Mackintosh Symposium: Heritage under Threat

Mackintosh’s Glasgow and Beyond: Building the Case for Preservation

Mackintosh Queen’s Cross:  6 & 7 June 2024

The symposium is time critical in drawing awareness to the plight of our beautiful Heritage.

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Tickets for the Symposium are available from Eventbrite and cost £45 per day or £70 for both days (includes lunch & refreshments)

Virtual tickets for the Symposium cost £15 per day

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The Mackintosh Society has done much in its 50 years of existence to champion, preserve and safeguard the work and heritage of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Sadly, since the last symposium in 2012 we have seen an apparently growing disregard for our built heritage, through neglect, bad planning and lack of action and investment by councils and government. It is therefore crucial not to repeat the destructive mistakes of the past and take bold action to reverse this decline.

Glasgow’s heritage is a unique selling point for the city and the importance cannot be overstated; it plays a powerful role in shaping distinctive, vibrant, prosperous places and contributes substantially to health, education and civic pride. It also sustains neighbourhoods as attractive places in which people wish to live, work and play.

Although Glasgow’s architectural landscape may be unique in Scotland, its challenges are not. Across the UK, policy makers are attempting to strike a balance between preservation of historic buildings and the housing crisis that has engulfed major cities. It is a tension that is unavoidable, and we must ensure that it does not lead to unchecked erosion of our past.

Day 1 will cover the current restoration work at Scotland Street School and The Hill House, the uncertain future of the Lighthouse and Martyrs’ School, plus the ongoing work to rebuild the Mackintosh Building at the GSA. We will also cover major issues and challenges facing the wider heritage of the city.

Speakers on Day One include:

Restoring, Managing and Repurposing Queen’s Cross Church
Stuart Robertson
Director, CRM Society

A historic overview of restoring, managing and reinventing a repurposed church of significant architectural merit.

By the 1970s as the population declined Queen’s Cross could not continue as a viable church and in 1976 the congregation merged with that of nearby Ruchill Church. The following year the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society stepped in to save the building and negotiated a 21-year lease from the Church of Scotland. In 1999 the Society was able to purchase Queen’s Cross as a result of a generous donation from Dr Thomas Howarth.

‘Mackintosh Architecture: Context, Making and Meaning’ – the project and its legacy
Joseph Sharples
Curator of Mackintosh Collections
& Applied Art: The Hunterian

The University of Glasgow’s Mackintosh Architecture project was completed in July 2014 with the launch of the website www.mackintosh-architecture.gla.ac.uk.

The research project, which ran from 2010 to 2014, was led by The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow and was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. It aimed to provide the first authoritative survey of the architectural work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Mackintosh Buildings Survey – Update
Brian Park: Retired Conservation Architect
John Sanders: Partner at Simpson & Brown Architects

In 2016 the Society completed a major survey of the surviving Mackintosh built heritage. This was a landmark achievement and the first comprehensive condition survey of the Mackintosh built heritage and an important milestone in our understanding and preservation of Mackintosh’s legacy.

The central aim of the Survey was to determine the current condition of a range of prioritised Mackintosh buildings and related works, including interiors and gravestones, within public and private ownership. The survey work was undertaken by Simpson & Brown Architects and Page\Park Architects and was led by the Society’s director Stuart Robertson and board member Pamela Robertson, former Professor of Mackintosh Studies at the University of Glasgow.

Scotland Street School: Reuse and Repair
Mandy Fallens BSc(Hons), BArch, RIBA
Senior Architect at Glasgow City Council

The Scotland Street School project is currently on site with a first phase of external fabric repair works, including roof repairs and lead work. The building was in use solely a museum since 1990, but has been closed to the public since 2020. Part of the project brief is the reintroduction of an education function in the form of an early years facility for 3-5 year olds on the ground floor. We will discuss the challenges of incorporating an early years facility into the 1906 Category A Listed Building to meet the current curriculum standards, and provide an overview of the ongoing fabric repair works, building investigations and surveys.

The Hill House: Not judging a Book by just its Cover
Liz Davidson:
Project Director: The Hill House

At the Hill House – Mackintosh and Macdonald fused architecture and artistry to create a happy family home for the Blackie family.  With little alteration that home now welcomes thousands of visitors each year.  But the technical and fabric problems of the construction emerged relatively shortly after its completion in 1904.  In 2019 the Box was erected to cover and allow time for the its considered repair. This presentation will assess this strategy and the timeline for a major conservation project to start – and complete – in time for the anniversary year in 2028.

Bringing Back the “Mack”
Eleanor Magennis:
Director of Estates and Infrastructure at The Glasgow School of Art overseeing new Digital and Estates Strategies including the faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh building.

Rescuing Mackintosh at the Willow
Stewart Brown:
Retired Architect

Key steps in rescuing a building under threat and redeveloping it through restoration to become a commercial (and social and educational) enterprise.

Glasgow Museums Collections & Rescued Civic Heritage
Alison Brown:
Curator, European Decorative Art and Design from 1800 to present
Glasgow Museums and Collections

Over the last thirty years Glasgow Museums have had opportunities to restore the Ingram Street Tearooms interiors for exhibition or for collaborative loan, but the civic collections also home lesser-known heritage items removed from buildings now lost to us or before conversion to other use: stained glass, interior panelling, furniture and fittings, etc. When there are no such things as elastic walls, what are the most important considerations and roles in the 21^st Century for museum collections regarding built heritage?

Glasgow’s at Risk Heritage – the Broader Scene
Niall Murphy:
Director, Glasgow City Heritage Trust

The talk will focus on important Glasgow buildings (not by Charles Rennie Mackintosh) under threat including potential reuse and redevelopment. This will include updates on the work Glasgow City Heritage Trust funds to provide sustainable pathways off Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register for various Glasgow Buildings along with projects the Trust has helped fund repairs to, and our concerns for the ageing heritage building stock within the Glasgow Central Conservation Area.

Thomson’s lost Buildings and those at Risk
Scott Abercrombie & Fiona Sinclair:
The Alexander Thomson Society

Founded in 1991. The Alexander Thomson Society works to promote and safeguard the works of the Scottish architect Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson.

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On Day 2 the focus is on International and UK cities including Brussels & Manchester and organisations such as 78 Derngate that have managed to buck the trend and have enjoyed success in their heritage led regeneration.

Speakers on Day Two include:

Conserving C20 Architecture: Hearts and Minds vs Bricks/Concrete and Mortar
Catherine Croft:
Director, 20th Century Society

Conserving C20 architecture needs more than just vigorous campaigning for individual buildings. Changing the over-arching narrative, and debunking negative myths and preconceptions is just as vital. How can we best support a positive climate for preserving the recent past and what are the primary challenges for ensuring a successful future for C20 heritage?

The Transformation of 78 Derngate, Northampton
Rob Kendall:
Chair of Friends of 78 Derngate

In January 1998, 78 Derngate Trust was formed with the main aim of restoring the terraced house, which was designed and remodelled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1916. The Trust setup a Friends organisation with the main aim of meticulously restoring the property and opening it to the public. 78 Derngate along with 80 & 82 has undergone an amazing transformation, ensuring that visitors can easily navigate through the three houses and their gardens.

How Greater Manchester can build the future without destroying its past!
Elizabeth Hopkirk:
Save Britain’s Heritage

SAVE Britain’s Heritage is an independent charity that has been campaigning against the destruction and neglect of historic buildings of all types and ages for nearly 50 years.

Its most recent report, Boom Not Bust: How Greater Manchester can build the future without destroying its past, is a celebration of the region’s fine historic buildings – and an urgent call to arms. Elizabeth will highlight recent losses and examples of re-use as a catalyst for sustainable regeneration and civic pride.

Brussels, capital of Art Nouveau?
Simon Thielen:
Urbanism and Heritage Advisor
Office of Ans Persoons
Secretary of State for the Brussels Government, responsible for Urban Planning and Heritage, European and International Relations

In 2023, Brussels celebrated Art Nouveau, 130 years after the construction of the Hotel Tassel by Victor Horta, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event was a huge success, with over a million visitors. The presentation will take stock of the making of this Art Nouveau year, based on a range of expertise and experiences developed in Brussels: the BANAD Festival (which showcases Art Nouveau and Art Deco), collaboration between the various public bodies including the Horta Museum, the Art and History museum, the organisation of Heritage Days, links with other Art Nouveau cities in Europe (and the RANN), links with contemporary creation, links with colonisation and an update on the Stoclet Palace, an emblematic World Heritage building marking the transition between Art Nouveau and Art Deco, which remains closed to the public today. The ambition of this Art Nouveau year was not an end in itself, but rather the first stage of affirming Brussels as capital of Art Nouveau.

The Engineers View
Graeme DeBrincat:
Arup Associate  |  Façades UK Materials | Reuse & Reclaim

The consulting engineers Ove Arup and Partners are one of the major contributors to the look of modern cities, with projects such as Sydney Opera House, The Pompidou Centre and the Lloyd’s Building to their credit.

Through a series of 20^th Century building refurbishment projects across the UK, Graeme will explore the new and developing technologies of the time applied to these buildings and consider how they have performed over time, how these important buildings have been upgraded and refurbished and what the future holds for these buildings.

Please note that the symposium programme is subject to change.

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Tickets for the Symposium are available from Eventbrite and cost £45 per day or £70 for both days (includes lunch & refreshments)

Virtual tickets for the Symposium cost £15 per day

Maciej Granat plays Film Music

Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Saturday 29 June 2024 at 6.30pm (Doors open 6.00pm)

Tickets £10.00 (Conc. £8.00) +booking fee (available from Eventbrite and on the door)

Maciej Granat presents a thrilling programme of film music arranged for piano in the stunning surroundings of Mackintosh Queen’s Cross. Beautiful, epic, fun and majestic themes from movies such as E.T., Jurassic Park, Dune, The Piano, Jaws, My Neighbour Totoro and much more.

Hejira – Celebrating Joni Mitchell

Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Thursday 20 June 2024 at 7.30pm (Doors open 6.30pm)

Tickets £19.50 +booking fee (available from Eventbrite or Universe)

‘Hejira’ is a 7-piece band set up to celebrate and honour the masterpiece works of Joni Mitchell, mostly from the late ‘70s. Having released the albums ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’, ‘Hejira’, ‘Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter’ and ‘Mingus’  (regarded as her ‘jazz period’), Joni then toured briefly with a band formed from the crème de la crème of contemporaneous jazz musicians (Metheny, Mays, Brecker, Pastorius and Alias). The tour was recorded, producing the outstanding live album, ‘Shadows And Light’; it is from this album that the band Hejira is drawing the body of its repertoire. Comprising highly experienced jazz musicians, this band is fronted by the brilliant Hattie Whitehead who not only has – in her own way – assimilated the poise, power and beauty of Joni’s vocals, but also plays guitar with Joni’s stylistic mannerisms. Expect an evening of the ‘great’ songs from Mitchell’s back catalogue, such as ‘Amelia’, ‘Woodstock’, ‘A Case Of You’, ’Song For Sharon’, ‘Edith And The Kingpin’ etc.!

Hattie Whitehead – vocals and guitar
Pete Oxley – guitar
Ollie Weston – tenor and soprano sax
Chris Eldred – piano & keyboards
Dave Jones – electric basses
Rick Finlay – drums
Marc Cecil – percussion

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Personnel

Hattie Whitehead: vocals and guitars

The band is fronted by the extraordinarily talented Hattie Whitehead, who not only sings masterfully with Joni’s pitch-accuracy, poise and dignity, but she also plays guitar much with the mannerisms of Mitchell (incorporating various open tunings – which lend an instant authenticity to the colour of the songs). Hattie grew up surrounded by music and musicians – her father is the outstanding saxophonist, Tim Whitehead – and has a career as a singer/songwriter outside of this band. In 2016, she won the ‘Emerging Talent’ competition at Glastonbury Festival. Her original songs have been listened to hundreds of thousands of times on various streaming platforms.

Pete Oxley: guitar

Pete grew up in a family of classical musicians, fell for jazz in his late teens, went on to study jazz at the Leeds College of Music, then moved to Paris in his mid twenties. It was there that he began gigging intensively and developing his career as a guitarist, composer and bandleader. He has produced 16 albums of critically acclaimed original music (including 7 with the Swiss guitar virtuoso, Nicolas Meier) and is one of only a handful of British composers to have their works included in the ‘European Real Book’ (Sher Publications). The Oxley-Meier Guitar Project continues to record and tour extensively throughout the UK and Europe.

Ollie Weston: saxophones

Since graduating from Leeds College of Music, Ollie has had a diverse career which has included education, session work and live performance. In the former of these, Ollie teaches at the Guildhall (London) and has major tutorial books published by Schott Music under the heading, ‘Exploring Jazz’. In the latter, Ollie has toured all over the world with such outfits as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He has also worked extensively in the West End, performing in Chicago, Dream Girls and in two critically acclaimed seasons at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Chris Eldred: piano and keyboards

Chris first came to prominence while playing in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), from 2008 to 2014. In the midst of that period, he was winner of the 2011 Yamaha Scholarship Award for Outstanding Jazz Musicians and graduated in the same year from Trinity College of Music with first class honours. With NYJO, he performed many high-profile gigs (such as at the Albert Hall Proms) and came to the attention of such established masters as Mark Lockheart, Jean Toussaint and Salena Jones, with whom he subsequently worked. He is now a regular performer at Ronnie Scott’s and is one of London’s most in-demand pianists.

Dave Jones: electric basses

Dave is one of the most brilliant bass players – on both electric and acoustic basses that the UK has produced! His deep musicianship has led him to work with, amongst others, John Etheridge, Bill Bruford, the BBC Big Band, Jacqui Dankworth, Willard White and Scott Hamilton. He is bandleader, arranger and composer of the ‘Dave Jones Nonet’, comprising the creme de la creme of UK jazz musicians. Dave is continually active in jazz education leading many courses at Richmond Jazz School where he also previously led the faculty and he is also regularly invited to teach on a number of international jazz summer schools.

Rick Finlay: drums

Rick’s career has seen him being perpetually occupied, dividing his time between London’s West End, education and performing as a jazz musician. In the former, Rick held the drum chair at Blood Brothers for twenty years and also played for The Little Shop of Horrors and Chess Time. As a freelancer, Rick has performed on many prestigious TV shows, including Parkinson, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and The Late Show.  Rick has, for several years, been hosting the ‘Just East Jazz Club’ in North London, where he has accompanied most of the UK’s jazz glitterati!

Marc Cecil: percussion

Marc Cecil is a musician whose career has seen him work in myriad styles, performing at all sorts of premier venues, such as The Royal Opera House, Wembley Arena, The 02, Glastonbury Festival, The Jazz Cafe – Camden and Ronnie Scott’s. He was a member of  “King Salsa”, the UK’s premier 12 piece salsa band for 17years. His extensive theatre work includes seasons with: Blood Brothers (west end), Billy Elliot (west end), Saturday Night Fever (west end), Footloose (tour), Streisand The Story (tour), The Chicago Blues Brothers (tour), Million Dollar Quartet (west end) and The Carpenter’s Story (tour). In the jazz arena, Marc has worked with a ‘who’s who’ top UK musicians, including: Jason Rebello, Neil Angilly, Nigel Price, Art Themen, Jim Mullen, Picante, Jacqui Hicks, Snowboy, Noel McCalla, Liane Carol, Lily Dior, Geoff Gascoyne, Laurence Cottle, Alan Barns, Henry Lowther, and the Derek Nash Quartet.

Marc’s extraordinary drive, groove and use of sonic colours is an essential element of the whole Hejira soundscape.

Celtic Connections 2024

World-renowned Glasgow festival Celtic Connections* will once again light up stages, venues and dark winter nights from Thursday 18 January to Sunday 4 February 2024, for what will be one of its biggest-ever capacity festivals.

Proudly known as Europe’s premier folk, roots and world music festival, and the home of spectacular musical showcases and one-off collaborations, Celtic Connections has continued to expand into a multitude of genres over its 30-year history. This year will see the festival stage another ambitious programme of incredible performances spanning acoustic, traditional, indie, Americana, Jazz, blues, orchestral, experimental, and more.

Glasgow’s status as a UNESCO City of Music will be well and truly on display as more than 300 events bring 25 venues across the city to life, welcoming a host of unmissable music across its 18 days.

We are delighted to host 13 concerts at Mackintosh Queen’s Cross. 

Tickets for Celtic Connections 2024 are available at www.celticconnections.com.

Talking Tosh with Lost Glasgow

Wednesday 11 October, 6.00pm | Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | Tickets from £6.13

Journalist and social historian Norry Wilson has had a lifelong fascination with his home city.

He first fell down the vintage photography rabbit hole while working on the Evening Times.

Think of him as the ‘Raider of the Lost Archives’.

Now, with over 300k online followers on his Lost Glasgow site, he continues to tickle the city’s collective memory muscle, teasing out old stories, forgotten facts, and the lost histories hidden in the photographic record of old Glasgow.

In ‘Talking Tosh’, he’ll use historic photos to explore Mackintosh’s Glasgow, the world that shaped him, and the design legacy that still leaves its mark on the city.

Mackintosh Masterpiece: The Glasgow School of Art and Small Faces (Double Bill)

Thursday 12 October at 7.00pm

Tickets selection £0 to £7.50 from Eventbrite (Note: Students are free)

A unique opportunity to see this film by multi award-winning documentary maker, Louise Lockwood. First shown on BBC Two in 2009 to celebrate the opening of the Glasgow School of Art, Artworks Scotland tells the story behind Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s internationally acclaimed building, with contributions from some of the school’s best-known graduates.

Fondly referred to as The Mack, the building sealed Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s reputation as one of the most innovative and creative Scots of the 20th century and established him as a pioneer of Modernism. In 2009 the School of Art was voted the best British building of the past 175 years in a poll organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Contributors including Peter Howson, David Shrigley and Muriel Gray testify to the extraordinary impact the building has had on their creative lives. This one-off documentary, narrated by Daniela Nardini, includes songs specially written by Glasgow bands Sexy Kids and Frightened Rabbit, that both emerged from the school.

As an aperitif for tonight’s films, we are showing Norman McLaren’s short film: Seven Till Five (1933) which provides a fascinating insight into the practices and rituals that comprised an average day in the iconic Mackintosh Building at the GSA.

To conclude our evening we are offering a free bonus for those attending with a special screening of Small Faces. This 1996 Scottish drama film directed by Gillies MacKinnon about gangs in Glasgow. It stars Iain Robertson, Joseph McFadden, Steven Duffy, Kevin McKidd, Laura Fraser, Mark McConnochie, Clare Higgins, Garry Sweeney, Colin McCredie and Alastair Galbraith.

Set in Glasgow at the tail-end of the 60s, MacKinnon’s superb third feature is a tough but humorous tale of brotherly rivalry and gangland warfare which can proudly rank alongside the likes of Trainspotting. The film was shot on location at various districts in Glasgow, including GSA, Darnley, Sighthill, Partick, Merrylee, Mount Florida and Bishopbriggs and in Edinburgh.

Please note there will be a bar on the evening.

The Forgotten Fairground

As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, CRM Society is proud to announce the Scottish Premiere of The Forgotten Fairground, which combines music, dance, cinema, spoken word and is an exploration and celebration of the human condition.

Trailblazing multi-idiom ensemble, The Forgotten Fairground, rolls into town with a gala performance at Mackintosh Queen’s Cross. The brainchild of leading Glasgow composer, Matt Gough and Emmy-winning London producer, Andy Bush, The Forgotten Fairground have been busy. Having released 3 albums and 3 short films (premiered at London’s BFI Southbank) over a 5-year period, they’ve been garnering plaudits at the highest level, from across the international arts community. From Hollywood film and music producers Sid Ganis and Jay Graydon, to jazz luminaries Randy Brecker and Eddie Daniels, to esteemed members of the Chicago Symphony and iconic band-to-end-all-bands, Steely Dan – high praise has been in plentiful supply.

Saturday 14 October, 7.30pm | Mackintosh Queen’s Cross | 

Student / Under 18s from £10.00 + Booking Fee

Visit to 78 Derngate, Northampton

Mackintosh Society London and South East Members visit to 78 Derngate, Northampton.

Saturday 21 October 2023 at 11 am

78 Derngate was re-modelled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1916 for his client, Northampton model maker, W. J. Bassett-Lowke.  It is many years since the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society has visited Derngate and a guided tour in October is proposed which can be combined with a visit to the recently refurbished and extended Northampton Museum and Art Gallery which is only 5 minutes’ walk.

We will meet at 11 am at 82 Derngate for coffee and then we will be taken on a guided tour of the house in groups of 12.  If there are more than 12 people, then some of us may be asked to visit the museum and art gallery first.

Trains to Northampton take around an hour from London Euston and Derngate is approximately 15 minutes’ walk from the railway station.  A day trip is possible, but some people may also decide to make a weekend of it.

Tickets cost £11.00 plus booking fee (includes coffee on arrival) and are available from Eventbrite

Lunch

Members can choose to make their own arrangements or join in a group booking at the Museum and Art Gallery cafe.  If you wish to join the group booking for lunch, please contact ewan@crmsociety.com by Friday 6 October, to give us time to make arrangements.  Payment for lunch will be made on the day direct to the Museum Café.

Artisan with Hannah Rarity – album launch

Founded in 2009, Artisan as a piano trio, with Aisling O’Dea – violin, Clea Friend – cello, and Simon Smith – piano. The trio performed regularly in their home city of Edinburgh and around Scotland, delivering exciting performances of core piano trio repertoire alongside commissions of new works from Scottish and UK composers. The group has been actively engaged in musical education activities and in developing improved musical access to all areas of the community.

This year Artisan has reincarnated itself as a duo, violin and cello, allowing for more versatility in range of venues, collaborations and combinations of sound and media.

Artisan are launching ‘Almost Unseen’ an exciting new album of music by composer Suzanne Parry.

Mackintosh Queen’s Cross – Saturday 23 September at 19:00 – Tickets £8.00 + booking fee 

Blicher Hemmer Gadd

Mackintosh Queen’s Cross – Friday 1st September at 19:30 & Saturday 2nd September at 19.30

Blicher Hemmer Gadd 2023 Release tour: Award winning saxophonist Michael Blicher, Hammond wizard Dan Hemmer and legendary drummer Steve Gadd joined forces in 2014 to celebrate their shared love for Hammond-organ soul/jazz. The band has now played more than 50 shows throughout the world and released 2 live albums. This band is a unique opportunity to experience the worlds most innovative drummer unfold his talent, playing a kind of music that he is most passionate about. “This is honest Music. No one plays like this anymore.”