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Aura to co-host Heritage Building Seminar

Aura Conservation Ltd have teamed up with RICS and the International Masonry Society (IMS) to present a one-day seminar entitled ‘Through The Keyhole – The Victoria Quarter Conservation Project’. The seminar is being held on Thursday 15th June 2017 at the Rose Bowl Leeds Beckett University Lecture Theatre.

What makes this seminar different to other Heritage seminars is the 'case study' approach which they have undertaken to present this large complex project in detail; the seminar will be taking you ‘through the keyhole’ to all aspects of the ‘Victoria Quarter’ Conservation Project.

Family firm celebrate 50 years in furniture restoration

Established in 1963 Wiltshire based family business William J Cook & Sons, who have been restoring fine furniture for two generations, are celebrating over 50 years in the buisiness.

The company was established by Bill Cook and his reputation for outstanding quality of work quickly spread. Since those early days clients have included our own Royal Household, Foreign Royalty, the Government, museums, leading collectors, dealers and private individuals. Whilst still retaining a London workshop the business is now based in Marlborough, Wiltshire.

A guide to architectural metalwork, wrought iron and its restoration

Our next issue will feature a fascinating insight, exploring metallurgy, production techniques, its architectural and historical context and best practice conservation.

Wrought iron, normally produced from pig iron, is a ferrous carbon alloy with a significantly lower carbon content (less than 0.1%) than cast iron or steel. Wrought iron is produced with slag inclusions (the top layer of melt formed during smelting containing oxides and other impurities) which gives wrought iron a characteristic fibrous nature. The slag provides a range of material properties including, toughness, ease of welding, resistance to corrosion, malleability when hot and tensile strength.

Why is repair better than replacement?

Traditional windows can often be simply and economically repaired, usually at a cost significantly less than replacement. For timber windows this is largely due to the high quality and durability of the timber that was used in the past (generally pre-1919) to make windows. Properly maintained, old timber windows can enjoy extremely long lives. It is rare to find that all windows in an old building require new sections. Many historic components continue to give service after 150, 200 or even 250 years. Traditional metal windows can also usually be economically repaired and their thermal performance improved, avoiding the need for total replacement.

Martin-Brooks restores South Yorkshire Holy Trinity

The heritage roofing specialists at Sheffield-based Martin-Brooks have added sparkle to a trio of the region’s ecclesiastical gems.

The firm has completed extensive roof repairs on three churches in Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster that benefited from government grants for listed places of worship.

Martin-Brooks was successful in securing contracts by competitive tender to renovate the roofs of St Thomas’ in Kimberworth, Rotherham, Holy Trinity and St Oswald’s in Finningley, Doncaster and Christ Church in Pitsmoor, Sheffield.

Reggiani helps to provide the light at Corpus Christi, Oxford

Reggiani Lighting’s Yori and Envios LED projectors have been incorporated in a new lighting scheme for the Chapel at the prestigious Corpus Christi College, Oxford, as part of a major refurbishment project.

In coordination with GBS Architect Oxford and dpa lighting consultants designed and implemented the new lighting throughout the chapel to enhance the stunning architectural interior whilst ensuring that the new lighting allowed for all the appropriate scenes and flexibility required by a space which is used for a diverse range of functions.

NHIG - Heritage Ironwork Seminar

The National Ironwork Heritage Group (NHIG) are holding a Heritage Ironwork Seminar on Friday June 30th this year at Hartlebury Castle, Kidderminster DY11 7XZ from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

The National Heritage Ironwork Group was established in 2009 to raise public awareness about historic ironwork and provide guidance to professionals involved in its restoration. NHIG promotes good conservation practice and high standards of workmanship so as to safeguard the long term survival and integrity of heritage ironwork for the benefit of the nation. They also champion practitioners of traditional ironworking skills and aim to inspire emerging professionals to develop traditional skills. While they cannot endorse the work of specific companies, members are by virtue of their membership ascribing to NHIG Conservation Principles.

Ironwork doesn’t have to be painted black

In December 2014 Arroll and Snell, architects for Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Cathedral, asked TOPP & Co. for ideas regarding guard railings and gates to a new entrance and external staircases to the cathedral, as part of a major redevelopment of access and circulation within the building. The cathedral was opened in 1856 and is in what is now known as Victorian gothic style. The interior was designed by Edward Pugin, son of his famous father Augustus Pugin, well known as a champion of the gothic revival, whose most famous works include the interior of the palace of Westminster.

Heath Methodist Church, Runcorn gets acoustic and aesthetic upgrade from Richard King Systems

Completed in 1970 the building is bold statement of modern architecture. However, while the interior of the main worship hall is visually impressive, the environment for speech intelligibility is acoustically very challenging.

Previous attempts to improve communication of the service by the installation of a sound reinforcement system provided only very limited improvement. In fact, it could be fair to say that, these measures had just aggravated the acoustic situation.

When is a guarantee no guarantee at all?

Quite simply, when the installing contractor is no longer around when a problem occurs with their “guaranteed” work

Of course they may just refuse to return to site - after all, they’ve been paid for the work, why should they care?

They may even have gone out of business (how good is their guarantee then?) - and just how good was the “Guaranteed” workmanship in the first place?

That’s why the 25 year Guarantee from a member of the Lead Contractors Association (LCA) is different.

The 2017 Repair Grants Programme is open for applications

Repair grants from the National Churches Trust are awards usually of between £5,000 and £40,000 towards the cost of urgent and essential structural repair projects, such as roof repairs. Projects must usually have an estimated cost of at least £100,000 (including VAT and fees) to qualify.

Places of worship of any denomination and age are eligible and applications from listed and unlisted Christian places of worship across the UK will be considered. The Trust are particularly interested in seeing applications from their priority areas - North East England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as from Baptist and Presbyterian churches, but other churches may still apply.

War Art framed and displayed

Nicole Wall, of Southampton based picture framers We Frame It, was recently approached to undertake an unusual project to frame a rare painting created during the second world war. Nicole takes up the story:

"I do have some challenging items brought in by customers from time to time and none more so then this large piece of War Art dating from 1938. It was a cartoon of my customer’s father leaving his horse regiment in Palestine to join the newly formed tank regiment in Europe.

"The picture was unusual as it had been painted on paper used to line ammunition boxes and as such had a central core of tar impregnated coconut fibres. It was extremely brittle and had been stored rolled up in various attics over the years. Still, the artwork remained very clear and the customer now wanted it framed and displayed on the wall.

Legacy of renowned botanist lives on in archive storage box

Daniel Charles Solander (1736-1782) was a renowned Swedish botanist who came to England on the advice of his tutor Linnaeus to become Assistant Librarian, and afterwards Keeper of Printed Books, at the British Museum. He also travelled on the ‘Endeavour’ with Captain Cook on his expedition to the Pacific. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and acted as Secretary and Librarian to Sir Joseph Banks, the eminent scientist.

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