The Dean and Chapter of York- Where are they now?
01/06/2009
Issued by: York Minster
Six young people designed six bosses for the South Transept roof after winning a competition run in 1986 by the BBC TV ‘Blue Peter' programme. Their names are Rebecca-Rose Welsh, Richard Gaston, Laura Smith, Ben Kerslake, Tim Hutchinson and Joanna Biggs.
We would like to find these six people because we want to invite them to a public service of commemoration and thanksgiving at 12.30pm on Thursday 9th July 2009 in the Minster. We would also like to invite anyone who was involved in or touched by the 1984 fire or the four-year restoration of the South Transept roof to attend the service.
The service will be followed by a ‘bring your own' picnic lunch in the Chapter House in York Minster. If the weather is nice we will eat outside in Dean's Park. Anyone with memories of the fire and restoration is welcome, with an opportunity to bring along any (portable) memorabilia to show and explain informally with others present.
As well as the service and lunchtime gathering on the 9th July, an exhibition in the Minster's Chapter House Vestibule from early July to late August will celebrate the people who saved the rest of the Minster from destruction on the night of the fire, and who helped restore it to its former glory.
During the restoration of the roof, which lasted four years, ‘Blue Peter' ran a competition for children to design six of the new bosses on the ceiling of the 13th century roof. Bosses are integral to the structure of any vaulted roof and are essentially the keystones of ceilings. The six winners who designed the bosses were invited to the ‘Dedication of the Roof and Vault of the restored South Transept' on 4th November 1988 where they met the Queen.
We would like to contact the boss designers and invite them to return to the Minster and join in the celebrations of what was one of the largest cathedral restoration projects ever undertaken.
If anyone knows the winners, or has any information on how we can contact them, please contact kendalc@yorkminster.org or call 01904 557248
For further information on events and exhibitions taking place around the 25th anniversary of the fire please check http://www.yorkminster.org/
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