Yorkshire companies aim to address heritage skills shortage

The York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmenship (YCCC) is an association of individuals and companies who are actively engaged in or support the conservation of built and artistic heritage and the craft skills necessary for its preservation. While most of the member conservators and crafts workers are based in the city of York and the surrounding area, their knowledge and skills are in demand locally, nationally and internationally.

One of the main aims of the YCCC is remedying the worrying and increasing shortage of the skilled craftsmen and conservators necessary to ensure the conservation and restoration of the nation’s heritage which they address through their charity raising funds for burseries and grants.

Please follow the links below to the websites of a selection of relevant member companies:

Bursaries and grants

The Consortium has a charitable arm - The York Foundation for Conservation and Craftsmanship

This was created to raise funds tax-efficiently for those heritage-related objectives of the Consortium which can be considered charitable. It was designed to make a contribution to remedying the worrying and increasing shortage of the skilled craftsmen and conservators necessary to ensure the conservation and restoration of the nation’s heritage. The Foundation’s Trustees therefore set out to:

• Create a fund capable of generating annual bursaries to assist the training of craftsmen and women, and conservators
• Encourage existing experts to take on new apprentices/trainees.

Since its launch in the year 2000 the Foundation has received the support of many generous donors, both individual and corporate, and has now built up a Fund of over £200,000. The interest from this invested money has allowed the Trustees to award bursaries to a total value of £97,105 since the Fund’s inception. Some of these bursaries have been directly funded by gifts specifically for the purpose by donors whose constitutions do not permit them to contribute to endowment funds. Click here for a full list of those who have made donations to the Fund or for specific bursaries.

Click here for a list of the bursaries awarded, together with their intended purposes. In all 93 craftsmen and conservators have been assisted, to further their skills and knowledge, and twelve organisations to take on new apprentices/trainees.

Applications are invited in October/November each year, with a closing date at the end of March of the following year. The awards are announced and presented at the Annual General Meeting of the Consortium, held in June in the evocative setting of York’s medieval Merchant Adventurers’ Hall (by kind permission of the Governor and Company).

Bursaries Awarded

2013 (£12,100 awarded)
Rebecca Bennett (to work on object conservation in Tanzania and Lebanon)
Samantha Cawson (towards fees for MA in Paper Conservation at Camberwell College)
Jonny Daly (apprentice carpenter, for advanced training)
Joanne Harrison (towards fees for MA in Conservation Studies and Heritage Management at York)
Wayne Hart (letter carver, to purchase equipment)
Hanna Lettgen (towards fees for MA in Stained Glass at York)
Bridie Murray (apprentice plumber at York Minster, to purchase tool kit, funded by York Merchant Taylors)
Samantha Peacock (apprentice stone mason at York Minster, towards NVQ and purchase of tools, funded by the York Merchant Taylors)
Jacqueline Perkins (letter carver, to attend short course, funded by Freemasons)
Nancy Peskett (stone mason, to purchase tools)
Richard Pollitt (carpenter, to attend a course, funded by Historic Houses Association)
Jamie Robinson (towards fee for M Phil in Textile Conservation at Glasgow)
Ralph Skrimshire (timber framer, to attend course and purchase tools, funded by Freemasons)
Cymbeline Storey (archaeological conservator, to attend a conference)

2012 (£10,800 awarded)
Sophie Norton, University of York (to support the training of three craft apprentices, includes HHA award)
York Minster stone masons (to attend European Stone Festival)
Stephen Pickering (to support staff training, includes award from Freemasons)
Fishbourne Museum, Sussex (to support the conservation of mosaics)
Emily Hale, (to help with travel costs as SPAB William Morris fellow)
Brittany Cox (towards fees for MA in clock conservation at West Dean College)
Mary French (towards fees for MA in book conservation at West Dean College)
Rachel Lawson (towards fees for MA in Ceramic Conservation at West Dean College)
Sophie Gwynn (towards fees for MA in Stained Glass Conservation, University of York)
Alan Sewell (towards fees for MA in Stained Glass Conservation, University of York)
Garvin Sealy (towards fees for MA in Stained Glass Conservation, University of York)
Tom Vowden (towards fees for MA in Stained Glass Conservation, University of York, held over for one year)

2011 (£9,500 awarded)
Thomas Soare - the Freemasons’ Award (to help with travel costs as an SPAB William Morris fellow)
Joe Irving (for a West Dean course on furniture making)
Megan Stacey (towards fees for the University of York MA course in Stained Glass)
Katie Harrison (towards fees for the University of York MA course in Stained Glass)
Carol Peacock (towards fees for MA course in Conservation at Camberwell College)
Rachel Greenwood (for an ARA course module in Parchment Conservation)
Shelley Anderson (to meet some of the costs of training with an expert Coppersmith)
Geoff Neal - the Historic Houses Association (HHA) Award (for his Lead-Working apprentice)

2010 (£11,000 awarded)
David Everingham - picture restorer - HHA award (for taking on new apprentice)
Nigel Barnett - blacksmith (for taking on new apprentice)
Don Barker - blacksmith - the combined Freemasons and Merchant Taylors Award (for taking on new apprentice)
Thomas Beeby - carpenter (to assist with travel costs associated with his SPAB William Morris Fellowship)
Darren McLean (for a West Dean course on the conservation of historic floors)
Jodie Dodgson - of the York Glaziers Trust (for a ‘Chemistry for Conservators’ course)
Carol Peacock - archivist (to meet travel costs for an internship at Cambridge's Fitzwilliam Museum)

2009 (£12,000 awarded)
Burrows Davies Ltd – the Freemasons’ Award (for taking on new apprentice)
Keith Barley – the Merchant Taylors Award (for taking on new apprentice)
Chris Topp – the HHA Award (for taking on new apprentice)
Catherine Dand - Trainee Archivist at the Borthwick, (for the Society of Archivists course)
Nicola Dowsett - (towards the MA course in stained glass)
Nick Teed - of the York Glaziers Trust (for a ‘Chemistry for Conservators’ course)
Sophie Adamson - of the Newport Ship Project (for an internship at the YAT)

2008 (£8,000 awarded)
Scottish Lime Centre Trust – National Lime Centre (for taking on new apprentice)
Ryedale Plasterers Ltd – Plasterers (to train two high potential craftsmen)
David Davies – Carpenter and SPAB William Morris Fellow (meet living costs while undertaking fellowship)
Ben Levings – Trainee Carver and Stonemason (to finance career change City and Guilds stonemasonry course)
Emma Schmuecker – Conservator of Asian Armour (to attend specialist conference in India)
Suzanne Kitto – Metalwork Conservator (to attend a course in metalwork conservation at West Dean)
Sayaka Fakuda – Book Conservator (towards cost of MA on lacquered covers of Japanese souvenir albums)

2007 (£8,000 awarded)
Yorkshire Hurdles – Woodland Management and Coppicing (contribution to costs of new apprentice)
Houghtons of York – Joiners and Carpenters (contribution to costs of new apprentice)
Matthias Garn – Stonemason (contribution to costs of new apprentice and to training of existing employee in letter-cutting)
York Glaziers Trust – Stained Glass Conservators (contribution to travel costs for information exchange with Cologne Cathedral)
Alaina Schmisseur – Archaeological Conservator (study of excavated leather shoes and their wearers)
Yorkshire Air Museum – Aircraft Conservation (preparation of complete training package for the application of fabric to historic airframes)

2006 (£4,000 awarded)
Don Barker – Blacksmith (contribution to costs of taking on new indentured apprentice)
Richard Hickton – Stonemason (contribution to costs of 2-year stone carving course)
Tracy Holmes – Stained Glass Conservator (contribution to costs of 2-year MA course in Conservation studies at the University of York)
Ruth Prosser – Paper Conservator (travel costs for study in St Petersburg and Tallin of conservation of Chinese pith paper illustrations)

2005 (£3,925 awarded)
Michael Grady - Decorative Plasterer (financial support for William Morris Fellowship with SPAB).
Rachel Sabino-Gunaratna - conservator/restorer of ceramics and glass (internship at the Corning Museum of Glass in the USA).
Rosamund Weatherall - Textile Designer (MA in textile conservation at Southampton University).
Six York Minster Stone Masons (travel costs for international Stone Festival in Freiburg, Germany)
Jenny Pearson - Book and Paper Conservator (fees for Society of Bookbinders Training Conference at Bath University)

2004 (£3,700 awarded)
Steve Allen – Wet wood Conservator (international seminar in Copenhagen)
Tim Covington – Stonemason (course in letter-cutting)
Fiona Jones – Decorative Plasterer (financial support for William Morris Fellowship from SPAB)
Julia Meredith – Wood Carver (setting up own business)
Katerina Powell – Conservator of Architectural Drawings (specialist course in Hamburg)
Helen Whittaker – Stained Glass Artist (figurative sculpture course)

2003 (£4,500 awarded)
Matthias Garn – Stonemason (master stonemason course in Germany)
Lee Godfrey – Stone Carver (MA course in conservation)
Tom Heys and Andrew Brind – Blacksmiths (Master’s course in leafwork)
David Medley – Stonemason (restoration carving course)
Stephanie Erpenbeck – Student Conservator (open water diving course for marine archaeology)

2002 (£4,800 awarded)
Yvonne Adamson – Conservator of Scagliola (studies in Eastern Europe)
Gary Bishop – Trainee Stained Glass Artist (medieval glass-painting techniques)
Susie Clark – Paper and Photographic Conservator (courses on digitisation of photographic records)
Lindsay Hogarth – Apprentice Stone Carver (international apprentice competition at Dresden’s Frauenkirche)
Stephen Pickering – Builder and Stonemason (advanced craft training and use of lime mortar)

2001 (£2,000 awarded)
Iain Broadbent – Apprentice Wood Carver (for the purchase of tools)
Michael Goulding – Stone Mason (specialist tools for international competition in Korea)
Erica Paterson – Archaeological Conservator (specialist course)
Leanne Walker – Stained Glass Conservator (work experience in other expert studios)

Where Are They Now?

The Foundation is keen to keep in touch with previous bursary winners as part of a wider interest in assessing the impact of the programme. In 2013 we compiled a series of case studies that show how our bursary winners have progressed in their careers and, under the title “Creating Tomorrow’s Heritage Skills” these are published and available to be downloaded.

We shall be looking to add to these stories and update them from time to time. They are eloquent testimony to the quality of the judging, the impact of our bursary programme and, above all, to the talent and commitment of our bursary winners over the years.

List of Donors

The Trustees of the Foundation record their gratitude to the following individuals, companies and trusts who have generously supported the Bursary Appeal since its launch in November 2000.

Individuals

• Dr P V Addyman
• Dr June M Hargreaves
• Peter Moore
• Chris Birch
• David L Harrison
• John W Morris
• Jack Birch

• Lawrence Hurst
• John and Joan Philpin
• Prof. Sir Ron Cooke
• Ken Garland
• Martin Stancliffe
• Kenneth H M Dixon
• Mark W Jones

• Gillian M Walker
• Geoffrey M Donald
• A Martin Marsh
• C A Ward La Pointe
• E Anne Ellison
• George Moore
• Darrell Buttery

Companies and Organisations

• Wm Birch Charitable and Sons
• English Heritage
• Ferrey and Mennim
• Historic Houses Association
• N. and E. Yorks. Master Masons
• Prov. Grand Charity of Freemasons
• Shepherd Building Group

• University of York
• York Civic Trust
• York Company of Merchant Taylors
• York Conservation Trust
• York Craft Training Group
• York Decorative and Fine Art Society
• Yorkshire Philosophical Society

Grant-making Trusts

H B Allen Charitable
Lord Barnaby's Foundation
Jack Brunton Charitable Foundation
Company of Builders Merchants Charitable Trust
R M Burton Charitable Trust
Dulverton Trust
Esmee Fairburn Foundation Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Lord Farringdon Charitable Trust
Feoffees of St Michael, Spurriergate
Fishmongers' Charitable Trust
Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust
Lord Harewood's Charitable Settlement
Oliver Ford Trust
The Fitton Trust
Earl Fitzwilliam Charitable Trust
Girdlers’ Company Charitable Trust
Kenneth Hargreaves Charitable Trust
Joseph and Mary Hiley Charitable Trust
Jessie Spencer Trust
Noel G Terry Charitable Trust
Company of Turners Charitable Trust
Colin and Sylvia Shepherd Charitable Trust
Patricia and Donald Shepherd Charitable Trust
Garfield Weston Foundation
York Common Good Trust
Yorkshire Bank Charitable Trust

To find out more about the YCCC and its members and, if you wish, to make a valued contribution to the Bursary Fund via the Secretary, please visit www.conservationyork.org.uk