Calling all George/ Georgia/ Georgina Hudsons!
Issued by City of York Council
City of York Council is putting out an unusual call as it prepares to move in to its new customer centre and offices in Spring 2013.
The call is for any George/Georgia/Georgina Hudsons to contact the council to receive a special invitation to the official re-opening of the George Hudson boardroom on Saturday 26 January 2013 at 12 noon.
The council is transferring its administrative operations into what was the site of the city’s very first railway station at West Offices, on Station Rise, in a move which will save £17m over the next 25 years.
Designed by GT Andrews in 1840, the station was the vision of York railway magnate George Hudson who later went on to become mayor of the city.
As part of the £32m refurbishment of the original station, the George Hudson board room has now been restored. The new room will retain the George Hudson name and will be available for public and council meetings for up to 120 people.
Councillor Julie Gunnell, Cabinet member for Corporate Services, said: “We’ve no idea who they are, where they live or even how many there are and that’s what makes it so exciting.
“Who knows what they might have in common and what railway, York or other stories they may have to tell. Or they might not even have any connection with the city but perhaps a curiosity to find out more about the ‘Railway King’ or just to meet others who share their name. We’ll be inviting them to help cut a ribbon to mark the official opening and have their photo taken with an incarnation of the original George to commemorate the occasion – we’re sure it will be a memorable event!”
Tracey Carter, assistant director, City of York Council, added: “We want to celebrate the fascinating heritage of this building by marking the re-opening of the George Hudson boardroom. We thought what better way to do that than to invite modern day George – or Georgia/Georgina – Hudsons to come along and be part of our weekend event and hear about their Victorian namesake, share their personal stories and get the inside view of this fantastic renovation project.”
Numbers for the event will be limited to 120, and guests will need to make their own way to York, but will be offered refreshments and a chance to see displays which trace the history of the station’s development into a modern open plan council HQ and customer centre. The event is taking place during the annual Residents Festival weekend of 26/27 January 2013 when West Offices will be opened for public previews.
Both the city’s tourism organisation – Visit York – and the world-renowned National Railway Museum have teamed up with the council to put out the call for George/Georgina Hudsons on Twitter.
If you are called George/Georgia/Georgina Hudson and would like to join in the celebrations around the re-opening of the George Hudson boardroom on Saturday 26 January 2012 at 12 noon, you are asked to contact the council by no later than Friday 19 January by emailing [email protected].
In the email you are asked to say whether you have any links with York and/or the rail industry and the reason for your interest in coming along. The council, NRM and Visit York will be tweeting about the call out using the hashtag #WeAreGeorgeHudson and you are invited to use this in your tweets.
This content has not been created by YorkMix but by one of our trusted news sources. YorkMix is not responsible for the accuracy of the text.