Context 161 - September 2019

C O N T E X T 1 6 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9 55 art-nouveau shopfronts. That concluded the interview on a humorous note, and it was with some relief that I returned to have breakfast at the hotel before heading off to the day school. I listened to the interview on BBC iPlayer a few days later with my partner. She was quite complimentary, even to the extent of saying that ‘you sounded as though you knew what you were talking about’. Hmm. That aside, it did put into practice my aim of raising the profile of the IHBC, albeit to a limited local audience. Is all publicity good publicity? I’ll say more about that in future issues of Context . As I write, I have been listening to ‘The Reunion’ on BBC Radio 4, about the fire in the south transept of York Minster in 1984. At first glance the event does not have many similarities to the fire at Notre Dame. It occurred at night and was believed to have been the result of a lightning strike of such force that it overloaded the lightning conductors.What it did have in common was that it was a major roof fire and that an important rose window was saved. However, at York the fire fighters deliberately brought down the roof sooner rather than later to protect the window by limiting its exposure to the heat. I was struck by the intelligent decisions that were taken throughout the process, from the rapid removal of valuable artefacts as the fire took hold, to the consistent use of timber in the new roof structure rather than steel. Some exemplary involvement of the public took place, including an invitation to Blue Peter viewers to submit designs for six of the ceiling bosses. It was a useful example of learning and CPD which could be passed on to others. After the rebuilding there were visits from representatives of other cathedrals to learn from the experiences of the staff, fire fighters, craftsmen and volunteers. I found the content and quality of the speakers at the annual school to be excellent throughout, and I would like to thank all those involved from the IHBC national office and the East Midlands branch for making it such an interesting and stimulating event. That it was fully booked is another testament to its CPD value. Finally, and consistent with my aim of raising the IHBC’s profile, I would like to invite readers to suggest how we might improve its visibility. Feel free to contact me by email or to speak to me at an IHBC event. David McDonald, chair@ihbc.org.uk Nottingham Council House, designed by Thomas Cecil Howitt and built between 1927 and 1929 (Photo: Immanuel Giel, Wikimedia)