UKIC Stone and Wall paintings Section

Minutes of the Committee Meeting Wednesday 18 September 2003

18.15 at the Mad Bear and Bishop, Paddington

Present:

Steve Sedwell, Caroline Babington, Robert Gowing, Ruth Mcneilage, John Burbidge, Ben Wild, Vicky Roulinson

Apologies:

Seamus Hanna, David Odgers

AGENDA

1 Minutes of the last meeting

2 Matters Arising

3 2004 AGM

4 Forward events programme

5 Related Section activities

6 Editors’ report

7 Treasurer’s report

8 AOB

9 Dates and venues for next meetings

1.0 Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the last meeting on 9 July 2003 were passed.

2.0 Matters arising

2.1 RG spoke to Katy Lithgow regarding new assessors for accreditation of wall painting conservators. We are asked to contact Susan Bradshaw with nominees, and she will arrange training (this takes 2 days at a cost of approximately £100). KL stressed that they try to balance assessors to applicants, making sure there is no conflict. RG to ask M Perry if interested, other suggestions were R Lithgow, and T Organ.

Stone section seems fine regarding assessors.

2.2 Louise Bradshaw has resigned from committee. The committee appreciate

all her work, and wish her the best for the future. Announcement to go in

CN. Beverley Pound has also resigned, but no formal notice of this had yet been made.

2.3 UKIC Council meeting in Summer was cancelled, next one in October

2003

Action RG

3.0 2004 AGM

See below Stone Conference March 2004

4.0 Events

Peterborough: meeting on 6 September successful. 15 attend. £98 bill for food. PLP pleased with day and turn-out. Written thanks needed for PLP, and payment for catering.

Action RG

Norwich: missed announcement in CN due to mix up. E-mail announcement

instead. There are some difficulties with the planned date of 18 October 2003

as there are other events in cathedral on that day. Henry Freeland the architect

may not be available. Matthew Beasley will talk about the purbeck. No

charges for day, although a donation to the cathedral may be necessary.

Participants to organise own lunch. Mail out needed in next 2 weeks.

Action SH/DO

Guildford Castle: proposed event to see this medieval keep mid November.

Conservation currently underway, due to finish end of year. No charges, as

Norwich. Combine the email announcement with Norwich. Advertise in next

CN, BW to follow up. Needs Peterborough style information sheet. BW/SH to get write up from Angus Lawrence for mail out by late September

Action SH/DO/BW

Coventry: date moved to 21 Feb 2004 provisionally. JB prefers to hold

announcement as situation very uncertain

Stone conference March 2004: Isle of Dogs. SH collaborating with Stone

Federation. UKIC sponsored session 9to be chaired by DO). A trade stand is being offered for UKIC– all sections will be represented. Stone and Walls section have an opportunity to produce material to promote section. RG has requested SH to check if we could have a room for the AGM at the same time. Fees may be an issue because there should be no charge for attending the AGM.

Action SH

Baroque: Giles Worsley asked to speak by RG (GW since accepted). JB to

contact Kate Frame regarding her talk. CB to provide title for IFACS talk.

Catering and practical arrangements in hand. RG keen to promote this widely,

suggests Journals such as RIBA.

Action RG/CB/JB

5.0 Related Section activities

All to read Leigh’s article ‘The conservation professionals are coming, and email

comments to RG

Action All

6.0 Editors’ report

See attached editor’s report for information / update.

In relation to the web site, it was generally agreed that if there is interest in the committee they are encouraged to take this forward. Chris Weeks does need input from the committee. As yet no changes are proposed, and probably worth continuing with it as it stands. CB to contact Chris Weeks with a list of the most recent minutes. CB to liaise with RG regarding this. A web training session is planned and committee members can attend.

A system for contacting Stone and WP members (around 143) by email is being worked on. (RG notes a recent uptake of membership).

Action CB/RG

6.2 John Betjeman award from the SPAB for Strachey and Strachey’s tower project at St Mary’s Beaminster deserves congratulations. Details to be passed to JB inclusion in CN

Action JB

7.0 Treasurer’s report

Money all approved. Ordinary account has £1,294.27, and conference account has £4,842.42

8.0 AOB

8.1 There was discussion of the fact that the tendering process is proving very

problematic for wall painting conservators. Frequent complaints over burdensome

requirements (major cost implications for tenderer with no guaranteed results). Also of unrealistic time frames, and unclear selection processes. RG suggests that some kind of announcement goes in CN (submit in January, for inclusion in February 2004 issue) to gauge the level of interest, and from there decide on workshops/events to open this topic for discussion. RM to check whether this is an issue for stone conservators. RG will discuss this at EH, jointly with SH.

Action CB/RG/RM

8.2 JB requests RM does a piece on the Swedish wall painting presses.

Action RM

9.0 Dates

Next meeting in Bristol at the Hole in the Wall pub on Queen’s Square around

6pm on Thursday 20 November 2003. It was agreed to have one meeting per year

in Bristol and the remainder in London.