearce spoke at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the British Garden in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. She gave some history and background and then presented plaques of thanks to Mary Hamlin and Sheila Crawford.
Veronica Pearce
Mary Hamlin and Veronica Pearce
Veronica Pearce and Sheila Crawford
Sheila Murphy Crawford, president of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation, told the story about meeting Mary Hamlin years ago. Mary is British and Sheila is Irish yet they quickly formed a lasting friendship that exemplified the Gardens' motto of Peace through Mutual Understanding.
Sheila Murphy Crawford
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Chris Ronayne, President of University Circle Inc. and Chair of the Holden Trust, spoke at the Centennial event.
Chris Ronayne
Chris Ronayne and Sheila Crawford
Tyson Douglas Rand, Artistic Director of the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, told how happy they were to see the British Cultural Garden renaissance.
Tyson Douglas Rand
Entertainment included the Murphy Irish Dancers performing a Maypole Dance, Sir Roger de Coverly Dance and a Cotillion Dance. Anna Truax sang Flow Gently, Sweet Afton , Barbara Allen and Vera Lynn's We'll Meet Again. Members of the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival not only performed a lively version of the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet but they initiated Shakespeare Karaoke which allowed the audience to come up and recite passages from the Bard. The Tower City Choir also performed British classics, barbershop style.
Sheila Murphy Crawford, president of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation, thanked all those who helped on the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the British Garden in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. She especially thanked the Daughters of the British Empire who have taken over working on the British Garden.
