Anna Plowden Trust News

The 2005 Anna Plowden Trust Award for Research and Innovation in Conservation

The third Anna Plowden Trust award for research and innovation in conservation was made on November 22nd 2005 to Mark Bambrough for the development of new approach to the protection of stained glass.

Stained glass windows often require environmental protection and this is done by installing various forms of secondary glazing. The present industry standard is to create a “mirror image” of the window showing in particular the leadwork. But the glazing itself alters the external appearance of the window through reflection and glare and the mirror image creates double images.

Mark has developed an approach to creating a form of secondary glazing which does not reduce transmitted light internally but remains opaque when seen from outside – as the original window would. The internal appearance of the window is unchanged and the external appearance is a vast improvement on that created by present solutions - which distort not just the appearance of the window but also the relationship of the window with the architecture of surrounding building.

The judges were very impressed by Mark’s work, carried out largely on his own, and believe it has the potential to make a real impact on current conservation practice.

The judges were faced with a difficult decision as, while, the three short- listed projects were very different, they all had the potential to contribute to knowledge and practice in conservation.

The other short-listed projects were:

Monitoring of damage to Historic Tapestries

The applicant was Conservation and Collections Care department at Historic Royal Palaces. This was a significant project involving not only HRPA but also the major national tapestry collections in Belgium and Spain and funded by a grant from the EU. Through the use of sophisticated analytical techniques, the ageing process in tapestries has been studied so that the condition of a tapestry can be assessed and its future conservation needs predicted and prioritised.

We were impressed by the scope and scale of the project and its results and the enthusiasm and ability to explain it shown by those to whom we spoke.

Pigmentum Compendium

This is a development by a group of private conservators and other specialists, involving a comprehensive analysis and description of historical pigments covering terminology, chemistry and optical microscopy. This has combined historical and documentary research with scientific analysis. The results of a 6 year programme of work have been published commercially.

This will be an important and useful aid to conservators working with paints and pigments and also to those working and teaching in related fields.

 

Fundraising and Donations

Since the Trust started its activities in 1999, it has distributed nearly a quarter of a million pounds in grants in support of its programmes. We have assisted around 70 students to train in conservation skills in some of the leading British conservation training institutions by contributing towards their tuition fees. We have assisted over 50 working conservators to add to or update their skills through attendance at short courses or conferences in the UK and overseas. Some of this has been in support of teachers, thereby multiplying the impact of the training received. We have also funded a one year internship at the Victoria and Albert Museum, awarded four prizes for innovation in conservation, provided financial help to support the convergence of the UK professional conservation bodies and initiated a programme to publicise successful conservation projects.

The Trust’s activities are funded entirely from donations, initially from Anna’s friends and family. To continue our work we need on-going funding. We would welcome contributions from you to one of the specific programmes listed on this page or towards our activities as a whole. Any amount is welcome and will help directly towards developing conservation skills and awareness. For example, our grants have included a sum of less than £100 to help a conservator attend a training course, £3,000 to assist with fees for a full-time conservation qualification and £11,000 for a year’s internship at a national museum. Donations are not used for the Trust’s running costs (which are minimal).

If you would like to make a donation, please send a cheque made payable to the Anna Plowden Trust, to Francis Plowden, 4 Highbury Road, London SW19 7PR. You might also consider remembering the Trust’s work in your will.

info@annaplowdentrust.org.uk
www.annaplowdentrust.org.uk