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In 2023 North Tyneside Council asked people to be part of history and help name a town square by voting on a name for North Shields' new Town Square from a shortlist of four significant local figures, with the new new name revealed at a special unveiling ceremony.
It has been named in honour of World War II hero Thomas Brown, the George Medal recipient who retrieved the Enigma codes at sea. Thomas Brown took more than half the votes: 2,149 out of 4,247.
The naming event, on Friday 15 March 2024, was attended by more than 30 of Thomas Brown’s descendants and featured live music from a 1940s-style jazz band.
A stone memorial to Thomas, commissioned by his family, has been installed in the square and was unveiled by Elected Mayor of North Tyneside, Dame Norma Redfearn DBE.
It bears a graphic image of Thomas based on an original by artist Marcus Reed, with the family overseeing the design. This is etched on to granite in colour and set into a large monolith of sandstone. It stands at a height of 6ft 6ins.
The inscription reads: “A memorial to Thomas Brown GM. A North Shields boy who helped shorten World War II by capturing vital Enigma code books from a sinking German U-boat.
“Two of Thomas’ shipmates drowned in the operation carried out from HMS Petard during October 1942 in the Mediterranean.
“Thomas was awarded the George Medal but died before he could receive it. The medal was presented to his mother by King George VI in 1945.”
Thomas died on 13 February 1945 while waiting to receive his George Medal, which is now display in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle.
When: August 2023
Number of responses: 4,247
In 2023 North Tyneside Council asked people to be part of history and help name a town square by voting on a name for North Shields' new Town Square from a shortlist of four significant local figures, with the new new name revealed at a special unveiling ceremony.
It has been named in honour of World War II hero Thomas Brown, the George Medal recipient who retrieved the Enigma codes at sea. Thomas Brown took more than half the votes: 2,149 out of 4,247.
The naming event, on Friday 15 March 2024, was attended by more than 30 of Thomas Brown’s descendants and featured live music from a 1940s-style jazz band.
A stone memorial to Thomas, commissioned by his family, has been installed in the square and was unveiled by Elected Mayor of North Tyneside, Dame Norma Redfearn DBE.
It bears a graphic image of Thomas based on an original by artist Marcus Reed, with the family overseeing the design. This is etched on to granite in colour and set into a large monolith of sandstone. It stands at a height of 6ft 6ins.
The inscription reads: “A memorial to Thomas Brown GM. A North Shields boy who helped shorten World War II by capturing vital Enigma code books from a sinking German U-boat.
“Two of Thomas’ shipmates drowned in the operation carried out from HMS Petard during October 1942 in the Mediterranean.
“Thomas was awarded the George Medal but died before he could receive it. The medal was presented to his mother by King George VI in 1945.”
Thomas died on 13 February 1945 while waiting to receive his George Medal, which is now display in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle.
