Ian Bristow
We were sad to hear that Ian Bristow, one of ASCHB’s earliest members, Chairman for many years, and Past President, has died suddenly.
His funeral will take place at 11.15 on Monday 14 th April at All Saints Church, West Dulwich, SE21 8JY. Details will also be published in the Times and the Daily Telegraph.
In due course, there will be a commemorative event. The nature of that has yet to be decided, and ASCHB will work with Sara Bristow to organise that.
We will publish further details to all our members.
Transactions Volume 45
Our latest volume of Transactions will be published shortly: please check that we have your latest postal address so there is no delaying getting Volume 45!
The Green Health Awards
The Conservation Foundation is sponsoring the Green Health category of The Church Times Environment Awards and is looking for potential entries. Details are at https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/
This is of particular interest to ASCHB this year in the light of our ASCHB2024 Conference on Heritage, Health & Hospitals (details here) : the Green Health Award is sponsored by the Conservation Foundation for projects making an active connection between faith, nature, and health. Projects may be run by a faith organisation in association with a local health practice or charity. Prize: £1000.
The Conservation Foundation is particularly looking to encourage the use of faith land for therapeutic gardening to benefit communities, especially where this involves social prescribing.
These awards were first launched in 2018 and discovered that there is a growing interest in using faith spaces for therapeutic gardening often linked to various social prescribing agencies. However, these are mostly individually organised initiatives with little or no national support. The organisers hope that these awards will be an opportunity to put the spotlight on positive stories which will encourage others.
National Heritage Ironwork Group Events
The NHIG have published details of 2024 events for ironworkers and heritage practitioners.
25 April 2024 – Writing Specifiactions for Heritage Ironwork
20-21 June 2024 – Conservation of Architectural Ironwork
Find details HERE
istructe History Study Group lectures
The Institution of Structural Engineers History Study Group starts its Autumn Lecture series on line and at The Gallery Cowcross Street on 12th Spetember 2023. The first Lecture is given by David Yeomans on What is engineering history? And what is it for?
Booking and further details can be found HERE
26 September Margaret Cooke on Engineering history, conservation and net zero
10 October Christine Wall Listening to workers: oral histories of post-war construction
24 October Fiona Smyth on That little old echo: acoustics and designing for musical tone
7 November Mike Chrimes on Building the canal age
21 November Hamish Harvey on The development of a structural understanding of masonry
5 December Steven Brindle on Craftsmen and the building revolution of the seventeenth century
2023 NHIG Award for Heritage Metalwork is now open
The NHIG Award for Heritage Metalwork Conservation seeks to recognise and celebrate excellence in ironwork conservation as an inspiration to all.
Submitted work must have been carried out in the last 5 years in accordance with current conservation philosophy.
- Appropriateness of materials and techniques used
- Extent to which loss of original fabric was minimised
- Quality of craftsmanship
NHIG want to celebrate excellence in the field and are excited to see your projects, both small and large. You can send them in through the NHIG website here.
The judging team will visit shortlisted projects so please ensure that it is possible to access the site by arrangement. The submission window for this round closes on 31st May 2023.
Carpenter’s Company Annual Craft Lecture
John Burton, as a Liveryman of the Carpenter’s Company, has offered to invite a few members to this lecture by Tony Hackney M.B.A. CEng on ‘Building a Sustainable World: see timber in a new light’ on Wednesday 5 April at the Carpenter’s Hall. If you would like further details please contact us through our CONTACT page
ICOMOS-UK WOOD FORUM – YouTube channel.
ICOMOS-UK Wood Forum have uploaded new talks to their channel, and are keen to spread knowledge and build relationships.
They aim to spread knowledge and build relationships so are keen for us to see the talks and tell our friends and colleagues.
The list of talks can be found HERE
The Giles Worsley Fellowship
The British School at Rome is offering the Giles Worsley Fellowship, open to architectural historians and architects whose research in the field of architectural or urban history woudl benefit from the opportunity to send three months at the BSR.
The closing date for applications is 15 March 2023.
For further information contact https://bsr.ac.uk/awards-residencies-architecture/
Bedford Park Society Meetings
The Bedford Park Society have announced their next series of on-line lectures by Nicholas Friend on the development of city design – from the idealistic vision of Bedford Park Garden Suburb and early 20th century responses tackling increased population – to the climate change issues facing cities of the future.
Wednesday 15 February – Early dreams of better communal lives: from Bedford Park to Le Corbusier
Monday 13 March – Design of the Future City: challenges to the city in the age of climate change
Further details at www.bedfordpark.org.uk
Bill Harvey
We were sad to hear of the death of Bill Harvey, who had been generous with his time and expertise to talk to us on Masonry Bridges, and write it up for Transactions.
Rob Thomas of the Institution of Structural Engineers has written to us:
Typical of Bill, it was his wish to leave his body to teaching and research so there will be no funeral but there will be a celebration of Bill’s life on 10 November at 2pm in Exeter Cathedral, followed by a reception in the Corn Exchange nearby from 3-5pm.
So that the family can plan ahead, if you intend you go on 10 November please RSVP using the link at:
https://www.billharveyassociates.com/news/2022/10/18/rip-bill-harvey
Bill’s son Hamish is keen to emphasise that the invitation is genuinely to all – he writes:
This invitation is sincere. There could be no better way to honour Bill than to meet and build bridges between people. We have selected venues with ample capacity. Please do RSVP if you can come so we have a good idea of numbers for planning. Please also share the invitation with anyone who knew Bill and might not have seen it..
Institute of Structural Engineers History Study Group
Paul Bell on A Window on Soviet Era Timber Engineering – Wooden Structures and the Derevyagin Beam
An in-person talk at The Institution of Structural Engineers, 47-58 Bastwick Street, London, EC1V 3PS on Monday 16 May at 6pm (refreshments from 5.30pm).
Synopsis
The talk about Soviet Era Timber Engineering will be based on Wooden Structures by G.G. Karlsen, written in 1961, translated and published in English in 1967. Theory, as described in the book, was remarkably advanced using Plastic and Limit State Design. In contrast many structures illustrated use logs as structural members, which at first sight looks primitive, but in a country like Russia with an abundance of timber is very practical. The Derevyagin beam is a built-up beam using oak keys to connect softwood baulks without glue. It exploits the anisotropic properties of timber and the different strengths of softwood and oak. Design of Metal Structures, a sister volume to Wooden Structures was also published at this time of a highpoint in Soviet technological prestige. The relationship between engineers and the Soviet state over the period when G.G. Karlsen was working will be considered.
Speaker
Paul Bell has been a member of the History Study Group since its inception, having spent a large part of his working life dealing with old buildings. He has given talks to the Group on “The Structure of the Georgian London House” and “19th Century Laminated Timber Structures”. In 2021 he presented a paper to the 7th International Congress of the Construction History Society on “Wooden Structures by G.G. Karlsen and the Derevyagin Beam”. This paper is now in the public domain and can be downloaded here.
Covid arrangements
At the time of writing, the Institution’s policy is that face masks are not required but, on arrival, Reception will take your temperature and ask you to sanitise your hands.
Forthcoming talks
14 June | Alan Hayward on the Dee Bridge collapse of 1847
Institute of Structural Engineers History Study Group
Paul Bell on A Window on Soviet Era Timber Engineering – Wooden Structures and the Derevyagin Beam
An in-person talk at The Institution of Structural Engineers, 47-58 Bastwick Street, London, EC1V 3PS on Monday 16 May at 6pm (refreshments from 5.30pm).
Synopsis
The talk about Soviet Era Timber Engineering will be based on Wooden Structures by G.G. Karlsen, written in 1961, translated and published in English in 1967. Theory, as described in the book, was remarkably advanced using Plastic and Limit State Design. In contrast many structures illustrated use logs as structural members, which at first sight looks primitive, but in a country like Russia with an abundance of timber is very practical. The Derevyagin beam is a built-up beam using oak keys to connect softwood baulks without glue. It exploits the anisotropic properties of timber and the different strengths of softwood and oak. Design of Metal Structures, a sister volume to Wooden Structures was also published at this time of a highpoint in Soviet technological prestige. The relationship between engineers and the Soviet state over the period when G.G. Karlsen was working will be considered.
Speaker
Paul Bell has been a member of the History Study Group since its inception, having spent a large part of his working life dealing with old buildings. He has given talks to the Group on “The Structure of the Georgian London House” and “19th Century Laminated Timber Structures”. In 2021 he presented a paper to the 7th International Congress of the Construction History Society on “Wooden Structures by G.G. Karlsen and the Derevyagin Beam”. This paper is now in the public domain and can be downloaded here.
Covid arrangements
At the time of writing, the Institution’s policy is that face masks are not required but, on arrival, Reception will take your temperature and ask you to sanitise your hands.
Forthcoming talks
14 June | Alan Hayward on the Dee Bridge collapse of 1847