Hayles and Howe Triumph at Buckingham Palace
Hayles and Howe have been delighted to work in many Royal Households over the past twenty years. Last year the company successfully completed the conservation of sixteen Scagliola columns in the beautiful Music Room of Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, in the borough of Westminster, London UK.
The Music Room is part of the John Nash reconstruction of the Palace that took place around 1825. The rich blue Scagliola may have been intended to simulate Lapis Lazuli by the addition of slivers of metal including tin, copper and brass to the Scagliola. The metal effected an early corrosion causing spalling which continued through the heavy shellac varnish. Over a short period the combination of the surface varnish and internal spalling created a severe darkening in colour, concealing the beauty of the white and gold veining in the Scagliola as well as the original sparkling from the polished metal.
Hayles and Howe’s Managing Director David Harrison originally inspected these columns in 2003 following the company’s successful manufacture and installation of 28 Scagliola columns and pilasters in the Queen’s Gallery, for which the company won the ‘Crabb Silver Salver’ in 2003. The company’s technical team visited the Palace to clean back a sample part of the columns to ascertain a constructive way to restore the lovely columns to their former glory.
Centre picture is the Scagliola team in the Music Room, from left; Mike Berry, Krzysztof Szmyt, Ilona Szmyt, Mark Burston, Mike Trigg and Ben Francis
Hayles and Howe Highly Commended by the FPDC
We are delighted to receive a Highly Commended Award from the FPDC for our work at Greenway House in Devon. The work included internal stabilization of ceilings and cornices and externally replacing failed render, the façade required considerable repairs to bring back the sharpness of the original scheme.
|
|
|
THE BEACON THEATRE RESTORATION PROJECT
|
Hayles and Howe have been delighted to be involved in this prestigious multi million dollar restoration of The Beacon Theatre in New York located at Broadway and 74th Street in Manhattan which was the brainchild of impresario Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel. This fabulous theatre is an eclectic mix of styles, including Greek, Roman, Renaissance and Rococco. This fabulous and carefully researched restoration project has returned this designated New York landmark building to its original splendour and will provide a truly unique and exciting Theatrical and concert experience.
 |
The restoration has focussed on all historic aspects of the interior public spaces of the building, backstage and back-of-house areas.
The restoration has been based on extensive historic research, as well as detailed on site examination of original decorative painting techniques that have been covered by layers of paint for many years.
|
Hayles and Howe have been involved in the restoration of the extremely complex organic ‘Scagliola’ wainscot in the fabulous Rotunda Lobby and the ornamental plasterwork in the Moorish-inspired “tent like” main auditorium ceiling.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment group has targeted The Beacon theatre to re-open in February 2009. |
|
GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL
|
|
HRH The Princess Royal attends the unveiling of the substantial and delicate restoration of King Edward’s Tomb in Gloucester Cathedral.
 
The Hayles and Howe team were delighted to be involved in this historical project which involved the replacement and stabilisation of considerable detail from the decorative Caen Stone Canopy surrounding King Edward’s alabaster Effigy.
 |
The Tomb of King Edward 11 is of National importance and lies in the North Ambulatory of the Cathedral. The Tomb was ordered by Edward 111 and created by William Ramsey in the Fourteenth Century.
At this time the tomb became a significant focus of pilgrimage which enabled the then Abbey Church to fund changes to the building and create the stunning cloisters. |
The Cathedral and Cloisters were famously transformed into interiors at Hogwarts School for two of the Harry Potter films and are well worth a visit. | |
New Offices...
Hayles and Howe successfully relocated to their new premises at Mead Rise, Bristol in 2008 .After starting with an empty refurbished unit, the challenge to install and build all the facilities required to take us forward was successfully achieved by a great team effort over a period of three months.
Having more space has given us the opportunity to take on large production projects but also to keep up the quality that Hayles and Howe delivers.
Niall Harris .Foreman
|
