The Duke of Preservation dies
A memorial service for our president, the Duke of Grafton KG FSA, was held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Monday 27 June. He died on 7 April at the age of 92, having devoted much of his life to conservation, gaining the nickname The Duke of Preservation.
He was a past chair of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the Historic Churches Preservation Trust, the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Church of England’s Cathedral Advisory Commission and Sir John Soane’s Museum. He was also vice chair of the National Portrait Gallery.
Regency Society vice president John Wells-Thorpe first met him during his tenure at the Royal Fine Arts Commission. "He was a tall and elegant figure and was as unmistakably 'old money' as he was patrician, which made him quite daunting on first acquaintance," he remembers.
Other members of the Society met the Duke at 50th anniversary dinner at the Royal Pavilion and enjoyed his hospitality during our 2004 study tour of East Anglia, when he and the Duchess invited our group for a private visit to his seat, Euston Hall, and gave us tea.
"It was a very special day that gave a real insight into life in a stately home," says member Tony Hadley, who has kindly shared a few photographs.
