October 1999 - Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors

Court Circular
The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
from the
Master
Issue Number 8 • October 1999
I
t only seems a few weeks since my half-term Newsletter,
but already my year is coming to a close. I am very
grateful to The Livery for its support and I am delighted to
have seen so many of you during the year.
At the Election Court Meeting in July we elected Delva
Patman as our next Master, with Hugh Stebbing and
Michael Baker as Senior and Junior Wardens. The
Millennium year will be particularly exciting and we are
fortunate to have Delva as Master to represent our
Company in the City. Lady Masters are fairly rare and I am
sure that she will be well looked after by the other Masters
over the next twelve months. I wish her and the Wardens
every success and thank them for their great support this
year.
This is also an opportunity to thank the chairmen of the
Standing Committees – Michael Baker (Finance & General
Purposes), Brian Lamden (Livery Involvement) and George
Gillon (Charitable Board) for all their hard work. I know
that they, along with the chairman of the Property
Marketing Awards, Roger Carey, and the City Seminar
chairman, Terry Knight, have devoted much of their spare
time to ensure that our affairs continue to run smoothly.
Contents
Master’s Report
Page
1
Windsor Castle Visit
Inter-Livery Swimathon
Inter-Livery Golf
Millennium Dome Visit
HMS Herald Briefly in Port
The City Seminar
Chartered Surveyors
Training Trust
British Library Visit
Wine Tasting
135 Topographic Squadron
1998 Carol Service
The Company & Lionheart
News from HMS Herald
From the Master Elect
editor — John Clayton
design — Andrew Lang
Newsletter sponsored by
2
3
3
4
4
5
6
8
8
9
10
10
10
12
The City Seminar and the Property Marketing Awards
earlier in the year were again a great success and continue to
maintain the Company’s profile in the City. If you have not
been able to participate in the Seminar, do apply for the
year 2000. It is a marvellous opportunity to keep abreast of
the role of the City in both Europe and the World and I am
sure it will be a great help, at whatever stage you are in your
career.
substantial contribution to any firm.
Our Charities
I mentioned a discussion with the Charity Commission in
my half-term letter and I now have confirmation that the
Company can implement certain procedures, which should
save some management expenses. Unfortunately it is
impossible to amalgamate our two Charitable Funds, as the
objects in the first Fund are much narrower. The Trustees
may, however, transfer surplus income from the first Fund
to the second and it should be possible to reduce the assets
of the first Fund in the longer term by using these assets
initially in furtherance of our charitable objects.
The Inter-Company Swimathon was a resounding success:
over 100 Liverymen from 13 Companies participated in the
swim and more than 130 attended the dinner which
followed. I was therefore able to present The Lord Mayor at
the Summer Banquet with a cheque for just over £4,000,
which was raised by members of our Company’s teams. Our
thanks and appreciation go to the Clerk, Amanda Jackson,
who almost single-handedly runs this event, which is the
envy of many other Livery Companies.
This year’s donations from the Trust include one of £2,500
to “Lionheart” to assist the re-dedication on the 100th
Anniversary of its Foundation.
I do hope that those Liverymen who have not yet taken out
a covenant to the Charitable Trust will do so in the near
future. It only needs to be a small annual sum covenanted
over a period of three or five years.
I have or will have admitted the following new Liverymen
since my half term letter:
Michael J. Baker
Christine Horrocks
John Richards
Michael Soames
Paul Clarke
Jonathan Morton
Jonathan Stocks
We welcome them all – and I hope that they all have as
much enjoyment from the Livery as I have had during my
years as a Liveryman.
Education
I am sorry to report that Mr Assistant Michael Jukes, who
has been an admirable chairman of The Training Trust and
Business Management Agency, has reluctantly tendered his
resignation as a member of the Court, due to business
commitments. We shall miss his enthusiasm and hard work,
particularly on the Trust, and hope that he will still find
time to participate in some of the Company’s affairs.
Please remember that the Training Trust is anxious for
potential new work place outlets for their trainees: from my
own experience I can assure you that they can make a
The Master selling flags for the Red Cross on London Bridge
The City & Social
This year the election of the Sheriffs was contested by four
candidates, one of whom was Alderman and Past Master
Anthony Bull. They all gave extremely good addresses to a
packed Common Hall at The Guildhall in July – it was
unfortunate that there had to be two losers when it came to
1
[Master’s
Report]
the formal vote.
The two successful candidates were
Alderman Robert Finch (Aldermanic
Sheriff) and Pauline Halliday (Lay
Sheriff). Pauline attended our String
Quartet Competition at the Guildhall
School of Music last year and Robert,
as a property lawyer, will be well
known to a good many chartered
surveyors. I was honoured to represent
the Company when he was made an
Honorary Member by the Queen on
her visit to the Institution in July. The
occasion was memorable in both its
organisation and informality and I
congratulate Liveryman Simon
Kolesar, both on becoming President
of our Institution and also on the very
confident and relaxed way in which he
conducted Her Majesty around Great
George Street.
Our visit to Kew Gardens was
Windsor
Castle :
Who say’s
craftmanship is
dead?
I
orchestrated by Jeremy Bayliss, Past
President of the RICS and now
Director of the Kew Foundation. It was
a fascinating evening with tours by
several of the regular guides at the
gardens, followed by supper in the
elegant rooms of Cambridge Cottage.
The Summer Banquet at the Mansion
House was graced by the presence of
the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress
and a distinguished gathering of
Sheriffs and Masters of other
Companies and their ladies. I was
particularly delighted to welcome Brian
Harris, the Lay Sheriff (a chartered
surveyor), together with his wife
Rosalyn.
August was fairly quiet, but I had a
number of events to attend in my final
month as Master before handing over
to Delva in October. These included
the election of the new Lord Mayor,
the new Sheriffs’ Breakfast and the
presentation of the Chains of Office
and Badges to the new Sheriffs. In
addition, the Senior Warden and I will
attend an informal dinner of the
Masters and Senior Wardens of the
Modern Companies, i.e. those
Companies who received their
“Letters Patent” during the 21st
Century.
My final words are to thank Mr
Assistant Brian Lamden and
Liveryman John Clayton for their
hard work in producing the
Newsletter, which they do in their
own inimitable fashion. It is a very
important point of communication
with the Livery and I am sure that they
would be pleased to hear from any
Liveryman on possible contributions
in subsequent issues.
Stuart Hibberdine
they could not control the fire and had to form breaks by
cutting apertures through floors and ceilings and forming a
curtain of water to prevent the spread, simply letting the fire
burn itself out in the worst affected areas.
t’s a sad reflection that the disastrous fire at Windsor
Castle has undoubtedly increased visitor numbers.
To me it seems like only yesterday that the fire occurred,
not in November 1992, nor that the restoration was
completed almost two years ago following five years of
painstaking work.
Thanks to the good offices of David Barratt, whose firm
were project managers for the restoration, the Master and
two small groups were able to enjoy a very special private
tour which went beyond the areas normally viewed by the
public. We were even more privileged to have an
introductory talk by Donald Insall, surely the recognised
doyen of restoration architects, who was responsible for the
vast restoration work.
Seeing dramatic illustrations of the fire and the immediate
aftermath – together with restoration work and of course
the completed article – it is still impossible to imagine the
size of the task which faced the team that was appointed
under committees chaired by the Duke of Edinburgh and
the Prince of Wales immediately after the fire.
A total of some 1200 people were involved in the
restoration project and they were delighted to have been
invited by Her Majesty to a party immediately following the
completion of five years’ work in November 1997.
From the description of the night of the fire, it appears that
in some ways it was fortunate that the extent of damage was
not more considerable. Apparently through lack of
manpower, the fire brigades were seriously concerned that
Decisions were made that in the main the restoration would
restore as much as possible back to the original, but during
design certain areas were improved, some new sections were
built and the St George’s Hall roof was a completely new
structure to a design by Sidell Gibson. Fortunately, at the
time of the fire, most of the furnishings had been removed
due to refurbishment work being carried out (no, the
contractors didn’t cause the fire) and in adjacent areas the
Household staff salvaged many, many objects and furniture.
Little was lost, apart from a major picture in the state dining
room which had been boxed in for protection and couldn’t
be removed.
Following the fire, literally millions of pieces of debris were
collected in dustbins and sorted, labelled and reused in
reconstruction of ceilings or used to take mouldings.
During the restoration work, some missing pieces of the
history jigsaw of Windsor Castle were unearthed and the
opportunity was taken to improve certain areas such as the
undercroft, which had previously been subdivided for
storage areas and has now been restored as a Royal
Household canteen. St George’s Hall was also enlarged and
is now truly magnificent and this in particular shows off the
enormous craftsmanship which was employed in the
restoration work with unparalleled quality in joinery,
stonework, decoration and carving – and not surprisingly, a
winner of the RICS Award.
Our thanks go to David Barratt, particularly Donald Insall
and the Household staff for a truly fascinating visit.
Brian Lamden
2
Livery Company Sport
Inter
—
charity Swimathon
Livery
T
he popularity of the swimathon has increased to such
an extent that at times careful traffic management is
required in the lane swimming. For example:
“Starboard” he called as he swan effortlessly in lane 2. “I say,
Starboard” he yelled with a concerned shrill as a curvaceous
goddess-like swimmer glided swiftly towards him, head
down. It looked like an inevitable collision. They were
swimming towards each other, she faster than he. He
prepared himself. He tensed his muscles in anticipation of a
direct hit. Then just in the nick of time the goddess took a
deep breath and submerged swimming directly under the
oncoming gent and emerging the other side. The gentleman
smiled, one assumes at having avoided the collision.
But for the swimmers . . .
In February each year the selection letter arrives
You’re picked, you’re swimming – how far can you survive?
Not far one thinks
I’m feeling too heavy
Start training now – no
I’d rather have a bevy!
In April – a package, the swimsuit arrives
Tighter than last year or are they the wrong size?
Sadly not, its that training
I should have begun
Must start now – no
I’ll have some fun!
In May the swim – My turn? it’s come so quick!
Been too busy to train, but I won’t be a tick
Splish! Splash! Splosh! Gasp
Is there some air?
If only I’d trained
It doesn’t seem fair!
Bedraggled, tired, limbs aching and all
It’s over – such a relief but I’m dreading that call
No next year I’ll train
Most definitely I will
It’s the easiest way
To avoid feeling ill.
It is honestly fabulous fun. The Chartered Surveyors
provided three teams out of a total of 14 from different
liveries from Carmen to Solicitors to Neeedleworkers. All
shapes and sizes and levels of fitness were on show from the
golden oldies to the fit, to those trying to put off the
inevitable onset of middle age!
The fun does not override the serious element, the fundraising. This year the main charity is Lueka 2000 where the
aim is to build a ward at Hammersmith hospital specifically
for leukaemia sufferers. Every penny helps, so if you feel any
guilt about not putting yourself through the paces, any
contribution would be gratefully received in support of all
the swimmers,
The RAC’s hospitality was superb as usual, contributing the
facilities free of charge and providing a refreshing meal
afterwards. The speeches were swift and poignant and in
fact the Master opened with the story I started with – no
copyright I trust!
In case there is any doubt whether you can swim 32 lengths,
I am sure you could. Forgive me if I indulge. Two years ago
Amanda, the Livery’s Clerk, doubted whether she could run
a six-mile road race. This year was different. May I selfishly
take this opportunity of congratulating her on completing
her first marathon. She didn’t just talk about it, she did it.
Take heed. The swimathon next year? See you there. Have
a good year, keep swimming and have fun.
James Ager
Inter-Livery Golf
T
he Company entered the same team of Keith Way, Bill
Peach, David Orcharton and Chris Honeywill for the
Prince Arthur Cup following their win in 1998 – a
photograph of the team with the Cup at Walton Heath is
below. As often happens they did not repeat their success
and finished 19th out of 56. This result does, however,
secure the Company’s right to enter a team again next year.
A further match took place against the Hermes Golfing
Society at Worpledon on June 14 and the Company’s team
of Peter Davidson, Tony Gordon-James, Hugh Edwards,
Terry Knight, Chris Honeywill, Dennis Vine, Bill Bagnall
and Keith Way were successful in winning 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 . The
Company is now one match ahead in this annual challenge.
3
The final match of the year is to take place on October 4 at
Walton Heath in this annual tripartite match against the
Solicitors and Accountants Companies.
Despite the size of the Livery
we are always looking for
players for these events and if
you play golf and are interested
in playing in any matches
please contact Keith Way, 0171
710 8010 or Amanda Jackson.
Keith Way
out and about wi
Visit to the
Millennium
Dome
PTFE Teflon structure which covers an internal area of
825,000 square feet with a circumference of 0.62 miles.
This magnificent Dome has been designed by architects
Richard Rogers Partnership and consulting engineers Buro
Happold.
The structure itself is suspended from twelve 328 feet high
steel masts which have a design life of 60 years. We were
told that it could accommodate the Great Pyramid of Giza,
the Eiffel Tower sideways or the 18th hole (tee to green) of
the championship course at St Andrews.
At the time of our visit, the main structure and communal
areas were nearing completion and so there was a certain
sense of excitement and anticipation as to how the main
activity areas are to be used and “fitted out”. These areas
surround the large central arena which enjoys a circular
stand of seating where various carnival-type performances
will take place during the day.
HMS
Herald
briefly in
port
T
he interest within the Livery Company to visit the
Millennium Dome at Greenwich Peninsula was so
keen that, luckily, three visits were arranged for Liverymen
and their guests during November 1998.
The Millennium Dome is expected to receive 12 million
visitors during the Millennium Experience in 2000. Let’s
hope the transport links are in place to enable the visitors to
enjoy this unique experience!!
It is true to say that every visitor was in awe of the size of the
David Barratt
H
M Survey ship Herald, which is
affiliated to the Company,
made a brief visit to Portsmouth for a
couple of weeks and we were able to
slot in a visit for a few people on the
day following the Bank Holiday. We
were indeed extremely lucky to be
able to visit her: not only was her stay
very brief, but we had to be off the
ship by 3.00pm as she was sailing at
3.50pm for an exercise in the
Channel.
Herald is a busy ship and was about to
embark on a three month tour all
around the Mediterranean, initially as the command
platform for mine-clearance vessels in a joint exercise.
It sounds, from her Commander, as if she has a pretty hectic
schedule with some chart making and survey work as well as
joint exercises with many Navies in the Mediterranean and
the Black Sea. The vessel, a veteran of the Falklands and the
Gulf War is still looking in reasonable shape, as can be seen
from the photograph where she is just about to “get up
steam to cast off”.
As well as a most enjoyable buffet lunch in the Wardroom,
we had an extremely educational tour around the ship.
Hopefully, Herald will be in port for Christmas, which will
mean that the ship’s company will enjoy the Christmas
tipple that we usually provide, and thus able to toast the
Company in either home waters or on home ground.
During the tour, inevitably, one or two members decided to
play sailors: the photograph shows Roger Figeon (who
actually used to be RNR) at the wheel, with Robin
Broadhurst telling him what to do (as usual).
Brian Lamden
4
ith the Livery . . .
The City
Seminar
The City Seminar
delegates and speakers
B
etween February 1 and 4 this year, I attended the
seminar entitled Focus on the Changing City run by the
Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors. The seminar
aims to provide delegates with an insight into the
commercial activities of the City of London. I was of course
delighted to be press-ganged into writing an article for the
newsletter and, on reflection, thought it most appropriate if
I summarised my strongest and lasting impressions of those
four days.
Most importantly, the course achieved its aim. It was
remarkable in its diversity in many ways, from the truly
international origins of the organisations and individuals
hosting and the range of topics they covered, to the
professional background and outlook of the 29 delegates
attending. I suspect Clare would agree that the course was
somewhat male dominated, which led to a degree of
jockeying for position at the photocall – won, I believe, by
the Master!
In essence the seminar provided an in-depth and valuable
insight into the business structures and macro-economic
factors influencing our own market. Once or twice we left
sessions feeling somewhat concerned that we faced
imminent catastrophe in the event that Americans decide to
stop spending more than they earn. Judging by the ever
rising levels of international stock markets since the seminar
closed, they are clearly still spending, and long may it last.
The start of this year was an interesting time for the City
property market after the gloom of late 1998; the timing of
the seminar, accordingly, coincided well with the resurgence
in optimism. This was illustrated most strikingly by Arnold
de Haan of CGI spending roughly £200 million in
Gresham Street almost literally on his way to provide the
final address to delegates. A welcome demonstration of
confidence and good timing!
The seminar managed successfully to combine both the old
and the new. The historical importance and traditions of
the City represented by the Livery Company and an
5
excellent formal dinner at the Innholders Hall, followed
four days of cutting-edge concepts and new thinking being
put into practice within the financial, insurance and
shipping markets. I believe we were all left with an
appreciation that there are some very bright people out
there working for dynamic organisations in all manner of
specialist environments, ensuring the continued importance
and competitive edge of the City of London on the world
scene. Within our own specialist areas of expertise in the
property industry, it is not just helpful but essential to gain
a greater understanding of the work these organisations (the
City’s tenants) undertake. After all, the strength of the City
players in the domestic and world markets they dominate is
fundamental to the strength of our own industry.
A major theme visited on a number of occasions was the
impact of European integration and the implementation of
the single currency. While the country generally employs a
“wait and see” approach to UK involvement, the City is
already familiar and active in terms of the Euro, the
consensus being that our complete involvement is inevitable
and the question is one only of timing. The property
industry has, I believe, lagged behind somewhat in
considering the wider implications and the combination of
opportunities and difficulties that will undoubtedly arise.
In retrospect, the title of the seminar should perhaps be
amended to read “Focus on the changing attitudes within
the City”. The last few years has seen an extraordinary
period of change in most major markets and certainly the
structure of allied City-based organisations. These changes
look set to continue, and once again an understanding of
the markets and the tenants operating within them, gives
some insight into the likely changes organisations will need
to accommodate and, consequently, a guide to the impact
those changes will have on their requirements for property.
Those who so generously provided both their time and
enthusiasm to give their views, without exception,
demonstrated that the City is a world-class financial centre
with the potential and ambition to remain so.
My thanks, on behalf of all the delegates, to those who
contributed so much.
Stephen J Clifton
out and about wi
Chartered
Surveyors
Training
Trust
Annual Luncheon – address by
Pipyn Trustram Eve
M
y husband has always been very supportive, and when
I was thinking about what I might say today he left
out a booklet of the sayings of Samuel Johnson. The book
was open, I assumed, at what he thought I might use. I
found the following:
“Sirs – a lady preaching is like a dog walking on its hind legs,
it does not do it very well but one is surprised to find it can do
it at all”.
I am reviewing my own position, and I leave you to judge
whether I or the dog win the contest.
I would like to add my own welcome to that of my
Chairman, Michael Jukes. I am flattered that so many of
you have done us the honour of coming today. I am
particularly grateful to the Masters of our two supporting
Livery Companies – Stuart Hibberdine, the Master
Chartered Surveyor, and John Penton, the Master
Chartered Architect – and also Richard Lay, President of
the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, for finding
time in their busy schedules to join us.
This occasion gives me the opportunity of not only showing
off the Trust to those who do not know us very well and of
updating those who do with what we have been during the
last year, but also of saying thank you to a number of people
who have helped and supported us.
I am particularly pleased that I am able to welcome Donald
Ensom. His generous gift to the Livery Company to provide
books for those who need them during training is now
being administered by the Trust and already I have some
very grateful trainees.
The RICS have been particularly supportive. We seem to
have been in constant dialogue with them over the last year
and their enthusiasm and support have been most welcome
and much appreciated.
Howard Land, who project managed the development of
the new NVQ is here, together with a number of those who
helped with its field trials. Thank you all for your support
and help. I extend a special thank you to Ted Hartill,
without whose persistence and skill we would certainly not
have had a fully-approved NVQ so soon or, maybe, at all.
There are many others to whom I would like to say thank
you but time does not permit me to mention you by name:
however this in no way demeans our appreciation for all the
help and support we get from so many of you.
I would like to pay a special tribute to the very real
commitment and energy I get from my staff – I could not
wish for more. The Governors’ support for myself and the
Trust is probably more important to our success than even
our chairman Michael Jukes recognises. I am taking this
opportunity to record publicly my thanks and appreciation
for all they do.
I had thought to tell you the story of the two flies playing
football in the saucer. They were worried about their play.
Next day they were due to play in the cup. I decided it was
inappropriate, but I know how they felt.
Some might say that we have had an “exciting” year – I
would put it differently, but only in private. The facts are
that we have successfully steered through an entirely new
NVQ, which will involve a radical change in our funding
operations but will not be seriously different for our firms
with trainees. We have doubled our size to take on the
challenge thrown us by the Surveyors Livery Company of
improving business skills within the profession. This
involves not only an increase in staff, but a dramatic change
in our financial outgoings. While I may have Governors
who have not blinked at the size of our budgeted deficit for
the year, I still find the responsibility for this significant. So,
yes, “exciting” is the right word.
You could be forgiven – but not by me – for wondering
how the Trust could be seeking to train both the young and
the very eminent. Surely they require very different skills,
you might say. If you did you would be wrong.
The fact of the matter is that organising and helping people
to acquire skills is not very different whether they are 16 or
60. There are the dramas, the genuine difficulties and the
unconvincing excuses from both ends of the spectrum, the
only difference being the language used.
Why am I so concerned? Because the great majority of firms
we have contacted about improving the business skills of
their people are all in favour of the rest of the profession
improving their skills but “in my firm we are already doing
it”. Or “it’s not in the budget”. The fact is that very few
have high enough ideals. Why? Furthermore when the
going gets tough the first budget to be cut is training,
followed closely by the second which is to stop recruitment
of the young. In fact both are the life-blood of the
profession.
What seems to be universally agreed is that while we have
been through rapid change, the pace and extent of change
in the future is likely to be even greater and faster. We need
to be educating and training the profession to live and
manage change and not just live for today. We need to be
reaching for the skies.
Training for Change
Change is seen either as a threat or an opportunity. Those
who are “lucky” are those who both see an opportunity and
are prepared to take the risk inevitable in grasping it.
To meet the threat or opportunity in change people have to
be educated to adapt to new situations. Our new NVQ
(which we hope to convert into a Modern Apprenticeship
this summer) has been designed specifically to ensure that as
wide experience as possible is secured by our trainees, while
all the time ensuring that this new approach to learning will
meet the practices of our client firms. I view the change
both as a risk and a challenge but I believe and hope that the
Trust and the profession will benefit.
6
ith the Livery . . .
Business skills are the same. They increase the breadth of
understanding and therefore the ability to adapt. So I have
been fighting – and so far I believe successfully – to ensure
that there is a width of training to our young trainees. This
attitude and approach needs to be taken right through the
firms. The addition of business skills to most people’s range
of knowledge can only be beneficial. It gives them a greater
understanding of the businesses they are advising. And to
you who know you have business skills I would ask, “Could
yours be updated and enlarged? When did you last go on a
course? Would it not give you an extra edge?”
Many in the profession are looking over their shoulder at
the accountancy and management firms, who they fear are
threatening their markets – why isn’t it the reverse? Why are
surveying firms not threatening the accountants and
management firms?
Now that we have moved into business skills we have
already built up a database of more than 500 existing
courses and undoubtedly there are more. And yet very few
of them seem to have the correct focus for the needs of the
property professions. For example, providing
comprehension of company accounts to those who do not
revel in mathematics is not as simple as it sounds. You
cannot simply take an accounting course and do a bit of
adaptation. This is why we are giving a priority to finding
the best provider in each area and getting them to produce
properly focused courses which the Trust can endorse.
The RICS has set out what is required and it is now up to
all of us to implement the Agenda for Change in our own
areas. For example the Trust is hoping that it can work with
the RICS to produce suitable benchmarks for business skills.
At present there are none, and even the APC requirement is
extremely unclear. Our intention is to try and bring clarity
to the various levels of development individuals need from
APC to managing partner – or beyond.
As the President, Richard Lay, has so aptly pointed out, the
profession needs a major change of gear. We, the Trust, have
been thrown the challenge by the Livery Company, and we
are supported by the RICS. As far as I am concerned the
Trust will move heaven and earth to help the profession
move itself forward. I very much hope that all of you will
join the train and not be left standing at the station waving
us goodbye.
Once again I would like to thank you all for joining us
today.
Pipyn Trustram Eve
Annual Prize Giving, held at 12 Great George Street
Dragon Boat racing on the Isle of Dogs
City Treasure Hunt
7
Annual Luncheon at Stationers Hall
out and about wi
authorised individuals who have access to the collections.
British
Library
“The Academy For
Secret Policeman”e
S
o said Prince Charles on the design for the British
Library. Through the good offices of the Master, 20
Liverymen were given the opportunity to have a private
view of what must be the largest and most expensive
construction project of all time.
The British Library was established by an Act of Parliament
in 1972 and evolved out of the National Library, part of the
British Museum based in Bloomsbury. It is the National
Library of the United Kingdom and one of the world’s
greatest libraries.
The architect, Professor Sir Colin St John Wilson, could
not have imagined in 1964 (aged 40) that his plans for a
Bloomsbury building would result in the edifice in St
Pancras which opened to the public in 1998 – 34 years later.
Due to the opposition of local preservationist groups it was
not until 1976 that a former goodsyard site was acquired
next to St Pancras Station for £6m. The original plans
envisaged a much larger development with proposals for a
200,000 sq m building to accommodate 25 million books
and provide facilities for 3,500 readers – “readers” are
A Wine
Tasting At
The
Apothecaries
Hall
The building was to be constructed in three stages, although
what you see today is effectively Stage 1 – 32,000 sq m
providing storage for 12 million books on 340km of
shelving. The impression of the latter statistic is lost due to
the fact that the majority is located in the three basement
levels serviced by an automated book recovery system;
regrettably we did not have access to these areas.
So why did it take so long and cost so much? This is difficult
to summarise in such a short report, but in essence the
“ownership” of the project changed, moving from the
Department of Education to the Office of Arts and
Libraries; there was no agreed budget at the start of the
project and, perhaps of greater significance, there was a
change of Government from Labour to Conservative and
numerous Select Committee reviews.
I think I understand what Prince Charles meant. Here we
have a research library, not a public reference library, which
now has the capacity for 1,200 readers. Internally some
interesting works of art, a six-storey glass tower containing
King George III’s library and two interactive galleries
exhibiting rare books from the collections, including Magna
Carta, will not have general public appeal.
Now that the furore over the cost has died down the
anonymous exterior could well result in this building
becoming a secret for academics.
Robert J Bould
The Society’s New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc I 998
Macon Farges 1996
Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche 1996
Casa Lapostolle Merlot 1997 from Chile
Houghtons Gold Reserve Cabernet 1993 from Australia
Chateau Candale 1990 Haut Medoc
S
ome 70 Liverymen and their guests gathered on a chilly
January evening at the Apothecaries Hall for the
Company’s first-ever tutored wine tasting. After a
welcoming glass of champagne (the Wine Society’s from the
house of Alfred Gratien) the serious work began.
We were led by Sebastian Payne, a Master of Wine and the
chief taster of the Wine Society, an independent cooperative established for over 125 years and no doubt
known to many Liverymen. What most of us did not know
was that the Society has been advising the Company for
some years on the purchase and laying down of wines for
Livery dinners and lunches in the years ahead. The laudable
policy is to buy quality wines of promise while at affordable
prices, and the tasting offered a unique opportunity to
sample progress of the initiative, aided by the detailed and
helpful commentary of our advisor.
The wines tasted were a somewhat mixed selection. Unlike
many tastings which concentrate on a particular grape or
area, this one covered a lot of ground, including:
All of these wines have either been served at recent Livery
functions or will be in the future.
It was perhaps indicative of the enjoyment of the event that
there was a rising tide of noise as the evening progressed,
accompanied by increasingly heated discussion and
articulation of preferences and dislikes which continued
over dinner (which was accompanied by the Society’s
MacClaren Vail Chardonnay 1997 and Cote de Rhone St.
Esteve 1995). It would be invidious to detail any of this
debate, as the tasting of wine is such a subjective matter, but
the Liverymen and their guests had a most enjoyable,
convivial and instructive evening. It was so good to see such
a mix, some of whom were newcomers and who specifically
commented that they had not appreciated how informal a
Livery function could be.
We left the delights of the Apothecaries Hall confident that
the Company’s wine buying policy is in safe hands; thanks
must go to the Master and members of Court who arranged
such a splendid evening.
David Larkin
8
ith the Livery . . .
50th Birthday Honours for 135 Independent
Topographic Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers)
Epsom town centre was brought to a standstill on Saturday
April 19 when the Freedom of the Borough was awarded to
135 Independent Topographic Squadron Royal Engineers
(Volunteers) in honour of its 50-year presence in the
community.
Interested residents looked on as the main A24 through the
centre of town was closed at peak shopping time, as the
Mayor of Epsom and Ewell presented a ceremonial scroll to
the Chief Royal Engineer, General Sir John Stibbon KCE
OBE, who received the honour on behalf of the Squadron.
Soldiers from both 135 Squadron and 42 Survey Engineer
Group, supported by the Royal Engineers’ band, bravely
paraded in the rain in Epsom and then marched back to the
TA Centre in Ewell which was open to the public for the
afternoon. The day’s events were rounded off nicely by a
50th birthday party where many beers were had by current
and former squadron members alike!
135 Survey Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers (V) was
formed in 1949 and in 1955 established its headquarters in
Ewell, Surrey, with outstations in Southampton,
Chessington and Putney. Now renamed 135 Independent
Topographic Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers), it
forms an integral part of 42 Survey Engineer Group, being
one of the latter’s four squadrons. In recent times, soldiers
from 135 have been used to supplement their regular
counterparts during the Gulf war, in Bosnia, on operations
in Cyprus and, most recently, providing manpower at 8
Map and Chart Depot, sending maps out in support of
operations in Kosova.
General Sir John Stibbon, Chief Royal Engineer, unveils the
plaque at the TA Centre, Ewell, to mark the 50th Anniversary
The Master, Stuart Hibberdine, presents a framed
commemorative cover to Major Richard Newcombe,
Officer Commanding 135 Independant Topographic
Squadron RE(V)
General Sir John Stibbon receives the Freedom Scroll from the
Mayor of Epsom and Ewell
9
135 Independant Topographic Sqn RE(V) on parade in the centre of
Epsom, Surrey, receiving the Freedom of the Borough of Epsom and
Ewell
Squadron
is
Awarded
Freedom
of the
Borough
of Epsom
and Ewell
out and about wi
1998 Carol
Service
T
he Company’s annual Carol Service was held at St
Lawrence Jewry next to Guildhall on the evening of
December 10, attended by an enthusiastic congregation of
liverymen, their families and friends.
The service was conducted by the Reverend David Burgess,
Honorary Chaplain to the Company, and the lessons were
read by Ted Hartill, Hugh Stebbing, Amanda Jackson,
Laurence Johnstone and Stuart Hibberdine, the Master of
the Company. A traditional arrangement of “Silent Night”
was performed by the RICS Singers with Liveryman
Clifford Dann as accompanying organist. As on previous
occasions, after the service all those attending were kindly
invited to Jones Lang LaSalle’s offices at 9 Queen Victoria
Street for mince pies and mulled wine.
Liverymen will no doubt want to put the date of this year’s
seasonal celebration in their diaries – to mark the
Company’s last Christmas service before the Millennium a
special event is planned for the evening of December 8.
Further details will be circulated to the Company in due
course.
Laurence Johnstone
T
The
Company
and
Lionheart
he Company is delighted to
continue its links and support
Lionheart. As part of the Lionheart
Centenary celebrations, we are
delighted to be sponsoring the costs of
the service of Lionheart dedication.
The service – the concluding event of
the centenary year – to be held at
12.00 noon on February 14 at St
Margaret’s, Westminster (next to
Westminster Abbey) is to celebrate the
centenary of Lionheart and prepare for
the next hundred years. All Liverymen
and guests are most welcome and
there is a lunch being held
immediately after at Church House,
which is a few minutes walk away.
Earlier in the year the Master, Stuart
Hibberdine, presented the Worshipful
News
from
HMS Herald
Preparations & Sea Training:
The start of the New Year found HMS Herald ready for the
challenges of sea training and a return to the eastern
Mediterranean. After a very busy couple of months pre
Christmas, during which we eventually managed to get out
of our dry dock in Plymouth and complete sea trials, we
were passed as safe to proceed by the Deputy Flag Officer,
Surface Flotilla, and then went on a well-earned leave.
Passing this milestone meant that at the start of 1999 we
were able to focus entirely on sea training, a hectic few
weeks when well-intentioned experts try to simulate every
emergency and drill that you might be called upon to face –
it’s very helpful and reassuring afterwards, but very hard
work at the time!
Luckily the team are also there to train, and we learnt a
massive amount before eventually receiving a Very
Satisfactory assessment (this is actually much better than it
sounds, and we were delighted!) after our very varied final
day on February 9. With the tempo now a little less frenetic
we moved on to the last-minute preparations for the
deployment, with final briefings from our mentors in
Taunton – the Captain even managed a very quick trip to
our affiliated town of Warwick, which we hope to see more
of in July. The final days passed very quickly and after a very
Company of Chartered Surveyors’
Award to David Stewart who received
it on behalf of the RICS Northern
Ireland Branch for its endeavours in
raising money for Lionheart. Their
fund-raising efforts included a round of
golf in the dark!
The Award, which is the Company’s
motif on a piece of Land’s End rock,
was first presented in 1981 and was to
commemorate the achievement of
Robert Steel in his first major walk
from John O’Groats to Land’s End
when he raised in excess of £70,000 for
the RICS Benevolent Fund.
Don’t forget February 14, 2000, St
Margaret’s Westminster.
Brian Lamden
enjoyable Ship’s Company Dance on February18, boosted
by a generous Christmas gift from the Company of
Chartered Surveyors, we were ready to get back to some real
work!
Eastern Mediterranean Deployment:
Ocean Data Gathering
We sailed from Devonport on February 22, straight into
one of those gales that prompts people to pity sailors! This
poor weather stayed with us virtually until Gibraltar,
although it did ease up enough for us to test some new
equipment with the help of a support team from the UK
Hydrographic Office at Taunton. With a few minor snags
ironed out we landed the Taunton boys at Gibraltar, and
entered the Med, straight into more bad weather and some
of the most spectacular lightning that most of us had seen
(we have to keep harping on about the poor weather
because it improves morale back home!). Luckily things
eased off and on March 4 we completed our first
oceanographic dip of the deployment. These dips, together
with our records of the depth obtained, are designed to
improve our knowledge of the oceans and update a chart
series called the GEBCO (General Bathymetric Charts of
the Ocean) series – a charting initiative run by the
10
ith the Livery . . .
International Hydrographic Office which allocates specific
areas of responsibility to “nautical nations” – one of our
areas is, very fortunately, in the eastern Med!
Despite further unpleasant weather, a busy exercise
programme and some minor breakdowns we managed to
complete our work target for the first part of the
deployment, which meant that on March 12 it was time for
our first visit....
Rhodes and the Second Work Period
Rhodes provided a really spectacular venue for our first call!
We were very lucky to arrive just before the tourist season
began in earnest as, although some things were still closed,
we got an excellent berth in the harbour, right next to the
walled city of Rhodes Old Town, which mainly dates from
the 12th to 14th centuries when the area was controlled by
the Knights of St John. This port provided an excellent mix
of impressive sight-seeing with a thoroughly good run
ashore, although the presence of a large United States
amphibious ship rather swamped us whenever we went into
town! There was a considerable amount to see here,
including the Palace of the Grand Masters, the famous
Street of the Knights and, a little further afield, the
Acropolis at Lindos. For the really adventurous the minor
roads provided a really scenic if rather time-consuming way
of seeing the island.
By March 16 it was time to resume work, and we were soon
back to the oceanographic dipping (henceforward O-dips)
routine. There was a slight snag when one of our winch
blocks burned out a bearing, but the nearby RAF team at
Akrotiri managed to collect the offending item and repair it
within 24 hours – an excellent example of inter-service cooperation, and they even brought our mail out to us when
returning the block! The weather remained our worst
enemy, and for several hours we were unable to dip due to
the sea state and wind. Luckily we were only caught once by
a squall with the winch wire fully deployed, when we spent
an exciting time trying to hold the ship above the
(expensive) deployed equipment in 45 knots of wind and
driving hail! As the weather eased we were able to catch up
with the programme and even had time for more exercises
and a gunnery shoot, when our award-winning team were
able to get back in practice.
Cyprus and Work Period 3
On April 1 we arrived at Limassol in Cyprus for the Easter
break (or at least our Easter – the locals have theirs a week
later!), a generous week alongside to allow those who wished
to fly their families out to meet us. This proved very
popular, despite the cost to those concerned, although the
weather was not exactly what we expected, with a
considerable amount of rain and cloud. Some of the team
went to Mount Olympus (the Cypriot version, home of
Aphrodite and not to be confused with the “proper” Greek
Mt. Olympus) and walked the Artemis Trail, finding
themselves trudging through calf deep snow in a hail storm!
(Rumours of the epic that the CO and two of his heads of
department had on some mud-infested side roads are
probably exaggerated – they claimed it was a practical
leadership exercise!)
11
Anyway, this was an excellent break, tempered by saying
farewell to Andy Waddington and Karla Edge, although
hopefully we should see Andy again later in the year, in
command of a minehunter! We sailed from Cyprus on April
8, ironically the first day that we could actually see the
summit of Olympus from the berth. After a number of
exercises we resumed the O-dips and started to prepare for
landing a detached boat team in Malta, where they aim to
conduct a joint survey with the Malta Maritime Authority
– more of that later. By this stage of the deployment we had
managed to get the BBQ up and running, so were able to
enjoy al fresco dining once a week, with “traditional”
Saturday evening entertainment – arguably the best
example has been the Senior Pates “70’s Revival Night”,
complete with flares and performances from a variety of
tribute bands – an excellent evening!
Malta (Part 1) and Work Period 4
We arrived off Valetta Harbour, Malta on Friday April 23
– St George’s Day – which was quite fitting for the George
Cross island. This impressive harbour will be the home of
our detached survey party for the next month or so, while
they survey the coastline and coastal waters from Valetta to
Sliema – a marvellous task which not only gives us a chance
to work with our Maltese colleagues but also provides
excellent training in classical surveying for some of the more
junior Hydrographic specialists.
Malta also provided a superb break for all the team – the
island obviously has strong links to the Royal Navy and, for
some strange reason, we seem to be very popular! An
excellent visit, with the weather really beginning to warm up
and settle, although still a little bit windy for the small
survey boats. After three quite busy but enjoyable days we
had the boats fully deployed and starting work, and on April
27 we sailed for another session of O-dips. En route we
spent an afternoon, with the permission of the Maltese
authorities, looking for the wreck of HMS Russell, a First
World War battleship which sank some five miles off Malta
in 1916 when she hit a mine. We searched the site that the
Maltese gave us, confirmed in a Taunton wreck card, and
although the sonar picture wasn’t perhaps quite a good as
we hoped, it certainly confirmed that there was a wreck in
the position indicated, lying in about 85 metres of water,
and relatively intact. Unfortunately, later intelligence
suggests that this wreck may in fact be a Second World War
Polish destroyer, which ties in more with the size of the
contact we found – Russell is apparently further to the east,
although our short search found some more wreckage to the
south as well. The mystery continues, although with the
number of ships lost in the vicinity of the island, trying to
sort out the sites of all the wrecks would take much longer
than we could spare – perhaps a nice project for a future
joint initiative?
That really wraps up the first newsletter – we are now back
on the survey circuit, with another break due in the near
future, when we should be able to get this letter away. We
are due back in UK in late June, and hope to be in touch
about activities with all our affiliates. Until then, all best
wishes from all on board, and best of luck in your various
endeavours – in particular to TS Bacchante who we believe
recently had an inspection.
T
he Company is in
good
extremely
health, and it will be a
privilege to become
Master: this success is
entirely due to the efforts
of my predecessors, and I
am mindful of the
responsibility that I shall
be taking on.
It is appropriate, at the end of this Millennium, to reflect on
the achievements of the last 22 years. We have much to be
proud of. Although in Livery terms we are still relatively
young, we have earned respect and admiration for the
charitable and educational foundations that we have laid.
We must continue to build on this success.
The fact that we live in changing times is recognised but not
always welcome. The proposals to amend the City
Franchise may make greater demands on our support of the
Mayoralty, but I am confident that we will respond as
appropriate.
I have no intention of introducing new ways of operating,
but I shall be keen to ensure that as we move into the 21st
Century the Company is as well equipped and efficient as
possible. A step towards this will be the completion of the
Company database, which will provide an invaluable source
of information for future years.
visits to Big Ben, the Millennium Bridge, the Chelsea
Flower Show (with a private reception at the Chelsea Physic
Garden), private visits to the New Museum of Scotland in
Edinburgh, and St. Paul’s Cathedral for an evening of
history and music, and a spectacular Millennium Ball at
Greenwich, where we are joining forces with the RICS
London Branches. All these events are in addition to the
Guildhall School of Music String Quartet competition, the
City Seminar, the UK Property Marketing Awards, the
Inter-Livery Swimathon and a somewhat different Seasonal
Celebration just before Christmas. All this will make for a
very busy year, but I hope it will be one in which all
Liverymen will find something of interest and enjoyment. It
is not too late to start some form of physical training in
preparation!
I am greatly looking forward to my year and the
opportunity of seeing you on as many occasions as possible.
I would also be very pleased to hear your views on any
aspect of the Company’s activities, either current or
proposed. Do contact me.
With the support of the Senior Warden, Hugh Stebbing
and Junior Warden, Michael Baker, together with the
Court and Amanda Jackson, our Clerk, I am sure we can all
have a successful and enjoyable year to remember.
Delva Patman
I am also conscious that we have a significant resource of
ability and energy within the Livery that is under-utilised.
Therefore, in my year, I shall be looking to see how many
more of you can become involved in the various committees
that guide the management of the Company’s activities.
To mark this special year the Court has commissioned a
piece of Millennium silver which will record the names of
all Masters since 1977. It will be presented at the Spring
Livery Dinner to be held at Merchant Taylor’s Hall in
March 2000.
Stop Press . . .
– Just arrived – new
Company silk ties – only
£25 from the Clerk.
As surveyors have a well-earned reputation for being social
and fun-loving, it seems appropriate to have several events
to celebrate the year 2000. During the year there will be
Company Fact File
Total Livery : 341
Maximum Permitted Livery : 400
Charitable Trust Funds : total value over £700,000
1n 1999:
£7,500 will be spent in educational bursaries
£3,000 will be disbursed from the Toby Sutton Research Award
£2,000 will be donated to The Guildhall School of Music & Drama
£2,000 will be given by the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust
£1,000 will be donated by the Master in civic giving
£6,250 will be given to the Business Management Training Agency
In addition, the seventh Inter-Livery Swimathon in May raised monies for the Charitable Funds
and the Lord Mayor’s Charity, Leuka 2000.
12
From
The
Master
Elect