8 C O N T E X T 1 2 3 : M A R C H 2 0 1 2 stimulating force in any consideration of late-Victorian stained glass. The latest Institution of Civil Engineers Proceedings on Engineering History and Heritage (Vol 164, issue EH4, November 2011) covers a wide geographical range of engineering history. It includes the second paper on the success of the pre-stressed concrete bridges built in Germany in the period up to 1965 (referred to in my September column). There is also a state-of-the-art survey by Jos Tomlow of the inverted catenaries (‘hanging models’) developed by Antoni Gaudi for the structure of the Cólonia Güell church in Barcelona and its importance as an experiment for the design of the Sagranda Familia. Despite the legend that Gaudi was obsessed with designing stone structures through the use of hanging models to the point of rejecting other approaches, he was concerned about the way the engineering results might be interpreted. The author has discussed this with leading experts since 1976, concluding that Gaudi was aware of the theoretical impact of the hanging model, within its historic parameters, and that his attitude may inspire current construction design. The issue also contains a paper on the colonial connections and networks of British consulting engineers working in different imperial contexts from 1850 to 1914, particularly in Egypt and the Crown colonies of West Africa. There is a brief resume of the engineering heritage of New Zealand; a study of the surviving historic arch bridges in Iran; and an article about surmounting considerable physical obstacles on an irrigation project on the Milk River in Montana at the turn of the 20th century. Cornerstone, the magazine of the SPAB (Vol 32, No 4, 2011) does not pull its punches. Under the heading ‘Listed? No problem…’, Phil Venning states bluntly that although it had been thought that the main battle to protect historic buildings had already been engaged over the weakening of the planning system, we could not have been more wrong. ‘The government is now mounting a frontal assault on the listing system itself.’ This stems from the Chancellor’s autumn statement supporting the Penfold Review. Despite a need for parliamentary time for the implementation of some of the more extreme measures – which have already been well-trailed elsewhere – the question is whether the government will match some of its philistine rhetoric to resource the radical changes it espouses. Phil’s blunt and accurate assessments will be sorely missed when he steps down after 28 years as secretary of the SPAB in the summer. CORNERSTONE MAGAZINEOFTHESOCIETYFORTHEPROTECTIONOFANCIENTBUILDINGS VOLUME32 NUMBER4 2011 Nikof time SOCIETY’SFIRSTDIRECTORCOLDWEATHERPRECAUTIONSSPAB’SEASTENDERSARCHITECTURALPHOTOGRAPHERINFOCUS NATHANIELLLOYD’SMASTERPIECEAMIGHTYKENTISHTOWERPENELOPEADAMSONAT90LISTINGTARGETEDBYGOVERNMENT Pevsner’s passion for the past Spellsandspirits? Candle-markedceilings WilliamBlake’slittle placebythesea COVER winter 2011:Layout 1 13/12/11 15:19 Page 1 ice | proceedings www.engineeringhistoryandheritage.com ISSN1757-9430 ICEPublishing ICEProceedings EngineeringHistoryandHeritage Volume164 IssueEH4 November2011 Engineering History and Heritage Volume164 IssueEH4 November2011 The SPAB’s view about the latest assault on heritage policy perhaps led to your reviewer making a subconscious connection between the good old days of conservation in the 1980s and 90s and the recent restoration of the Leeds City Varieties Theatre, featured in Theatres Magazine (issue 30, winter 2011). Readers of a certain age will remember that this was where until 1983 the BBC broadcast the TV variety show ‘The Good Old Days’, presided over by the ebullient Leonard Sachs. Given Sachs’ famous linguistically elaborate introductions of the performers, one wonders what language he might have conjured up to introduce what some might see as conservation’s Last Act? Bob Kindred MBE
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