Helen Hughes
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Recognized internationally as a leader in the field of Architectural Paint Research and Historic Interiors Research, and with over 25 years working with English Heritage, Helen Hughes has now established a private consultancy.
She is an ICON accredited conservator-restorer. Her aim is to provide her clients with an understanding of the decorative developments of the historic buildings in their care, and present pragmatic options. Follow -through support is provided for a wide range of conservation and redevelopment programmes.
Professional Affiliation:

FIIC (Fellow of International Institute for Conservation), Individual Member
AC-R ICON (Institute for Conservation), Accredited Member
Education
1980 -1981 Diploma in Easel Paintings, Gateshead Technical College
1976 -1979 BA.Hons History of Art & Architecture, University College London

 

Professional Experience:
2009 – Freelance Consultant Helen Hughes – Historic Interiors Research & Conservation
1985 – 2009 Head of Architectural Paint Research – English Heritage
1981 – 1985 Freelance conservator – Easel Paintings, Polychrome & Architectural Interiors

The Sir John Soane Museum ‘Opening up the Soane’ – (2009 – Ongoing)
Since 2010 HIRC has been involved with the exciting developments at Nos. 12 & 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. ‘Opening Up the Soane’ is a £7M project which aims to open up more areas and aspects of the Museum’s collection to the public, and is a major part of the Soane Masterplan. One of the principal aims of the project is to restore Soane’s private apartments on the second floor, which have since his death been used as offices, and to reopen these rooms to the public after 180 years. My research has revealed Soane’s experimental approach to interior decoration. Surprising discoveries have included an early sky-blue ceiling in the Drawing Room of No.12 – now recreated under my direction. Client: The Sir John Soane Museum Architects: Julian Harraps Architects www.soane.org

The Little Castle Bolsover – (1989 – 2000)
‘Hardwick is rich, Welbecke is fine, Worsope is stately, Bolser divine.’ Research carried out within the Little Castle Bolsover revealed a sad tale. The interiors of the little folly, although uninhabited and unfurnished, had retained much of their original early seventeenth decorative finishes until 1976 when the building was subjected to a heavy-handed restoration. Detailed analysis of the remaining paint layers identified the appearance of many of the original finishes. It was decided to recreate these early seventeenth-century schemes in the main rooms. The project was completed in 2000 under my direction and has been described as ‘intelligent and sumptuous’. http://www.helenhughes-hirc.com/past_projects.php http://www.helenhughes-hirc.com/publications.php

St Pancras International Station (2004)
The train shed of St Pancras Station is a masterpiece of engineering created by the architect Henry Barlow. Research has established that as the ribs of the enormous construction were erected, they were coated with a dark iron oxide brown paint to protect them from the elements. But the station manager, Joseph Allport thought that nature should be imitated and the roof should be painted ‘a beautiful blue’. Sometime between 1870 and 1877 the train-shed was painted blue. Recent investigation of paint samples removed from the station confirmed this sequence of events. The blue paint applied was a mixture of French Ultramarine and lead white. The present decoration of St Pancras International Station is an exact colour match of the original blue. The colour is officially known as English Heritage Barlow Blue – but perhaps it should be called Allport’s Blue. Client: English Heritage Rail Link Engineering (RLE) http://www.helenhughes-hirc.com/publications.php

 

Awards And Professional Bodies
• ICON – Accredited Conservator-Restorer (PACR)
• Fellow of the International Institute of Conservation (FIIC)
• Visiting Professor – Department of Conservation – Lincoln University (2009 – 2012 )
• ICOM-CC – Member & Member of Polychrome & Architectural Finishes Group & History & Theory Group
• ICCROM Scholar – Sharing Conservation Decision 2006, & SCD Reviews 2007 &2011
• Traditional Paint Forum – Founder Member
• Historic Interiors Group ICON – Founder Member
• Attingham Scholarship – Summer School (1995) Study Programme (2011 & 2013)
• Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship – (1986)

Publications – Books
• John Fowler – The Invention of the Country-House Style Edited by Helen Hughes (Donhead 2005)
http://www.donhead.com/john_fowler.htm
Layers of Understanding – Setting Standards for Architectural Paint Research,. Editor Helen Hughes, published by Donhead Publishing Ltd (2002 English Heritage) ISBN 1873394586 http://www.donhead.com/layers_of_understanding
• Architectural Paint Research in Building Conservation Bregnhoi L., Hughes H., Lindbom J., Olstad T. & Verweij (Eds.) (Archtype 2006) ISBN 1-904982-04-2, Architectural Paint Research in Building Conservation

 

Publications – Selected Papers:
• The Big Debate: How to present the Great Hall of Kelmarsh Hall 22nd November 2012, ICON News, January 2013, 44, pp. 27-29
• Community Participation: A paradigm shift for conservation professionals, (A response to new UK legislation on the transfer of local authority cultural heritage assets), Public Service Review, Local Government and the Regions, Vol. 19, 2011, p.92
• Review of House Paints:1900-1960 History and Use by Harriet A.L.Standeven in ICON News, July 2011, 35, p26
• Decision Making: That was then but this is now (in Conference proceedings La conservazione delle policromie nell’architettura del XX secolo, ed. Giacinta Jean, Scuola Universiataria professionale della Suizzera italiana (SUPSI), Lugano 8-9 February 2012
• Whose blue? The true story behind the sky-blue roof of St Pancras International Station’ Icon News, March 2008, 18-21 Also presented as a poster presentation at ICOM-CC Interim Meeting Rome 23-26 March 2010
• ‘…with the edge of Goose-Quill feather…’ – A discussion of the problems and potentialities of recreating historic paint systems’ Architectural Paint Research In Building Conservation – 3rd International Conference held on January 17-19, 2008, Columbia University in the City of New York: http://www.aprconference.us Published (Donhead 2009)
• ‘Your monument….temple, my castle, my home..’: A Theory for Historic Interiors Research & Conservation’ delivered at the ICOM-CC 15th Triennial Meeting in New Delhi – Theme: Diversity in Heritage Conservation: Tradition, Innovation and Participation, 22 – 26 September 2008 in New Delhi, India. 15th Triennial Conference Preprints, Vol. II, 1017-1024
• Interdisciplinary collaboration to understand and recreate the splendour of the Marble Closet at the Little Castle Bolsover presented at ICOM-CC Interim Meeting Rome 23-26th 2010 (available on ICOM-CC web-site)
• The Influence of Cesare Brandi on Conservation in the UK, Published in The Centenary of the birth of Cesare Brandi: Cesare Brandi’s thought from theory to practise. (Il Prato editore, 2008, pp. 201-204).
• ‘Sharing Conservation Decisions or Who’s Afraid of Cesare Brandi? A review of ICCROM’s Sharing Conservation Decisions course held in Rome Oct – November 2006 published in ICON News, March 2007, Issue 9, pp.40-42
• That was then – this is now’ – Conservation of Colour in 20th Century Architecture, SUPSI Nardini Editore(2012), pp. 265 – 271
• Replacing the Goldilocks Standard for APR – published in postprints, Standards in Architectural Paint Research,Stockholm, Sweden, 12-15 March 2014, pp. 3-12

Teaching & Lecturing:
Currently providing two short courses at West Dean College
• 14–16 January 2013 (Booking 3rd repeated2 -5 June 2014)
Practice and Theory: Managing Change in Historic Buildings
Course code: BC2D26
Course leader: Helen Hughes.
http://www.westdean.org.uk/CollegeChannel/CPD/Conservation/BuildingConservationMasterclasses.aspx
• 2–5 December 2013 (Booking fifth repeat 1 -4 December 2014)
Managing change: Moveable heritage in context
Course code: PC1308
Course leader: Helen Hughes

• 24th – 28th November 2014 Principles & Practice in Conservation-Restoration, Berne University

Other teaching activities provided at: Gothenburg University 2010, Amsterdam University 2010 & 2012, the Architectural Association 2011 & 2012, London, Lincoln University 2010
Recent Conference Presentations
• Traditional Paint Forum Annual Conference – London 7th June 2013
Paper: Kelmarsh Hall – The Great Debate: Some considerations on replicating and retaining historic paint schemes

• Conservation Matters in Wales, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth 13 – 14 June 2013 Paper: The Great Debate – How to present the Great Hall (Kelmarsh Hall) –
A Sharing Decisions Initiative

• ICOM-CC Workng Group Sculpture,Polychromy & Architectural Decoration. Tomar Polytechnic University, Portugal Decorative Practice & Artistic Tradition 28 -30 May 2013
Paper: The Painted Decoration of the Sculptures and Chimneypieces of Apethorpe Hall, Northamptonshire, UK (c. 1624)

• Institute of Conservation (ICON)Positive Futures Conference 2013, 10 -12 March 2013
Paper: Three things I wish I had not been told at college: A paradigm shift for conservation professionals….

• Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire 22nd November 2012 (Conference Facilitator)
The Great Debate – Kelmarsh Hall http://www.kelmarsh.com/AboutUs/TheHall.aspx
• ‘Replacing the Goldilocks Standard’ The 5th International Architectural Paint Research Conference: Interdisciplinary Innovation through Baseline Proficiencies, Stockholm, Sweden, 12-15 March 2014.

 

Selection Of Current Projects:
• Investigation of interiors of Gunnebo House, Gothernborg, Sweden
• Investigation of interiors of Auckland Castle, Co. Durham
• 5th Architectural Paint Research Conference – Stockholm 2014
• Community Workshop – Exploring 15th Century Painted Decoration at Master’s House, Hereford. Late 2013
• Investigation of painted decoration of the Paradise Bed of Henry VII(1584)
• Abbey Mills Pumping Station – Recreation of Victorian Polychrome
• Riddle’s Court – Edinburgh

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