C O N T E X T 1 1 9 : M A Y 2 0 1 1 3 Mausoleum restored A Grade II* listed mausoleum containing the remains of Victorian adventurer and explorer Sir Richard Burton has been restored. The Burton Mausoleum, in the grounds of St Mary Magdalene’s Catholic Church, Mortlake, south London, had been on English Heritage’s register of buildings at risk. The mausoleum’s design was based on a tent used by Burton on his travels in the middle east: the surfaces of the Forest of Dean stone memorial were modelled to simulate the canvas and guy ropes of a tent. They carry both Christian and Islamic symbols. The door to the mausoleum had been permanently sealed shut. Visitors can now view the interior through a glass panel set in the roof at the back of the structure. This originally contained a stained-glass window picturing a white dove of peace flying towards the sun, which was destroyed many years ago. A mirror now enables visitors to view a small altar at one end. Previously this had been hidden from view. The project, managed by the Environment Trust, was funded by individual donations and grant support from English Heritage and the Heritage of London Trust. HOK London was the consultant architect. Heritage Crime Initiative English Heritage and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have initiated the Heritage Crime Initiative. Chief inspector Mark Harrison of Kent Police has been seconded to English Heritage to develop it. Harrison has had a base in the Canterbury City Council’s conservation section, which has allowed him to ensure that the initiative recognises the constraints and priorities of conservation officers. Heritage crime is defined as ‘any offence which harms the value of England’s heritage assets and their settings to this and future generations’. Priorities will be set annually by a Strategic Tasking Group (composed of English Heritage, ACPO, the Crown Prosecution Service and representatives of local authorities). This group will receive intelligence analysis, set national priorities for prevention and enforcement and will oversee the running of the stakeholder group – the Alliance for the Reduction of Crime against Heritage (ARCH). ARCH will be composed of enforcement agencies, NGOs, professions such as the IHBC, voluntary groups, and charities. A voice for heritage skills The Heritage Crafts Association held a Skills Forum on 11 May at Chelsea College of Art, London. The event brought together over 100 representatives from UK crafts bodies with representatives of the Heritage Lottery Fund and government to discuss traditional craft skills training. Delegates included representatives of core bodies such as the IHBC, Icon, the National Heritage Training Group and sector skills councils, as well as craftspeople and conservators. Jo Riley of the HLF outlined her organisation’s grant programmes and its annual expenditure, which has risen from £180 million just a few years ago to £220 million in 2011–12 and is set to rise further. On the Skills for the Future programme, now closed to applications, she hinted at proposals for a new scheme to be announced later in the year. A keynote speech by skills minister John Hayes MP, delivered by video, showed that the industry has a new ally in government. His address included proposals for mapping the craft sector and showcasing its work. Delegates discussed crafts sector requirements and the needs for training, identifying key requirements where the government could help, such as the need for craft training to include older students, not just 16 to 19 year olds. Voysey Society A Voysey Society has been founded by a group of people who had been surprised to find that there was no organisation devoted to a study of the man and his work. Plans include a website and an exploratory meeting in a Voysey property. Contact the acting membership secretary, Peter King at pgking47@ gmail.com. Has anyone seen her? The Kings Weston Action Group in Bristol has launched an appeal to track down a historic marble statue from one of the pavilions in the public grounds of Kings Weston House. The house and the Echo pavilion, both listed Grade I, were designed by Sir John Vanbrugh. Hartlepool Council is looking for a new owner for a Grade II listed former Odeon cinema. Currently privately owned, the building has stood empty for the past 11 years. It was built in the 1930s, closed as a cinema in 1981, and had a number of uses before it finally closed in 1999.The front features two Grecian-style stone friezes above the main entrance. (Photo: JoelVirgo, 07706 153583)
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