C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 45 Vox pop As communar of Chichester Cathedral (communar comes from the Latin ‘communaris’ meaning ‘keeper of the common fund’), David Mowlam is the cathedral’s lay (as opposed to clergy) administrator. Among his wide range of duties he is responsible for managing all restoration and conservation projects to do with the fabric of the cathedral and the many artefacts within it. Who has been your greatest inspiration? The small army of volunteers who selflessly support the cathedral by welcoming visitors, guiding, providing information, cleaning, embroidering, stewarding at services and concerts, and much more. It is the cheerful way they go about their business, neither asking for nor expecting any reward, but working for the love of the building and its Christian purpose. What has been your best idea? My best idea has not yet been implemented but I sincerely hope it will be. It is to appoint a collections How do you reply when at a party someone asks what you do? I say that I provide the administration that enables the important but peripheral aspects of cathedral life to run smoothly, so the clergy can concentrate on the primary purpose of Christian ministry and all that that entails. What is the biggest frustration in your job? While I can see the need for checks and controls over conservation of ancient buildings, I do believe the pendulum has swung too far away from giving proper weight to the wishes of the owners of those buildings and the opinion of experienced architects employed by them. This can lead to frustration in the listed building consent process. What would you like to be doing in five years time? I shall be 68 in five years time, so I very much hope I shall be enjoying an active retirement and visiting heritage sites to admire or criticise other people’s efforts at conservation. What is your favourite building? Chichester Cathedral – where else? See for yourself on www.chichestercathedral. org.uk and take the virtual tour. Better still, come and visit us. Your favourite place? The garden of a small house in Tuscany that I know of. Your favourite book? A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell. It is a novel in 12 volumes that describes life in England from the first world war to the 1970s. I started reading it while still at school and have read it all through again in every decade of my life since. What do you do in your spare time? Things that quickly take my mind off the in tray, such as sailing, skiing and playing golf and tennis. My wife keeps me cultured, so theatre and art galleries feature too. What organisations are you a member of? I am fortunate because I see the literature of a large number of architectural and conservation organisations by virtue of my job, without actually having to join any. Sorry! Which one issue would you particularly like the IHBC to campaign on? Do whatever it can to simplify the listed building consent process. manager to take care of the many important works of art in the cathedral, and to ensure that they are properly recorded, restored or conserved as necessary, and shown off by way of exhibitions from time to time. It will be a fantastic job for someone. What would you like to have been if you had not become involved in conservation? I was a naval officer for 37 years before I came to the cathedral, and I could not have asked for a more interesting or fulfilling career.What I would really love to be able to do is to draw well. I may pursue this in retirement.
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