The longstanding historic links between the cities of York and New York have been renewed with a new ledger stone. Currently on its way to New York, the stone was designed by stonemason Richard Bossons, who was responsible for creating York Minster’s statue of Queen Elizabeth II. 

It goes without saying that the two cities have an unbreakable bond through the history of their names (New York was named in 1664) and in 1924, New York presented the city of York with a bronze plaque, which is currently housed in York Guildhall. The new ledger stone marks the centenary of this gift. 

The stone was unveiled by HRH Duke of Gloucester, Patron of the St George’s Society of New York, on 11 July last year, a date that also signified the formal affiliation of the Company of the Merchant Adventurers of the City of York and the St George’s Society of New York. On arrival in New York, the stone will be formally unveiled during a special evensong and civic reception at the Church of St Thomas in the city on 5 May. 

The Very Reverend Dominic Barrington, Dean of York, said: “York and New York have a deeply rooted history, and continue to remain connected in many ways, from education, business, and culture. We’re extremely excited that we’ve reached the next step in the programme of celebration marking the centenary of this historic moment as we look to further develop connections between the two cities. 

"It also comes at a time where work on our Centre of Excellence is well underway, a project that will establish the York Minster Precinct as a world class campus facility for heritage craft skills, so we’re delighted to be able to showcase the talent of our stonemasons and the scheme on an international scale through this gift."

Mark Aiston, 2nd Vice President of St. George’s Society of New York and owner of Aiston Fine Art Services, who is sponsoring the shipment of the stone and travelled to York especially to accompany the stone back to New York, added: “I am thrilled to be a part of such an important project for both the City of York and for New York City, particularly as it marks the 100th anniversary of a similar event for which the City of York was then the recipient. I hope many other visitors from York add this to their list of things to see in Manhattan too."

Read an exclusive interview with the team working on the Centre of Excellence project in the Spring issue of Stone Specialist out later this month.

A memorial celebrating the life of Sir Ernest Shackleton created by sculptor Will Davies will be dedicated by the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle at Westminster Abbey on 15 February. The stone will be located in the Abbey's south cloister, close to a memorial to pioneering sailors Captain James Cook, Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Francis Drake.

The memorial, created in Will's Hampshire studio, incorporates natural stone including Connemara marble and Kilkenny limestone to reflect Shackleton's Irish heritage. Born in Ireland in 1874, Shackleton moved to London as a boy and, at the age of 16, he joined the Merchant Navy, qualifying as a master mariner in 1898. Shackleton's first experience of the polar regions was as third officer on Captain Robert Falcon Scott's Discovery expedition of 1901–1904, from which he was sent home early on health grounds. In 1907, Shackleton returned to Antarctica, leading the Nimrod expedition. Within 97 miles of the South Pole, he decided to turn back as food supplies were low.

His most notable expedition was that of Endurance in 1914, where he hoped to achieve the first crossing of the White Continent from the Weddell Sea via the South Pole to the Ross Sea. Although he was unsuccessful in reaching the destination, the survival of his crew highlighted his exceptional leadership.

During his career, Shackleton was awarded the Polar Medal, which is presented by the British monarch to recognise outstanding achievements in the field of the polar research; fourteen medals by other nations; and eighteen medals by geographical and learned societies. Shackleton is remembered as one of the key figures associated with the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. He died in 1922 at the age of 47.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle said: "Shackleton’s name conjures up a little bit of an old and familiar narrative about a great man with remarkable courage and resilience.  That is true, but it does not do justice to his achievement.  Shackleton was more than an explorer, he was a story teller.  A pioneer in photography and film and an inspiring speaker, he planted the idea and image of the Antarctic in our imaginations.  Shackleton helped persuade us towards a new excitement about science and a deeper reverence for the world in which we live.  This memorial will help sustain that legacy of wonder."

You can read more about the memorial and the work of Will Davies in the next issue of Stone Specialist – out later this month.

The Lettering Arts Trust will present its latest exhibition entitled 'The Nereids’ from 22 February to 23 April at West Downs Gallery, Winchester. The exhibition depicts 27 benign, mythical nymphs of Ancient Greece who represented the sea’s rich abundance and protected sailors and fishermen. Each Nereid is a personification of a particular attribute of the sea.  They have been interpreted by some of the foremost contemporary lettering artists working in the UK. These intriguing artworks rendered in different media illustrate the specialist skill of calligraphy, etching, letterpress and hand letter carving.

Among the lettering artists contributing work to this show are Alan Kitching, Nina Bilbey, Annet Stirling, Cherrell Avery, Charlotte Howarth, Peter Furlonger and Sue Hufton – to name but a few.  This exhibition also provides an opportunity for some up-and-coming lettering artists to show their skills. This next generation is influenced by its forebears but is bringing a new, contemporary sensibility to lettering art. 

The Nereids at the West Downs Gallery include ‘Doris’ who represents the sea’s bounty; ‘Doto’ who gave safe passage to sailors; ‘Glauke’ of the ‘blue-grey’ waters; ‘Menippe’ denoting horses manes as breaking waves. Each unique artwork is for sale, with prices ranging from £250 to £2,500. 

On 6 March at 6pm, there will be a special lecture called: Thetis and her sisters: Nereids in Greek myth and thought, by Dr Polly Stoker, who leads the BA (Hons) programme in Classical Studies at the University of Winchester. The talk will examine how the Nereids played an important role in Greek myth and thought and were a popular subject for ancient authors and artists. It is one of the events hosted by the University of Winchester to mark International Women's Day 2024.  Tickets are available to book via Eventbrite at https://Nereids.eventbrite.co.uk

Karoline Newman, exhibition curator and a Trustee of The Lettering Arts Trust said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the University of Winchester to bring the intricate work of contemporary lettering artists to new audiences. The Nereids is a touring show that engages on many levels – artistic, classical, and craft appreciation. It demonstrates that the precious craft of hand lettering and hand carving is as relevant today as it always has been – and cannot be replaced or replicated by machines.  It is really important that we conserve and sustain this important heritage craft for the future.”

Proceeds from all sales contribute to the work of the Lettering Arts Trust which supports the training of the next generation of lettering artists.

The exhibition is set to travel across the UK and any organisations or galleries interested in hosting the exhibition should contact Caroline via email: director@letteringartstrust.org.uk

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) said it supports the Government's pledge to refresh its Help to Grow campaign following a recent announcement. In this announcement, the Government said it will reassert its commitment to make the UK the best place to start and grow a small business.

It is understood that the Help to Grow campaign will see the introduction of a Small Business Council that will build on the Department of Business and Trade’s (DBT) existing support for SMEs and provide a bespoke forum for small businesses to be represented within Government. There will also be more resources available and a 12-week intensive management course that is 90% subsidised by the Government and aims to improve SME leadership and management skills.

The NFB supports this announcement and, after advocating for SMEs for several years, appreciates the recognition of the importance of SMEs to the economy.

Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the NFB, said: “This announcement is good news; however, it will be vital for the council to understand the needs of specific industries, as well as promoting existing regulations that already support them. SMEs within the construction industry train 7 in 10 apprentices and makes up 90% of training capacity, so their health is front and centre to the construction industry, delivering 9% of the UK’s GDP and employing 2.7 million people.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, NFB’s Head of Policy and Market Insight, added: “The Small Business Council must identify and tackle the specific policy barriers to support and enable small businesses. In planning, as one of many examples we can offer, design codes will bring much needed certainty, but disjointed decarbonisation and environment policy will remove those gains and add new costs and complexities, which will disproportionately harm SMEs the most.”