On Thursday November 29 2012 history was made in Solihull when the Queen's Diamond jubilee year was commemorated some 125 years after a similar occasion - namely Queen Victoria's Diamond jubilee celebration in Solihull. Queen Victoria's stone currently sited in Station Road has stood the test of time. A long life is similarly anticipated for the 2012 Queen's stone.
The photograph below left shows dignitaries and volunteers gathered together at the installation ceremony near the Malvern Park Gate on New Road, Solihull, in front of a newly designed planted garden area, a specially planted young beech tree, and the 4.6 tonne granite, Diamond Jubilee Memorial stone.
The stone is identified by a striking bronze plaque donated by the Solihull Rotary Club financed and installed by the Earlswood Garden and Landscape Centre in conjunction with the Mid-Wales Stone company. The plaque was fitted to the stone by Graham Fawkes working for M.E. and A. Hughes on the Mid-Wales Stone premises.
Earlswood Plants Ltd has supplied the plants and the beech tree. Design, planting and ground work is the work of the Solihull Council landscape Architectural Ecology and Urban design.
Many of those involved in the design, site construction, stone supply, transportation and installation, planting, plaque design and organisation attended the ceremony.