An international artist has returned to his hometown in Cambridgeshire, England, to create what he calls his "most special mural ever" - a towering tribute to his beloved grandfather who passed away more than two decades ago. Daniel Wilson, who currently resides in Chicago but originally hails from St Neots, painted a massive 15-foot-high portrait of his grandfather Ken Irons, who died in 2002 at the age of 85.
The striking mural was painted on the exterior wall of the former TC Harrison Ford Garage located on Cambridge Street in St Neots. The building is scheduled for demolition and will be replaced by a retirement development featuring more than 70 homes for seniors. Wilson explained that he chose his grandfather as the subject to represent the town's evolving character, particularly as younger residents continue to move to St Neots.
"Every time I come back to St Neots from Chicago I always try and find a wall or an opportunity to do a mural and this time it happened," Wilson said. "Because it's being knocked down, the developers were fine with it, it's only ever intended to be temporary." The temporary nature of the artwork made it possible for Wilson to secure permission from the property developers, who had no objections to the artistic installation.
The inspiration for the mural came to Wilson spontaneously on August 27, the day he was scheduled to paint. Initially uncertain about what subject to choose, Wilson remembered photographs of his grandfather that he had taken during his studies at Cambridge Regional College. "My end of year project was on my grandad, in 1997, I took some good quality images, I looked at one and thought, this will work well. Lots of people would have known him," Wilson recalled.
Ken Irons was born in Eynesbury and spent most of his life in the village of Hail Weston, making him a familiar figure to many local residents. Wilson described his grandfather as "such a lovely, gentle guy" who served as "a very important influence" on his life. The artist expressed deep personal satisfaction with the project, stating, "It's the most special, important, meaningful and enjoyable mural I've ever painted. I'm very proud to be able to showcase my grandad for the town - to see him and to remember him."
The mural required two full days to complete and was created with the blessing of Wilson's family members, who understood that the artwork might only remain visible for a few weeks before the building's demolition. Wilson's mother, Joy Wilson, expressed her pride in both her son's artistic achievement and the personal significance of seeing her father immortalized in this way. "It was really personal," she said, adding that "it has brought myself, my brother and my cousins together."
The community response to the mural has been overwhelmingly positive. After Joy Wilson shared images of the artwork on a local Facebook page, she received hundreds of encouraging comments from residents. Many praised the wonderful memory her son had created, while others specifically commended Wilson's artistic talent and the meaningful tribute to a local figure.
This latest work represents Wilson's continued commitment to bringing art to his hometown whenever he returns from his base in Chicago. The mural serves as both a personal tribute to family heritage and a representation of St Neots' changing demographic, bridging the gap between the town's past and its evolving future as more young people choose to call it home.
