Robert Merry is an independent stone consultant and project manager who ran his own company for 17 years. He also acts as an expert witness. And here he adds a bit of holiday fun with the Big Fat Stone Quiz and a few Christmas crackers.

So, you think you know about stone? Well, try this.

The Big Fat Stone Quiz of the year spans contracts, buildings, masonry, people and stone.

I was going to call it the Big Fat Robert Merry Stone Quiz, but it seemed wrong somehow.

Answers are printed at the bottom.

Good luck.

Contracts

1. What does J.C.T. stand for?

2. What is the other and shorter name for the Local Democracy, Economic Development & Construction Act 2009?

3. In a Design & Build Contract, who normally pays the build Architect?

4. What does NEC stand for?

5. What is a payless notice?

Masonry

What is…

1.         A Quatrefoil

2.         A Ballflower

3.         Cock and Hens

4.         Flying Buttress

5.         Frig Bob

6.         Shoddy

Buildings

1.         Name the six buildings nominated for the 2016 Sterling Prize (award yourself one point per building).

2.         Name the Architectural Practice that designed the winning 2016 Sterling building.

3.         Which Building won the Scottish Design Awards 2016.

4.         What 17 were closed in Edinburgh in March, after 90 miles an hour winds in January?

5.         Which window was newly opened and auctioned off at the same time in October?

6.         How much will it cost to renovate the Houses of Parliament, according to this magazine last month?

7.         Name the City of London’s Building of the year.

People

Who (is)…

1.         President of the Stone Federation Great Britain?

2.         President of EuroRoc?

3.         Government Minister for Construction?

4.         The British stone carver who won the European Stone Festival in Salzburg this year for the third time?

5.         The person who carved the Pride of Kilkenny to celebrate the Kilkenny Hurling team?

6.         Seeking a London home for the fabulous Cloak of Conscience sculpture?

Stones in the news in 2016

1.         Which stone was used in the Chelsea Flower show award for the Best Garden Construction?

2.         The operation of which Bath Stone quarry transferred to Lovell this year?

3.         Which stone is quarried at Syreford Quarry and 3 Gates Quarry?

4.         Which Grant bought some Real Block and Stone?

5.         Whose ‘Archaeology and History of an Industry’ won the British Archaeological Award for Best Archaeological Book?

You would find most of the answers in this year’s editions of Natural Stone Specialist. The reports are also posted online.

And to conclude, some jokes – not very Christmasy but they might bring a smile to your face.

Two fish in a tank, one turns to the other and asks – who’s driving this thing?

Why do Elephants have big ears? Because Noddy wouldn’t pay the ransom.

Two Parrots on a perch. One turns to the other and says – Do you smell fish?

Why will you never go hungry in the desert? Because of the sand-which-is there!

I hope you have enjoyed 2016. Next year will hold many challenges for us all: Climate change; the beginning of the exit from the European Union; health & safety; data protection legislation; a rising cost of living; mad leaders of the free world; Ed Balls winning Strictly. Have fun adding a few of your own.

Have a peaceful holiday.

Robert Merry, MCIOB, ran his own stone company for 17 years and is now an independent Stone Consultant and Project Manager. He is also an expert witness in disputes regarding stone and stone contracts. Tel: 0207 502 6353 / 07771 997621.

ANSWERS

Contracts

1. Joint Contracts Tribunal.
2. The Construction Act
3. The Main Contractor (not the client)
4. The New Engineering Contract
5. A notice sent by the payer (normally the contractor) to the payee (the subcontractor) when they are reducing the payment.

Masonry

1. Tracery detail having four petal shaped openings.
2. 13th and 14th century decorative ornament carved in the hollow of mouldings based on a three petalled flower surrounding a ball.
3. Term for alternate tall and shallow coping stones on top of a wall.
4. A free-standing buttress linked to the building by a section of arch to resist lateral stresses.
5. A large hand saw (usually two man) for sawing large blocks of soft limestone.
6. Small brick-shaped stones, sawn on 5 sides and roughly pitched on the face.

Buildings

1. Blavatnik School of Government; City of Glasgow College, Riverside Campus; Newport Street Gallery; Outhouse, Forest of Dean; Trafalgar Place, Elephant and Castle; Weston Library, Oxford.
2. Caruso St John Architects.
3. City of Glasgow College, Riverside Campus.
4. Schools, after walls started to collapse in high winds.
5. Canterbury Cathedral – The Great South Window.
6. £3.8 billion.
7. One New Ludgate by Fletcher Priest Architects .

People

1. Dr Tim Yates of BRE.
2. Peter Harrison.
3. Jesse Norman MP.
4. Alex Wenham.
5. Barry Wrafter.
6. Anna Chromy.

Stones in the news in 2016:

1. Forest of Dean sandstone.
2. Hartham Park Bath Stone.
3. Syreford Quarry = Cotswold Oolitic Limestone; 3 gates Quarry = Guiting.
4. Grants of Shoreditch bought Block Stone and some of the assets of Realstone in July.
5. Welsh Slate – Archaeology and History of an Industry by David Gwyn.