Trustees
The Executive Committee:
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Chairman:
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Paul Avis
BA Hons Arch, Oxford
Paul's architectural projects include Harvard University Faculty Club, Fort Belvedere Windsor Great Park, and Bernoudi House (pupil of Frank Lloyd Wright) Long Island, with a speciality in historic and glass buildings. His project for Harvard won a major award. Paul is currently the Vice-chairman of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society. He has given a number of talks on Decimus Burton and surveyed some of his work.
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Vice-Chairman:
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Aimee Felton
Associate Director at Donald Insall Associates
Aimee is a specialist in the architectural restoration of historic buildings across the private, hospitality, estate and commercial sectors including project management services. She was project architect for the restoration of the Temperate House, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, completed in May 2018.
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Secretary:
Dr Chris Jones
Chris is currently the Archivist at the Salomon’s Museum in Southborough, and is an active member of the Royal Tunbridge wells Civic Society and Local History Group. He produces the newsletter for the Civic Society.
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Treasurer:
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To be appointed
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Head of Marketing:
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Caroline Auckland
MA Victorian Studies, Birkbeck, London University. BA Hons Communication Studies, Sunderland Polytechnic
Caroline worked as a buyer for Marks & Spencer specialising in publishing and is now employed locally in Tunbridge Wells as a website and social media coordinator for a local business. She is passionate about being creative with community engagement and finding hidden stories relating to people and places to present on a digital platform. She also promotes charities and friends groups across various social media platforms particularly those with an interest in heritage.
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Conservation Adviser:
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Stuart Page
Stuart Page RIBA is an architect specialising in the conservation and adaption of historic buildings to new uses. Projects include Ightham Mote and Hurstmonceux Castle. His work at Ightham earned him the English Heritage Carpenters’ Award, RICS Conservation Award, Stone Industries Commendation, RIBA Conservation Award Europa Nostra Diploma and European Community Award for Cultural Heritage.
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Archivist and Education Resource Co-Ordinator:
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Amanda-Jane Doran:
Amanda-Jane is a freelance curator, editor and writer in the area of 19th and 20th century illustrated books and magazines. She spent many years working on the Historic Book Collection at the RA, archiving the Punch collection, and organising specialist exhibitions. She spent several years with the Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery, where she developed resources for children, and is currently at Ightham Mote.
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Extraordinary member:
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Guy Fearon:
Guy is a descendant of Decimus Burton, being the great great grandson of Decimus Burton’s sister, Jessey, who married John Peter Fearon. After studying History of art , he became the fourth generation of the family to qualify and work as a solicitor, until retiring from full time practice. From an early age he and his brothers were encouraged to visit properties attributed to both Decimus and James Burton ,by their late father, John Raymond Fearon, who was a very keen advocate of the importance of both Burtons at a time when their work was not fully acknowledged. John made various contributions to restoration programmes for some of the Burton properties and monuments.
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Patrons:
HRH Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia
A member of the House of Karadordevic, the former ruling family of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Katarina manages her own business and undertakes various commercial work internationally. She is also a patron of The Burtons' St.Leonard’s Society.
Sir Donald Insall CBE
Architect, conservationist and author, who has been described as one of the leading conservation architects of his generation. His architectural practice, Donald Insall Associates includes within its portfolio Windsor Castle, The Palace of Westminster, Somerset House, Kelmscott Manor, Goldsmths’ Hall, Mansion house, and Decimus Burton’s The Holme, Regents Park and The Temperate House Kew.
His publications include The Care of Old Buildings(1957), Chester: A Study in Conservation(1968), The Care of Old Buildngs Today: A Practical Guide(1972) andLiving Buildings: Architectural Conservation, Philosophy, Principles and Practice (2008 & 2018).
President:
Dr Philip Whitbourn OBE, PhD, FSA, FRIBA, FRTPI, IHBC
Architect and planner. Philip worked for 20 years in the Historic Buildings Division of the former Greater London Council, and for approximately 10 years at English Heritage, where he became Chief Architect and Regional Director for the South Region. He was Secretary of ICOMOS-UK (1995-2002) where he was involved in the development of management plans for World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom. Dr Whitbourn is the author of "Decimus Burton Esquire Architect and Gentleman (1800-1881)", 2003. In 1981, he co-operated with Philip Miller over the staging of an exhibition the Building Centre in London to commemorate the centenary if Decimus Burton death. He is considered a leading authority on the life and the work of Burton.
Vice-President:
Dr (Lady) Jennifer Freeman OBE
Background in finance and built heritage in which she has qualifications , including a post-graduate diploma in building conservation. Awarded OBE for services to heritage in 2012 and Honorary Doctorate of Arts for Services to Architecture, especially Conservation. Jennifer is an active freelance writer, lecturer and specialist developer of listed buildings ‘at risk’. She is also an active member of many bodies including the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery (where Decimus Burton is buried), National Churches Trust, Fabric Advisory Committee of ST Paul’s Cathedral, the Chapels Society and SAVE Britain’s Heritage, and previously for Historic Chapel Trust, Victorian Society, the Civic Trust, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, London Committee of English Heritage and Council for the Care of Churches. She has often acted as an expert witness at public enquiries.
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