Author Archives: Michael Netter

London Topographical Society – Ann Saunders Essay Prize

At the suggestion of members, the Council of the London Topographical Society has decided to fund a new prize in honour of the late Dr Ann Saunders (1930-2019). Ann was an enthusiastic and distinguished historian of London and for thirty-five years the Society’s Honorary Editor and in that capacity helped many scholars, both young and old, to achieve publication of their work.

A prize of £1,000 will be awarded annually depending on the response and at the discretion of the Council.

It will be awarded for an original and unpublished research essay on the topography, development or buildings of London in any period.

Submissions are to be no more than 8,000 words including endnotes and should include an additional abstract/summary of about 200 words.

* Entries should be submitted as hard copy and as a Word email attachment.

* They must be accompanied by the name and address/contact details of the author.

Submissions for the prize will be considered for publication by the Society in the London Topographical Record, at the discretion of the Society’s Honorary Editor.

Entries for the prize should be sent to our Hon. Secretary, Mike Wicksteed, by 1 April 2023.  Please email your Word entry to him (mike.wicksteed@btinternet.com) and he will provide an address to which your hard copy version should be sent.

The prize winner will be notified in time to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Society in London to be held in the summer of 2023.

Questions relating to entries should be addressed to Council Member Caroline Barron (c.barron@rhul.ac.uk )

SURF Awards 2022

SURF’s annual awards process is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government. It is open to all community regeneration projects in Scotland that are currently in place or that have been completed within two years of the closing date. The purpose of the SURF Awards is:

  • To recognise and reward best practice and innovation in community regeneration;
  • To promote and disseminate best practice across Scotland as means of sharing knowledge and experience, and thereby enhancing future policy and practice;
  • To highlight the role that regeneration projects have in improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities.

The SURF Awards has been running since 1998. It provides an opportunity for regeneration projects of all sizes to demonstrate value to funders and partners, support team-building and develop a national profile. SURF Award winners also receive additional showcase opportunities through SURF activities throughout the following year.

For more information see here.

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust – Craft Scholarships Available

Applications to QEST for funding of up to £18,000 to help you improve your skills are being invited between 11 July and 15 August.

Since it was founded in 1990, the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) has awarded more than £5.2million to 675 individuals working in 130-or -so different crafts.

And it continues to support its Scholars throughout their careers, often putting them forward for prestigious exhibitions and awards.

It defines craft broadly and welcomes applications from people involved in skills ranging from stonemasonry to thatching and jewellery design to glassblowing and millinery.

You can see some of the people who have benefitted from a QEST scholarship on its website (www.qest.org.uk), where you will also find details about how to apply to become a QEST Scholar. 

For more information and how to apply see here.

SLCT Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme

The Scottish Lime Centre Trust aims to promote and further the understanding and care of Scottish traditional buildings through it’s traditional crafts and skills training and education programme.

Once again, SLCT will be offering bursaries to eligible applicants for our time tabled training courses with the help of the funding grant generously awarded by Historic Environment Scotland through their HES Support Fund scheme.

Check out the eligibility criteria and download the application form!

We are also offering a number of fully funded practical training days for P7s and High school groups, as well as technical training to College and University groups.

HAMISH OGSTON FOUNDATION COMMONWEALTH MA SCHOLARSHIPS

for The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, commencing September 2022

With funding from the Hamish Ogston Foundation, two full MA scholarships will be awarded by the Commonwealth Heritage Forum to students from Commonwealth countries to undertake the MA in Traditional Arts at The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in the United Kingdom, beginning in September 2022.

The MA in Traditional Arts course is a full-time, two-year course at The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in London, UK.  Students acquire skills, techniques and critical understanding in a range of traditional arts and crafts alongside associated philosophies—allowing them to advance their existing skills. More information about the course, including its structure and attendance requirements, can be found online here.

The Hamish Ogston Foundation Commonwealth MA Scholarships will be transformational for the successful candidates—opening up opportunities for a successful career in the heritage and conservation sectors.  We are looking for students who want to specialise in specific heritage crafts relevant to their own country, but who also have a wide interest in heritage, building crafts and architectural conservation.  For example, there will be opportunities in summer 2023 (between years 1 and 2) for students to participate in live training projects with the Commonwealth Heritage Forum.  In particular, it is crucial that scholarship recipients have a desire to develop their skills to improve the historic built environment for this, and future, generations.

ELLIGIBLITY

The Hamish Ogston Foundation Commonwealth MA Scholarships are aimed at talented craftspeople and students from across the Commonwealth who would otherwise be unable to pursue further study of their craft or speciality skill.  Consideration of financial need will be central to the selection of the recipients.  

The MA scholarships are intended for those working and studying in the areas of traditional building and craft skills that are most relevant to, or most needed in, their own country and its heritage.  Priority will be given to those seeking to advance their knowledge, career, contribution and sector leadership in respect of the following fields:

  • Stonemasonry (including terracotta and carving in various stone types)
  • Carpentry and joinery (including carving, marbling, graining, inlaying and parquetry)
  • Exterior and interior painting and decorating (including limewash, traditional colours and finishes)
  • External and internal plastering (including stucco, lime renders and scagliola work)
  • Architectural ironwork
  • Gilding (on gesso and paper)
  • Stained glass
  • Tiling, mosaics, and ceramics
  • Skills relevant to your country/region’s needs, and within the scope of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum and The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (contact us in advance to discuss)

While all are welcome to apply directly for admission to The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, we invite applications for the Hamish Ogston Foundation Commonwealth MA Scholarships from specified Commonwealth regions where the wider Commonwealth Heritage Forum programme is focusing initially, namely the following countries and territories:

Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belize; Bermuda; Botswana; Cameroon; Dominica; Kingdom of Eswatini; Fiji; The Gambia; Ghana; Grenada; Guyana; India; Jamaica; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Malaysia; Mozambique; Namibia; Nigeria; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Rwanda; Saint Lucia; Saint Helena; Samoa; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sri Lanka; St Kitts and Nevis; St Vincent and The Grenadines; Tanzania; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Uganda; and Zambia.

Deadline for applications: Friday 10th June 2022

For more information and to apply, please visit the HOF Commonwealth MA Scholarships page on the CHF website

HAMISH OGSTON FOUNDATION COMMONWEALTH BURSARIES

for The Prince’s Foundation Summer School, July 2022

With funding from the Hamish Ogston Foundation, six full bursaries will be awarded by the Commonwealth Heritage Forum to students and professionals from Commonwealth countries to attend The Prince’s Foundation Summer School, taking place in July 2022. 

Over a period of three weeks based at the Dumfries House estate in Scotland, participants will take part in a series of lectures, drawing exercise, practical crafts workshops and field trips.  The Prince’s Foundation Summer School provides participants with the opportunity to develop their knowledge of traditional architecture, design, and building techniques and how these can be applied in the 21st century. 

The Hamish Ogston Foundation Commonwealth Bursaries are intended for those developing a career in the heritage and conservation sectors, and with the desire to use and develop their skills to improve the historic built environment for this, and future, generations. The programme will particularly benefit architects, engineers, planners, builders, craftspeople and those interested in heritage building crafts and architecture, and how these factors respond to the local identity of historic contexts in a timeless and ecological way.

ELLIGIBLITY

There are no academic entry requirements for the bursaries or the Summer School.  However, applicants should have prior experience in the built environment, whether academic, practically or professionally.  Priority will be given to those seeking to advance their knowledge and career in the heritage sector. 

For 2022, we invite applications for the Hamish Ogston Foundation Commonwealth Bursaries from specified Commonwealth regions where the wider Commonwealth Heritage Forum programme is focusing initially, namely the following countries and territories in South Asia and the Caribbean regions:

Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bermuda; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; India; Jamaica; Montserrat; Saint Lucia; St Kitts and Nevis; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; and Turks and Caicos Island.

Deadline for applications: Monday 6th June 2022

For more information and to apply, please visit the HOF Commonwealth Bursaries page on the CHF website

PhD Studentship (Dynamic Holistic Life Cycle Assessment: Integrating Embodied and Operational Carbon, Energy, Water and wider ecosystem impacts) – UCL

4-year UCL PhD studentship in Dynamic Holistic Life Cycle Assessment: Integrating Embodied and Operational Carbon, Energy, Water and wider ecosystem impacts

More info here

UCL’s Energy Institute and Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering in partnership with Buro Happold are seeking applications for a fully funded Studentship on topic in “Dynamic Holistic Life Cycle Assessment: Integrating Embodied and Operational Carbon, Energy, Water and wider ecosystem impacts”

How could life cycle assessment reduce energy use and carbon emissions as well as facilitate a circular economy and regenerative design? What would look like if we also explored other indicators of ecosystem health in the context of life cycle assessment methodologies?

PhD Studentship (Conserving Ruined Masonry) – University of Oxford

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) Studentship

CONSERVING RUINED MASONRY: MANAGING WATER REGIMES TO ENHANCE RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Start date: 1 October 2022

Application Deadline: Friday 13 May 2022

Interviews will take place on 30 and 31 May 2022

More Information

The School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford and English Heritage/Historic England are pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded Collaborative doctoral studentship from October 2022 under the AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership Scheme.

This project will evaluate different strategies to conserve and protect masonry ruins by managing water movement and develop a toolkit to assess the vulnerability of ruined masonry in the face of future climatic change.

This project will be jointly supervised by Prof Heather Viles and Dr Jenny Richards, University of Oxford as well as Karen Gwilliams, English Heritage and Alison Henry, Historic England, and the student will be expected to spend time at both the University of Oxford and English Heritage/Historic England, as well as becoming part of the wider cohort of CDP funded students across the UK. The studentship can be studied either full or part-time.

We encourage the widest range of potential students to study for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area. Students should have a master’s degree in a relevant subject or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting.

CITB Offers Free mentoring to help improve the digital capability of construction businesses

A free mentoring service has launched to support businesses with implementing digital processes and techniques by offering technical advice and guidance.

See more details here.

Digital Construction Skills (DCS) is funded by CITB to help construction companies develop the skills they need to drive digital transformation in their business. With a strong focus on SME business owners, directors, and senior managers, DCS aims to demystify digital tools and help businesses choose the best ones to align with their goals through the mentoring service.

All the mentors on the programme have recent, real-world experience on the front line of the construction industry and are specialists in the technical and commercial aspects of digital construction. This includes digitalising information flow and physical elements, such as 3D models and reality capture.

There are many benefits to adopting digital practices. For example, it could help you to reduce admin time and costs, improve safety and quality, keep digital records which could speed up payment and protect against claims, and even increase productivity of engineers and other site staff. DCS has identified time as a particularly important factor for many small businesses, which is why they aim to make the process as simple as possible. There are no forms to fill in with this service, you can simply book a 15, 30 or 60-minute meeting (External link – Opens in a new tab or window) with a digital construction specialist.

Brick Awards 2022

We are looking for House Builders who have used BDA-member brick extensively across multiple UK residential developments may enter this category. Alongside evidence of sound architecture and craftsmanship, the house builder must demonstrate outstanding contribution to the industry, evidenced by apprenticeships, training, quality assurance, sustainability and commitment to health and safety.

Two separate images, each an example of an individual project, must be submitted alongside a business description that accounts for the ways in which the business meets the above criteria.

Projects which constitute a clearly identifiable Phase of a larger scheme will be considered to be complete if, the Phase is fully accessible and habitable.

Projects must have been completed within the last two years, and substantially use BDA-member bricks.

More information here.

Entry is Free and is a fantastic way to promote your new Developments!

Call for expressions of interest: NHIG Accreditation Pilot Scheme

Announcement from NHIG: WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME AN ACCREDITED CONSERVATION BLACKSMITH?

If you are a blacksmith with at least five years of practical experience we invite you to consider joining a pilot run of our proposed accreditation scheme in May 2022. To express an interest please email Jessica info@nhig.org.uk and we’ll send you further details. Numbers on this pilot scheme will be limited so please don’t delay!

Nominations Invited for the Plowden Medal Conservation Award 2022

Nominations for the 2022 Plowden Medal Conservation Award are open until Friday 20th May 2022.  If you know of any talented conservators who deserve recognition for their work, please consider nominating them and sharing the details with your network.

Established in 1999 to commemorate the life and work of the late Hon. Anna Plowden CBE (1938 – 1997), this medal was endowed by the Royal Warrant Holders Association, of which she was Vice-President.  It is awarded annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the conservation profession and whose nomination would be widely welcomed within the conservation community. The award covers all aspects of conservation be they practical, theoretical or managerial – and is open to those working in private practice or institutions.

The nomination form is attached and can also be downloaded from https://www.royalwarrant.org/plowden-medal and the deadline for nominations is Friday 20th May 2022. The medal will be presented to the winner in the Autumn.

If you have any queries on completing your nomination, we will be holding a zoom meeting on Wednesday 23rd March 11am-1pm. To register, please email Claire Anderson at plowdenmedal@rwha.co.uk

NHIG Award recognising exemplary conservation within the ironwork sector

The National Heritage Ironwork Group (NHIG) is excited to announce a new award recognising exemplary conservation within the ironwork sector.  

Given the vital role of conservation skills in safeguarding our built heritage, the NHIG is keen to create more opportunities to celebrate excellence specifically within the ironwork field.

The new NHIG Award will be presented for the first time at the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths (WCB) annual Awards Lunch in October 2022.

Work on any scale, in a public or private setting, is eligible. The judging panel will be interested in: 

• The appropriateness of materials and techniques used

 • The extent to which the loss of original fabric was minimised 

• The quality of the craftsmanship

Submission window: 13th January – 30th April 2022

For information and to enter a project go to: https://nhig.org.uk/nhig-award/

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council – ‘Rediscovering the Underbanks’

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council is currently working on ‘Rediscovering the Underbanks’, a townscape heritage project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Rediscovering the Underbanks project aims to restore the historic built-environment and increase awareness of the Underbanks, a conservation area within Stockport town centre. You can find out more about our project on our website: www.rediscoveringtheunderbanks.co.uk

As part of the project, we are looking to increase heritage skills through workshops, demonstrations, and talks. The attendees of these events will be primarily building owners, tenants, students, and members of the general public. The key heritage skills that we want to focus upon are:

  • Brick repairs and pointing
  • Sash window repairs
  • Slate roofing

We would require the events to be held in the local vicinity of Stockport- a venue can be provided and any further equipment/materials that may be required can be discussed beforehand.

If this is something which you would be interested in, please get in touch by emailing underbanksth@stockport.gov.uk and we can discuss arrangements, availability and budget.