Lectures - Trust Annual Report 1984
The winter season of lectures had an exhilarating start when the beautifully illustrated talk on British Rail's historic buildings, given by Bernard Kaukas, Director Environment, British Railways Board, whisked his audience on a whirlwind tour of many of BR's more interesting properties. At the annual General Meeting the following week our President, Mrs. Barbara Carpenter Turner, talked about "Excellence in a Cathedral City", and her illustrations showed that the craftsmanship and materials used in the detailing of many old buildings were of a standard of excellence rarely achieved in modern buildings. In November John Maunder of the Hampshire Branch of The Victorian Society gave an illustrated talk on St. Agatha's Church in Landport, Portsmouth, and described how this brick church, with its beautiful and unusual interior, is being restored with the intention of transforming it into a heritage centre. This was followed by a discussion about the problems arising when setting up such projects.
In the new year George Perkin, editor of "Concrete Quarterly", gave a stimulating illustrated talk on "Building with Respect", in which he discussed the problems of designing new buildings in traditional and rural settings, and showed many examples where the architect had achieved a harmonious and respectful relationship between the old and the new. The February speaker was among old friends when, as the newly-elected President of the Chamber of Commerce, he stepped in at very short notice to replace Mrs. Josephine lye. Peter Longhurst, the Trust's erstwhile Hon. Treasurer, gave an informative talk about running a business in Winchester, in which he discussed such problems as dealing with taxation and the difficulties caused by high rents and rates. The season ended with an entertaining evening in the company of Dennis Offer, a master craftsman and leadworker, who described the background of lead production and related anecdotes of some amusing events that had occurred during his career, and finishing with a fascinating selection of glass slides taken at the beginning of the century, shown with a special old projector.
As the Royal Hotel is undergoing renovation, the coming season's lectures will be held at the United Church Hall, Jewry Street. The way into the hall is from Staple Gardens, through an opening between Nos. 29 and 30. Subjects for future talks include "Windows on a Conservation Officer's World" by Andrew Rutter, "Royal Heraldry in Hampshire" by Elyston G. Phillips, "Bursledon Windmill" by John Reynolds and "Another Look at York" by Miss Jennifer Eagles.