Conferences and Working Partnerships

Conferences and Working Partnerships

We have been delighted to visit a number of analytical facilities recently including the British Museum and the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI). At the conservation department at the British Museum it was very useful to discuss our mutual interest in the use of Lasers.  Machines are being developed and improved and we expect to see greater use of them in the future for stone, plaster and painting conservation.  If anyone is in Scotland in early September Sabina will be discussing the challenges in the cleaning the alabaster archivolt at St Mary’s Tutbury at the Monuments in Monuments Conference in Stirling, details https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/what-we-do/conservation/conferences-and-events/monuments-in-monuments-2019/. We are also looking forward to the forthcoming publication following this conference.

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Stowe House

Stowe House is a grade I listed building in Buckinghamshire. Following the conservation of the Fame and Victory ceiling above the East Staircase, a limited investigative study of the cornice and walls was carried out, during which time a scheme of nationally-significant grisaille wall paintings was discovered, dating from c1740.

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Stonemasonry Student of the Year Award

In July Elizabeth was delighted to be asked to present the award of Stonemasonry Student of the Year to Hannah Kendall at Moulton College, Northampton.  This award is given by The Worshipful Company of Masons who encourage the pursuit of excellence in colleges by sponsoring awards for achievement.

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Appointment of Karen Morrissey as Conservation Manager

Appointment of Karen Morrissey ACR in the role of Conservation Manager

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Calling all stone and plaster conservators

A position has arisen for a qualified and experienced conservator who specialises in the conservation of historic architecture and monuments. The role will be partly office-based in Lincolnshire, assisting with estimating and the preparation of tenders, as well as travelling country wide to undertake surveys, assess new opportunities and assisting with the running of current projects.  The successful applicant should also be able to write comprehensive technical reports, condition surveys and treatment reports, and will be expected to have knowledge of standards of best practice within conservation treatment and documentation, in line with ethical and procedural requirements of contemporary conservation practice.

Applicants should send a CV together with a statement of their personal aspirations and outline of past experience to pa@hirst-conservation.com marking the subject box ‘Job Vacancy’. For interview be prepared to show a portfolio and to provide two references.

CLOSING DATE: 22^nd February 2019

Tower Ceiling of the Holy Trinity Parish Church, Sutton Coldfield

During the month of October we were busy conserving a decorated timber ceiling, recently exposed within the tower of the Holy Trinity Church.  It was designed by the architect Charles Edward Bateman as one of four highly decorative ceilings, and executed in 1929 by John Wood Ltd.  It was hidden from view by the 1950s pipe organ until the 2018 re-ordering works.

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Tutbury, Priory Church of St Mary, Alabaster Archivolt

Previously reported, the phase of works to include the initial consolidation of the most friable areas of the alabaster archivolt and laser cleaning of these unique stones has now been completed.

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Gateshead Cenotaph

Remembrance Day 2018:  Restoration of the Gateshead Cenotaph Bronzes

This year’s Remembrance Day is very special as it marks the 100^th Anniversary of the WWI Armistice, and in honour of this we were commissioned by the Gateshead Town Council to prepare their magnificent Cenotaph prior to the 11^th November celebrations.

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