Summer 2012

Issue 26 Summer 2012

THE magazinE of THE quEEn ElizabETH scHolarsHip TrusT

In this issueCraft for a Diamond Jubilee Events Diamond Products New Scholars

s u p p o r T i n g E X c E l l E n c E i n b r i T i s H c r a f T s m a n s H i p

qEsT is THE cHariTablE arm of THE roYal WarranT HolDErs associaTion Pic

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QEST Scholar News

Scholars leave their mark in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year

EST marked the start and the end of the celebrations for Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.

Scholars’ skills were in demand to produce some outstanding and original work, reinforcing the value of craftsmanship within British heritage.

The Queen’s celebrations began at Fortnum & Mason on the 1st March

2012, where she met eleven scholars exhibiting at QEST: Crafting

Excellence. Each showed one of their pieces from the exhibition and

explained the role that QEST had played in their successful career.

Rupert Alexander had more reason than most to be nervous, as this was

the first occasion that The Queen had seen his portrait of her.

Jon Beer, a furniture designer living in Nicaragua, showed a box made

from reclaimed Hurricane Felix wood that was a similar design to that

he made for TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gift.

Mia Sabel, a saddle and bridle maker was delighted that The Queen

showed such interest in her signature item, a reclaimed stirrup iron clad

in leather and designed to form a lady’s bag; no doubt The Queen is still

trying to understand the concept of Jane Fryer’s hat made from fish skin.

Other scholars present were: Bob Johnston (willow weaver); Daniel

Meek (lettercutter and stonemason); Davina Chapman (calligrapher);

Rebecca Harvey (ceramicist); Sarah Hocombe (muralist); Sophie

D’Souza (stained glass artist) and Zoe Harding (jeweller).

Crafting Excellence, QEST’s six month selling exhibition on the 1st

floor of Fortnum & Mason, was extremely well attended. Commissions

were taken for a surfboard and a portrait; whilst sculpture, ceramics,

jewellery and leather products all sold well. Thirty-two scholars showed

an eclectic mix of British crafts, highlighting the range that QEST has

sought to fund since it was established in 1990.

Bernard Johnson’s commemorative

Welsh slate monolith was unveiled

by The Queen on the first stop of her

Jubilee tour in Leicester.

This piece was commissioned by

the director of St. Martin’s House,

Leicester Cathedral’s conference

centre, less than five weeks before

he had to install it. “I was to design

something modern and unfussy

and had a fairly free hand with the

lettering. Following approval of my

roughs by the church and Buckingham

Palace, I started work on the Welsh

slate from Cwt-y-Bugail quarry.”

www.bernardjohnson.co.uk

Will Davies, a talented stonemason

and sculptor, together with a more

recent scholar, Tom Nicholls, were in

the team of seven who moulded two

tonnes of terracotta clay to create the

exuberant designs for the prow of

The Royal Barge during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

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Bernard Johnson, plaque in Diamond Jubilee year


the Royal Barge that carried the Royal party at the head of the Thames

Diamond Jubilee Pageant. The sculpture was designed by Alan Lamb,

head of historic carving at the City & Guilds of London Art School, with

Emmy-winning Production Designer Joseph Bennett. Will gave life to

the gigantic images of Old Father Thames, the focal point of the 25 foot

structure; whilst Tom created two seven meter long dolphins. The model

was cast in acrylic resin and gilded with 22ct gold leaf.

Despite the gruelling schedule during the intense three weeks of

moulding, Tom enthused: “It was just brilliant. It was a once in a lifetime

opportunity. As I cycled to the studio, it was hard to believe that I was

part of this most prestigious assignment.”

www.willdaviescarving.com

www.tomjnicholls.com

Richard McGuiness a restorer of classic wooden cars and boats was

responsible for returning two Thames steam launches to pristine

condition for their part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. Both

were more than one hundred years old. Richard commented: “In their

heyday, these boats would travel from Kingston to Oxford on a four day

timetable, stopping at hotels en route; now that trip takes about an hour

in the car.”

Hare & Humphreys was commissioned to complete the decorative arts,

gilding and heraldry of Gloriana, the 90 feet long row barge that led

the Jubilee flotilla. QEST scholar Marina Hughes made a substantial

contribution with hand-painted diamond-leaf designs to the exterior

side, the internal cabin ceiling and much of the external gilding.

The barge, powered by eighteen oarsmen including Sir Steve Redgrave

and Sir Matthew Pinsent, took 60 craftsmen eighteen weeks to build and

was officially named by The Queen at Greenwich in April; thus making

it the first royal barge for a century. It stole the show at the Diamond

Jubilee pageant and again when it transported the Olympic flame from

Hampton Court Palace to Tower Bridge.

www.marinahughes.co.uk

Stained glass designer, maker and conservator, Megan Stacey was part

of Reyntiens Glass Studio’s team that made the window for Westminster

Hall. It was presented to The Queen as a gift from Members of both

Houses of Parliament.

The window, comprising of some 1,500 separate pieces, is on display

to enable visitors to examine the craftsmanship in detail. It will be

installed in the hall’s north window, which has had plain glass since

the old window was damaged by an IRA bomb in 1974. Restoration

to Westminster Hall’s stonework is planned to start this year; it is the

oldest part of the Palace of Westminster.

Shelley Anderson worked on a large

bronze floor plaque installed in a

church in Cuckfield. It measures

745cm and is two centimetres thick;

it was cast using 45 kilos of bronze

and took four people six weeks to

complete.

The initial designs to win the contract

were drawn up by Michael Johnson

together with Shelley. The stained

glass window from the church was their

inspiration and scenes depicting the history

of the town were incorporated.

“I had the privilege of working alongside Michael Johnson

(coppersmith), Malcolm Piltcher (engraver) and George Need

(toolmaker and silversmith); learning priceless skills from them is what

this scholarship is all about,” commented Shelley.

Royal Warrant Holder, Smythson commissioned artist and illustrator

Kerry Lemon to create a quintessentially British installation with a twist

at their four London stores and another in New York.

Kerry explained the appeal of her window designs: “My illustrations

are relatively traditional but also a bit quirky!

They are clearly hand-drawn rather

than computer based, so there

is real craftsmanship involved,

which I think resonates with a

brand like Smythson.”

www.kerrylemon.co.uk

The Queen’s Beasts are ten

heraldic animals depicting the

genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II.

The only existing full set was made

in stone in 1953 to celebrate The

Queen’s coronation and is shown in Kew

Gardens. Jenny Gray was commissioned

to make a full set of the beasts; she designed a

twelve piece name place set in silver, each is about

four inches high.

www.jennifergray.co.uk

Will Davies (L) and Tom Nicholls moulding the prow of the Royal Barge

Timothy Harris created a commemorative glass bowl which was presented to The Queen in July

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QEST Scholar News

Balmoral cairn

A cairn, the first on the Balmoral Estate for more than 120 years, was

a gift to The Queen from the members of the Aberdeen RWHA, the

Edinburgh RWHA and Balmoral Estate staff. Richard Watling, former

QEST chairman, first sowed the seed and together with a committee

representing the Aberdeen and Edinburgh Associations and with much

help from Richard Gledson, Factor on the Estate, they realised the

landmark.

“Everyone was enthusiastic to mark the Diamond Jubilee in a way that

would stand the test of time. It was important that it should use local

materials and local people,” explained George Alpine, secretary of the

Aberdeen Association. “The site was approved by Her Majesty, who is

able to view the cairn from the castle’s drawing room window.”

All the granite was collected from the Estate and two dry stone wall

experts, Norman Haddow and Willy Cassidy built it. QEST scholars

were involved in this collaborative effort, as Gillian Forbes cut the date

stone and Sally Mangum is preparing the commemorative book that

will be bound by Laura West and presented to The Queen. A number of

local Royal Warrant holders have been involved including Roy Cowie,

who will shortly commence the landscaping.

www.forbesstonecarver.com

www.laurawest.com

www.sallymangum.com

£2 million and still counting…

He thanked Richard Watling, who stood down as Chairman of QEST in

July, for all that he had done to make the charity so successful; not just in

fundraising but ensuring that the scholarships have been well earned.

The guest of honour, HRH the Duke of Gloucester, noted how

QEST had developed over the past twenty years and concluded: “It

enables your trustees to select the best craftsmen and to give them

encouragement to go out and make and design whilst having their

individual talent noticed in this way.”

ew Blair, President of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, spoke at the annual luncheon of the on-going success of QEST’s Diamond Jubilee Appeal. It has raised nearly £2 million this year and there are still six months remaining.

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Timothy Harris, Master

Glassmaker at Isle of Wight

Studio Glass, designed and

created a commemorative glass

bowl on behalf of the people of

the island. The unique design, in

hues of blue, was inspired by the

sea and coastlines surrounding

the Isle of Wight. Timothy

presented it to The Queen on

the 25th July in Cowes; the last

official date of her Diamond

Jubilee tour.

www.isleofwightstudioglass.co.uk

Timothy Harris working on the glass bowl

HRH the Duke of Gloucester meets Shelley Anderson at the Annual Luncheon in June


Accolades for scholarsTeresa Dybisz received the Worshipful Company of Masons’ stone

carving prize for her outstanding final sculpture at the City & Guilds of

London Art School. It was the first time that she had carved marble.

Teresa also received the Brian

Till Art History prize for her

thesis: The Bronze Statuary

of Parliament Square. “I

thoroughly enjoyed researching

the ten statues at the square

which involved reading

newspaper articles covering

the period from 1830 to 2007.

It was also fascinating to look

at original documents in

the Parliamentary Archives

especially those of the Winston

Churchill and Abraham Lincoln

statues.” commented Teresa.

www.stonecarveress.com

Jenny Gray’s final show at the Royal College of Art received two awards:

the Theo Fennell Award and the Armourers and Brasiers Award. In

addition to these accolades, her work was selected to be shown at the

Saatchi Gallery as part of Scoop International Fashion Show.

www.jennifergray.co.uk

Gail McGarva received a highly commended certificate for the Prince

Philip Medal, an international award honouring those who, to quote

Prince Philip, have “travelled the City & Guilds path” and achieved

outstanding accomplishments in their chosen field. She was presented

with the award by HRH The Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace.

Gail is currently building Lyme Regis Gig Club’s third wooden gig.

The Chester Roman Gardens’ new entrance feature mosaic was awarded

Chester Civic Trust’s New Year’s Honours Award 2012. It was designed

by Gary Drostle to represent ‘Gardening in Roman Britain’.

The mosaic was unveiled by the Duke of Westminster as part of the

Roman Garden refurbishment in Chester. The Romans were the first

to introduce leisure gardening to this country. The figurative mosaic

is based on an original Roman mosaic and the design was drawn up

in close collaboration with Chester’s Archaeologists. The mosaic was

constructed in tough unglazed porcelain; it was entirely hand cut and

laid by Gary.

www.drostle.com

Zoe Harding was awarded a number of

Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design

Awards in 2012. She received the Gold

GIA Award (Gemological Institute of

America - 3D Design Contemporary

Jewellery) for her Neptunea Ring.

The same piece received the Silver

Award (Platinum and Gold 3D design),

where design as well as craftsmanship

and technical innovation are all taken into

consideration. [No gold award was given in this

category]. Last September, Zoe’s Neptunea Ring also won a Lonmin

Design Innovation Award in the ‘established designers’ category - this is

a major industry award for platinum design. It will be displayed at the

2012 International Jewellery London (IJL) exhibition.

During this year’s Goldsmith’s Craftsmanship & Design Awards,

Zoe also received the Silver award for a 2D Platinum & Gold design;

this was a piece of bridal jewellery she has designed in platinum and

diamonds [no gold award was given in this category]. She received a

Commendation for the ‘Inverse Pearl Cuff ’ which played on the idea

of partially obscuring pearls and mounting them in a new way, an

experimental piece for her series of cuffs.

www.zoeharding.com

Teresa Dybisz Stonemason

Gary Drostle’s Mosaic at Chester Roman Gardens

Gail McGarva, receives a highly commended for the Prince Philip Medal from HRH The Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace, April 2012 Z

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QEST Diamond Jubilee Appeal News

Events

Art, Craft and Design: Cross-overs and Boundaries in the 21st Century

The shifting allegiances

and cross-overs of

craft lead it to defy

categorisation. QEST

has invited six eminent

speakers from the three

sectors: art, craft, and

design, to discuss its

evolving nature. The

debate will be chaired

by Glenn Adamson,

Deputy Head of

Research and Head of

Graduate Studies at

the Victoria and Albert

Museum. The speakers

are Sir Christopher

Frayling, Sir Nicholas Goodison, Robin Wood, Dr. Tanya Harrod,

Tracey Rowledge and Mel Howse.

The debate is part of the London Design Festival and takes place on 21st

September 2012 at 10.30 a.m. in the Sackler Centre, Victoria & Albert

Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. To attend please arrive

30 minutes early.

Holland & Holland

Holland & Holland

has invited four

scholars to show their

work at an event on

the 8th November.

Bob Johnston, a wicker

weaver; Mia Sabel,

saddler and bespoke

leather designer; Suzy

Merrifield, knitting

and textiles designer

and Zoe Harding, jeweller, will demonstrate and show their crafts and

have an opportunity to continue displaying and selling their work until

January 2013 within Holland & Holland’s flagship store on Bruton

Street. Visit the showroom to acquire unique and affordable crafts.

British craftsmanship is deeply ingrained in the ethos of Holland &

Holland and there is no finer example than the famous shotguns and

rifles that are made in their London factory. It is no secret that these

sporting firearms are a true testament to the British design and skilled

craft that is synonymous with ‘Best’ London guns.

Crafts displayed at Clarence House

HRH The Prince of Wales kindly hosted a celebratory reception at

Clarence House on 30th May 2012. It was an opportunity to thank key

supporters of QEST’s Diamond Jubilee Appeal.

Four recent scholars had the opportunity to show Prince Charles their

work and illustrate how the scholarship had been so vital to their craft

and career. Joseph Lotito, a violin maker; Cameron Short, an artisanal

handblock wallpaper designer and maker; Tristram Bainbridge, a

conservator of furniture and decorative arts and Elizabeth Monk, a potter.

In addition, five scholars who have fulfilled the role of ambassadors

during this appeal year met Prince Charles and discussed how QEST

was crucial for them in gaining experience and education. All of them

are now recognised as exemplars in their craft. Mel Howse, stained glass

artist; Rod Kelly, gold and silversmith; Melissa White, painter stainer;

Will Davies, sculptor and stonemason and Janet Stoyel, a wire weaver

and innovator of mixed media textiles.

Cameron Short’s wallpaper admired by HRH The Prince of Wales

Sophie D’Souza’s Trinity window

Suzy Merrifield, knitwear


NEW YORK+1 212 752 7755

LONDON+44 (0) 20 7499 4411

www.hollandandholland.com

MOSCOW+7 495 937 4553

ThE ‘ROYaL’ guNMaKER

Artwork by Marcello Pettineo, available exclusively at Holland & Holland

Holland & Holland support the QEST Magazine.

QEST Diamond Jubilee Appeal News

oyal Warrant holding companies have been exceptionally generous to their charity during this year of celebration. Several have donated a proportion of their sales to QEST.

Scholars and Trustees would like to publicly express their grateful

thanks for these vital funds that will ensure more craftsmen and women

can receive funding for their education and thus enable British crafts

to thrive.

On Tuesday 3rd July, HE Garvin Nicholas, High Commissioner for the

Republic of Trinidad & Tobago hosted a summer garden party at his

residence. Amidst the fireworks and rain bursts, Brian Woods, senior

marketing manager of Angostura Europe presented Nick Farrow, the

newly appointed Chairman of QEST with a cheque for £25,000. This

substantial donation was raised through proceeds from the sale of their

Diamond Jubilee limited edition Angostura Bitters internationally.

Diamond Products

Nick Farrow (left) chairman of QEST receives a £25,000 cheque from HE Garvin Nicholas, the High Commissioner for the

Republic of Trinidad & Tobago on behalf of Angostura Bitters.

The Diamond QueenAsprey collaborated with light

artist Chris Levine, whose 2004

portrait of The Queen attracted

much debate. Craftsmen from

the iconic store recreated the

diamond diadem The Queen

wore at her 1953 Coronation

and placed it on the head of the

holographic recreation of The

Queen by Chris Levine. The work

entitled The Diamond Queen

will be sold via sealed bids with

the proceeds being split between

QEST and the Woodland Trust.

A beautiful resultClarins introduced a limited edition Hand and Nail Treatment cream

in a 200ml size to their range and during the month of May, one pound

was donated to QEST from every product sold with a total of £20,000.

A singular successIslay single malt whisky Laphroaig released a limited run of its 18-Year

Old single malt with Diamond Jubilee packaging. It has pledged to make

a donation of £2000 to QEST.

Luxury donationEttinger of London was founded in 1934 as a luxury leather goods

and gift company and today is one of only a handful of luxury leather

manufacturers still hand crafting all its products in the UK. Ettinger

is proud to be nurturing the crafts and skills which have been handed

down through the generations and which still take Ettinger craftspeople

up to five years to master. During the two weeks surrounding the

Diamond Jubilee celebratory weekend, Ettinger donated 15% of its web

sales to The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust Appeal.

A Jubilee BouquetPenhaligon’s Jubilee Bouquet fragrance was originally created in 1977

in honour of The Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Throughout 2012 Penhaligon’s

will celebrate the Diamond Jubilee by donating 10% of the proceeds

from the sale of the fragrance.

Jubilee Bouquet is a

melody of green lily,

jasmine, powder and

woods. Laced with

persuasive notes

of soft iris, violet

and amber, Jubilee

Bouquet is an enchanting floral chypre. It is presented in the signature

Penhaligon’s fragrance bottle: clear glass with a distinctive ribbon

wrapped top. It is available at Penhaligon’s boutique, major department

stores and online at www.penhaligons.com for £110.00.

The Diamond Queen by Chris Levine.

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New Scholars (Spring 2012)

QEST New Scholars

Alastair Barford (25) Figurative Painter

Alastair graduated with a first class

degree in Fine Art from University

College Falmouth. Receiving the QEST

scholarship will enable him to attend the

Charles H. Cecil Academy in Florence to

study drawing and painting techniques in

the traditional manner, that sadly are no

longer taught in the UK. His exemplary

talent will undoubtedly find new heights

under such specialist instruction.

www.alastairbarford.co.uk

Effie Burns (37) Glass Artist

Effie has had her own kiln and studio since 1999 and during this

period she has worked mainly on architectural glass projects,

working with both cast and kiln formed glass. Winning a QEST

scholarship will ensure that she can attend a 17-day course entitled

Glass Engraving: Flat, Round, Coloured and Solid, by the acclaimed

British glass artist Katherine Coleman MBE. This is part of Bild-

Werk Frauenau’s International Summer Academy in Bavaria.

www.effieburnsglass.co.uk

Megan Stacey (23) stained glass designer, maker and conservator

Megan studied Architectural Glass at

Swansea Metropolitan University where

she specialised in glass painting and

conservation. She received the

Worshipful Company of Glaziers Award

for Excellence in 2010 and has since

worked for Reyntiens Glass Studio on

projects including a window for

Westminster Hall as a gift for HM The

Queen on her Diamond Jubilee from

the Houses of Parliament. Winning a

QEST scholarship will enable her to

continue her 2-year MA course in

Stained Glass Conservation and

Heritage Management at the University

of York which will include an eighteen

week work placement at the Burrell

Collection.

Carey Ellis (23) Textile Print Designer

Carey attained a first class honours

degree in Textile Design at Chelsea

College of Art and Design. At Chelsea,

she developed an innovative printing

technique, where her print designs

completely change in appearance

depending upon the colour of the

light they are seen in. Winning a QEST

scholarship will enable her to further

develop her creativity within textiles and

also this ground-breaking technique

within the fashion milieu whilst she

completes a postgraduate Masters course,

specialising in Textiles for Fashion at

Central Saint Martins College of Art

and Design.

www.cargocollective.com/careyellis

QEST New Scholars

Anthony Griffin (44) Diamond Setter and Goldsmith

Anthony has been creating fine jewellery

in platinum and gold, incorporating

precious gemstones and diamonds

for the past sixteen years. He has been

selected to exhibit within the prestigious

Goldsmiths’ Fair and has received

accolades in the annual Goldsmiths’

Craftsmanship & Design Awards.

Winning a QEST scholarship will enable

Anthony to attend Alexandre Sidorov’s

Diamond Optical Setting course in

Antwerp and therefore ensure that the

technical skill of diamond setting remains

in the UK. www.anthonygriffin.co.uk

Beatrice Larkin (24) woven textile designer

Beatrice has long had a passion for textiles.

She uses the ancient craft of weaving and yarn

manipulation to create contemporary and

original fabrics and accessories including bags

and jewellery. The QEST scholarship will fund

her second year of an MA in Woven Textiles

at the Royal College of Art and ensure that

Beatrice will be in the perfect environment

to work on Jacquard, Harris and Arm looms

and experiment within the intensely creative

environment of the RCA.

Mandeep Mann (28) Textile Designer

Mandeep recently was awarded first prize in

a collaborative project between Burberry and

Christopher Bailey, part of that award was a

three-month paid internship with Burberry.

Her QEST scholarship will enable Mandeep

to undertake the MA Textiles at the Royal

College of Art where she will further

specialise in Mixed Media Textile Design.

Her work is highly technique based and

experimental. She strives to create unique

fashion/interior fabrics with a strong

emphasis on material exploration. “I am

passionate about using traditional techniques

and materials in new and innovative ways

with the aim of pushing the boundaries of

textile design,” she explained.

www.mandeepmann.blogspot.com

Emma Payne (25) Archaeological andMuseum Conservator

The QEST funding will enable Emma to

complete the second and final year of the

Conservation for Archaeology and Museums

MSc at University College London. She has

already gained considerable experience both

as a volunteer on the Sittingbourne CSI

project working with Anglo-Saxon artefacts

and as a Conservation and Collections Care

Assistant at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian

Archaeology, assessing the delicate prehistoric

Egyptian artefacts in order to design and

make suitable packaging for them.


Meera Sleight (32) Textile Designer

Meera has achieved considerable success

designing for iconic fashion houses such

as Lanvin and Chloe as well as London’s

emerging young designers - she also produces

innovative fabric ranges for Liberty. Her

QEST award will enable her to attend the

Royal School of Needlework’s technical

hand embroidery course and enable her to

return to a more handcrafted approach; this

will ultimately enrich her design work and

allow her to produce and swatch designs

independently.

Nina Thomas (32) Farrier

Nina has already completed the demanding

four year apprenticeship to become a

farrier and since 2006 has built up her own

business and is responsible for the health

and welfare of some 150 horses. The QEST

scholarship will fund her 3-year FdSc

Farriery Science course and the 2-year

Farrier Science course at Myerscough

College in Lancashire. These courses will

ensure that Nina can advance to providing

a more clinical and analytical equine care.

Jonathan Williams (35) Ceramicist

Jonathan specialises in figurative making.

He currently lectures in ceramics as well as

exhibiting at ceramic festivals in the UK,

China and Japan. He was awarded the 2011

Earth and Fire Best Dressed Stand and was

shortlisted for the 2011 Attenborough Prize.

His QEST scholarship will enable Jonathan to

attend the 2-year Royal College of Art’s MA

programme in Ceramics and Glass.

www.jonwilliamsceramics.co.uk

Chairman and TrusteeNick FarrowFarrows Ltd

TrusteesJenifer EmeryEdward Goodyear Ltd

Mark HendersonGieves and Hawkes Ltd

Sally MangumCalligrapher

Fiona RaeGoldsmith and Enameller

Selection Board Neil StevensonNEJ Stevenson

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust 1 Buckingham PlaceLondon SW1E 6HR General enquiriesTel 020 7828 2268Email [email protected]

Media enquiries Shelley-Anne ClaircourtTel 020 7854 1827Email [email protected]

www.qest.org.uk

QEST Scholars join us at LinkedIn/QEST

Follow us on twitter @QESTcraft

Who’s who at Qest

QEST Information

Registered Charity No. 802557

Trustee & Honorary TreasurerAlec McQuinRokill Ltd

Ex Officio TrusteeHew BlairJusterini & Brooks

SecretaryRichard Peck Development DirectorPenny BendallBendall Ceramic Conservation

ManagerVictoria Churchward Development AssistantValerie Kohler

All Round Support for QEST

QEST CRAFT AWARDS

At the start of its Diamond Jubilee Appeal, QEST’s stated aim was to

double the number of its annual scholarships. The reason for this was

that every year as many excellent applicants were turned away as

were successful.

We are pleased to say that this has been achieved by generous donations

from a vast number of Royal Warrant holding companies, Trusts,

Foundations and Livery Companies. The appeal has been lead by

Richard Watling, Penny Bendall and the fabulous team of trustees,

staff, associates and volunteers both at QEST and the RWHA.

As the new Chairman of the Charity, I would like to thank, on behalf of

the board of trustees, all those who were involved in making the appeal

such a success. However the work must continue. As the country languishes

in a recession partly fuelled by our reliance on the service industries,

our attention turns to encouraging a resurgence of skilled craftspeople,

designing and making tangible items. This resurgence is being driven by

thousands of entrepeneurs who need support and training.

Because of this, and the lack of educational funding, the number of

applications we are receiving is increasing and we are becoming involved

with several important craft projects. On top of this we are finding an

increasing need to help our existing scholars with business mentoring

schemes. So the Diamond Jubilee Year may be drawing to a close, but

our efforts to raise funds must continue.

Thanks once again and I look forward to meeting as many of you

as possible.

Nick Farrow

o you know someone who could benefit from a QEST Award?

Scholarships of up to £15,000 are awarded twice a year to craftsmen

and women with exceptional talent to enable them to advance their

education and skills in modern and traditional crafts in the UK.

The scholarships are open to all ages and even for those embarking

upon a second career. The trustees look for well thought out projects

that highlight applicants’ passion and commitment to their craft and

thus ensure that they will contribute to the pool of talent in the UK and

reflect the excellence of British craftsmanship as is symbolised by the

Royal Warrant of Appointment.

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, the charitable arm of the Royal

Warrant Holders Association, was established in 1990 with money

contributed by its members, to mark the 90th birthday of Queen

Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the 150th anniversary of the founding

of the Association.

To find out more and apply on line, visit the QEST website at

www.qest.org.uk

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THE magazinE of THE quEEn ElizabETH scHolarsHip TrusT

InsideA Celebration of Royal Travel brought to Goodwood to raise funds for QEST

s u p p o r T i n g E X c E l l E n c E i n b r i T i s H c r a f T s m a n s H i p

qEsT is THE cHariTablE arm of THE roYal WarranT HolDErs associaTion

Goodwood Festival of Speed

QEST Goodwood Festival of Speed

A Celebration of Royal Travel brought to Goodwood to raise funds for QEST

his year, the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s annual Cartier ‘Style

et Luxe’ concours d’elegance was an exceptional event.

For the first time Cartier focused on just one

single theme, vehicles to honour the Diamond

Jubilee. The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship

Trust brought together a collection of Royal

Transport.

Many vehicles came from the personal

collections of Her Majesty, including

Sandringham and the Royal Mews; others

were sourced from overseas governments and

private collections. All have a genuine use and

connection with the Her Majesty The Queen

during her sixty year reign.

A Celebration of Royal Travel was brought

together by Richard Watling, former

chairman of QEST. Goodwood selected QEST

as the charity to benefit from all fundraising

at the Festival of Speed. Visitors were able to

admire a unique display featuring twenty-

four cars, a 1902 coach, a 30-ton London

Midland & Scottish Royal train carriage and

an airplane.

Richard readily admits that bringing together

the collection was a labour of love; he is

passionate about cars. “We are especially

grateful to several Royal Warrant holding

companies for generously helping us to create

this special collection of transport to reflect the

essence of QEST and what craftsmanship has

meant to the automotive industry through the

decades,” he said. “Richard Charlesworth of

Bentley Motors, the providers of the current

State Limousines, was especially encouraging.”

Richard Watling approached Lord March

with the suggestion to mark HM The Queen’s

Diamond Jubilee. The Queen kindly granted

permission provided that enough cars of

importance remained to provide an attraction

for Sandringham Estate visitors.

Once the core of the display was established

research began to trace cars to replace those

leaving Sandringham. Mark Davenport, a

former President of the Sandringham RWHA,

generously agreed to lend cars to the Royal

Estate which enabled an international hunt

to commence. P&A Wood, the Rolls Royce

restorers, not only prepared The Queen’s

former state limousines for driving duty but

also loaned Silver Ghosts from the First World

War era to add to the collection left

at Sandringham.

In 2011 Richard received final approval from

Goodwood, with the proviso that it should

incorporate all forms of transport. The horse

drawn Edward VII town carriage lent by the

Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, an RAF

Chipmunk trainer and a train were all secured

with just weeks to spare. The whole journey

took more than three years from the kernel of

an idea to seeing the magnificent display on the

lawns, gleaming in the intermittent sunshine.

Richard cited three cars to which he had the

most attachment, namely the overall winner,

across all classes, the 1969 Aston Martin

DB6 Volante. This had been given to HRH

The Prince of Wales by The Queen for his

21st birthday and was famously driven away

from Buckingham Palace after TRH The

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding

celebrations. The second was a car found in

Australia. After much persuasion, the owner

agreed to it being shipped to England in

late April. It was particularly important as

the only driveable representative of seven

Daimler Landaus built for King George VI,

which after little use at home were sent to

Australia to take part in The Queen and

Prince Philip’s first tour of the

Commonwealth in 1953.

T

Royal cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance event.

“The Citroën was very precious; it needed two

presidents to approve its release,” exclaimed

Richard, naming his third car. “It transported

The Queen during her four-day state visit

to Paris in 1972. It is still part of the official

French presidential motor pool in the garage

of the Élysée Palace and it was only due to the

relations that I had established over two visits

to Paris that we were able to bring the car to

England and preserve the Entente Cordiale.”

President Sarkozy’s administration were

delighted that the 1972 Citroën Maserati

SM with extended open bodywork by Henri

Chapron would be part of such a historical

display, but then weeks before the Festival

of Speed, he was replaced at the ballot box

and negotiations had to recommence. It was

not until ten days before the opening that its

presence was confirmed.

Throughout the three year journey, Richard

worked closely with two trusted friends: Stuart

Wilkinson from the Transport Trust and Sean

Roberts. Stuart was responsible for all the

background research, tracing cars from around

the world and finding their owners. Sean,

a logistics and technical specialist ensured

that the cars, elderly and genteel ladies that

have been rarely moved, were transported

and looked after throughout their adventure.

He was supported by Nick Woodhouse of

Royal Warrant holding company, Sandicliffe

Garage whose team provided superb

technical facilities. None of this would have

been possible without the unstinting help

of many Royal Warrant holding companies

but especially that of principal sponsors,

Autoglym.

Most of the vehicles on display were built

especially for members of the Royal Family

and incorporated specific adaptations, such

as the possibility to remove the bumpers to

ensure a secure fit on the HMY Britannia,

whilst others showed their owners’

individuality, such as the Rolls Royce, Silver

Ghost, 1924, designed by Earl Mountbatten

to his own specification. It was his official

car as Viceroy of India in 1947 and carries his

mascot of a signalling sailor.

The car that attracted the most attention on

the lawn was the 1926 Rolls Royce, with its

bespoke aluminium coachwork. It was used

to drive HRH the Duke of Edinburgh in India

during a bird watching expedition in 1965. It

had originally been ordered by the Maharaja

of Bharatpur as a dowry for one of his

daughters but was never collected by his son-

in-law and it became the Maharaja’s transport

for country pursuits. It was therefore fitting

that HRH Prince Michael of Kent should have

driven it at the head of a procession to the

front lawn of Goodwood House for a special

Diamond Jubilee tribute to The Queen.

This was accompanied by much pomp and

ceremony, with marching Irish Guards and

extravagant fireworks.

Two other cars had travelled a considerable

distance and were widely appreciated; the

1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan “Bubble Top”,

Detroit came from the Henry Ford museum

in Dearborn. It was used by President Harry

Truman and subsequent presidents from

Dwight Eisenhower to Lyndon Jonson. The

Queen rode in it on her visit as the Princess

Elizabeth in 1951.

The motor industry relies on crafts in ways

that the driving public take for granted. The

precision that is expected in luxury vehicles

today is due to the craftsmanship that is

quietly brought to the polished wooden

dashboards, the leather upholstery, the

turning of a gear stick and in hundreds of

other components within each vehicle. Classic

cars revel in exquisite craftsmanship and

of the cars brought together at Goodwood

for the Celebration of Royal Travel, the best

example is probably the Shooting Brake

made for George V by Daimler in the 1930’s.

The back of the car can quickly transform

to accommodate eight around a table for a

shooting party lunch.

The train carriage was walked through

by over 10,000 visitors from twenty-four

countries; it had been used by many members

of the Royal family for forty years and it was

quite a feat to get it installed on the Cartier

lawn. When QEST scholar, Mia Sabel, a saddle

maker spotted a well-worn leather window

strap, she agreed to undertake repairs to

restore the windows to working order.

A classic celebration

QEST Goodwood Festival of Speed

Autoglym were the main sponsors and under

their CEO, Paul Caller supplied eight specialists

who looked after the cars and ensured that they

were in gleaming condition throughout the

four days. Many of the cars were very delicate

and needed specialist care to ensure their

protection in the interesting summer weather.

Paul Caller led his team from Autoglym for

weeks in advance, they took responsibility

for the cars and visited Sandringham as well

as attending the press day and naturally were

present for the full week of the Festival of

Speed. After the event, they ensured the cars

were returned correctly to their owners and

they exceeded all expectations.

The specialist insurance classic car brokers,

Hagerty in partnership with premium insurers

Hiscox, were responsible for all eventualities as

these priceless vehicles were moved across the

country and, in some cases, across the world.

John Walker and Sons displayed their

Diamond Jubilee Special Edition Scotch

Whisky made by Royal Warrant holders and

QEST scholars as well as providing major

financial support to make the event possible.

Sponsorship was a vital component to this

event and although conversations began in

2011, the final commitment was only received

ten days prior to the opening. This has enabled

all public donations and funds raised from the

charity auctions and raffles to go directly to

QEST’s Endowment Fund, with the generous

support of sponsors offsetting the running

costs of such a unique and prestigious display.

A reflection of hard work

QEST Scholars who have benefitted the motor industry

Richard McGuinness had for many years

repaired and restored wooden Thames boats.

He transferred his talents to rebuilding and

restoring woodwork for unusual vintage cars

and applied to QEST in 2008 for funding.

QEST is one of the few organisations that

will award scholarships for more mature

students, or those moving into second careers.

As Richard was aged 41 he was not entitled

to funding from any other source and yet the

£2,200 that he received from QEST enabled

him to gain additional skills and move into

full time restoration of ash framed car bodies.

Jason Williams is a fully qualified welder,

metal fabricator and panel beater. His

grandfather had encouraged his passion

for classic car restoration and he had set

up his own mobile welding service. He was

awarded £3,800 in 2009 and is now able to

restore vehicles that are earlier than the 1950’s

using an ‘old school’ method to ensure that

British motoring heritage can be enjoyed for

generations to come.

QEST Scholars have a ball

QEST scholars came together in a special

marquee and as well as displaying their work,

helped to sell raffle tickets and collect donations.

Farrier Kaye Nelson was the star of the

fundraising team. She also displayed a variety of

horse shoes and other items, such as belt buckles

that she forges. Mia Sabel set up a bench within

the marquee, giving visitors the opportunity

to see the saddlemaker at work. Mel Howse,

a stained glass and enamel artist showed the

diversity of her craft from a colourful bath to

an etched portrait and a stunning glass cocktail

cabinet. Eleanor Bird, a traditional stained glass

artist, displayed the crucial stages involved in

creating a complex window.

The scholars attended the Ball at Goodwood

House, where Mia Sabel won a raffle prize

for a tandem skydive with the Red Devils.

It did not take much to persuade Mel Howse

to join her in this challenge and both plan to

use the opportunity to raise further funds for

QEST. Watch out for sponsorship requests

through Justgiving.com.

Mel Howes displaying in the QEST Marquee

Lord Ilyffe loaned a scaled model of the Windrush to ensure that all forms of transport were represented. The boat had previously been displayed on HMS Britannia. The Windrush had been used by The Queen on a swan upping ceremony on the Thames.

Paul Caller and Richard Watling

Summer 2012

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