▁on ▁The ▁Par ade . ▁It ▁was ▁subsequently ▁decided ▁to ▁site ▁the ▁monument ▁on ▁The ▁Par ade , ▁Cast let own , ▁facing ▁Castle ▁R ush en . ▁Wel ch ▁was ▁well ▁known ▁to ▁Sir ▁William ▁Hill ary ▁being ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁design ▁of ▁the ▁Tower ▁of ▁Ref uge , ▁and ▁the ▁architect ' s ▁services ▁were ▁requ is ition ed ▁for ▁the ▁Sm elt ▁Memorial ▁Sch eme . ▁A ▁request ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁Wel ch ▁by ▁the ▁committee ▁to : ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁fully ▁intended ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁official ▁first ▁stone ▁lay ing , ▁to ▁be ▁undert aken ▁by ▁Sir ▁William . ▁But ▁there ▁was ▁such ▁a ▁delay ▁in ▁arr anging ▁this ▁that ▁the ▁contract or ▁had ▁to ▁start ▁work , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁October ▁ 1 8 3 6 , ▁the ▁mas ons ▁had ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁column ▁built . ▁No ▁formal ▁stone ▁lay ing ▁ceremony ▁was ▁carried ▁out . ▁The ▁work ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁early ▁January ▁ 1 8 3 7 . ▁ ▁Stat ue ▁Vari ous ▁rum ours ▁persist ▁regarding ▁the ▁placing ▁of ▁a ▁statue ▁of ▁Corn el ius ▁Sm elt ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁monument ; ▁a ▁particular ▁one ▁suggests ▁that ▁funds ▁had ▁been ▁exha usted ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁money ▁available ▁for ▁a ▁statue . ▁Therefore ▁the ▁following ▁letter ▁from ▁Sir ▁William ▁Hill ary ▁to ▁John ▁Mc H utch in , ▁the ▁C ler k ▁of ▁the ▁Roll s ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁a ▁sur mount ing ▁statue ▁is ▁of ▁particular