George Ernest Brown (1917-1980) was a visionary who curated the arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1956 to 1977. He recognised the importance of communication, diplomacy, and public engagement as drivers of positive change in society and explored his insight through Kew's Mutual Improvement Society (est. 1871) and its networking offshoot, the Kew Guild.
The George Brown Memorial Award was founded in 1983 by the Kew Guild to commemorate George Brown’s life and work and to promote the value of his insights. Uniquely, it recognises contribution of individuals to the advancement of horticultural and botanical science through effective communication and diplomacy, making it a significant and distinctive honour.
Recipients are accredited with an illuminated certificate signed by the patron of the Guild and have their names inscribed on a brass plate mounted on a native oak lectern [ref to photo].
The scope of George Brown’s career is described in a biography, originally published in the 1974 edition of the Kew Guild Journal, [page 295] to mark his Vice Presidency of the Guild 1974-76. http://journal.kewguild.org.uk/v9s79p290-All.pdf. Also see our Biography page: George Ernest Brown
The Kew Guild are proud that the George Brown Award is continuing to this day.
Recipients of the George Brown Memorial Award
1982 George Joy
1983 Noel Lothian
1984 Noel Procter
1985 John Lawrence
1986 Ronald Keay
1987 Thomas Everett
1988 Alan Titchmarsh
1989 Leo Pemberton
1990 Robert Sealy
1991 Stanley Rawlings
1992 Tony Schilling
1993 Martin Sands
1994 Ghillean Prance
1995 Laura Ponsonby
1996 Ray Desmond
1997 Nigel Hepper
1998 John Simmons
1999 Patrick Nutt
2000 Richard Ward
2001 John Woodhams
2002 Allen Paterson
2003 Neil and Sheila Gilmore
2004 Gren Lucas
2005 Michael Clift
2006 Jill Cowley
2007 Allan and Joan Hart
2008 Granville Turley
2009 Kenwyn Pearson
2010 John Sales
2011 Jim Mitchell
2012 Pamela Holt
2013 Norman Robson
2014 David Barnes
2015 Susyn Andrews
2016 Jennifer Alsop
2017 Sandy Atkins
2018 Nicholas Boyes
2019 Marcella Concoran
2020 Chris Kidd
2021 Anthony Ross
2022 Bill Bessler
2023 Cyril Giles & Tony Overland
2024 Maxine Briggs
2025 Colin Hindmarch