Minutes Of The Cathedral 1931
January 16th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present and those who sent apologies. “The purpose of the meeting was to select 5 numbered exhibits and the designers of these would then be asked to make full plans for a Cathedral, suitable to the site on Stag Hill”. “Each of these 5 would be paid £500”.
The names of the five Architects were disclosed: Mr Harold Gibbons, Messers Thos. Worthington & son, Mr A.G. Crimp, Mr Edward Maufe, Mr W.J. Palmer Jones.
February 16th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present. The Committee felt it was very inadvisable to answer any letters of complaint that appeared in the press. Conditions for the final competition were discussed. It was decided that a copy of the conditions of the competition should be sent to all Committee members.
February 24th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present. Some Committee members felt that a limit should be set regarding the cost of the Cathedral. “Mr Neighbour was then asked to redraft the conditions, after he had explained that what the Committee required was not an ‘assessor’ in the technical sense of the word but rather an ‘expert adviser'”. It was decided that the sum total should be limited to £200,000 and that Mr Merriman be asked to proceed with the incorporation of the Committee.
March 10th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present and those who sent apologies. The redrafted conditions were discussed ‘clause by clause’ and they were in agreement of all with the exception of numbers 21 and 25, which dealt with the particulars of design and style. Copies of the redrafted conditions were sent to Mr Tapper and to the secretary of the R.I.B.A. It was stated that “a copy of the above mentioned conditions will be found in the Minute Book”
March 24th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present and those who sent apologies. There was a copy of a letter from Mr Tapper stating that he could not become the adviser because he would be violating the regulations of the R.I.B.A. A small committee was formed “to enquire into the legal position in regard to the R.I.B.A. and to Mr Tapper” and his report.
April 17th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present. “The Bishop read the report of the Sub-committee on the legal position of the new Cathedral Committee with regard to the R.I.B.A and Mr Tapper” and this was formally adopted. The Bishop had learnt there were other modes of conducting the final competition of the five selected architects e.g. instead of an Assessor there could be a jury of three or five. Mr Neighbour thought it would be advisable to obtain a definite statement in writing from the R.I.B.A. with regard to the alternative methods to conducting the competition.
May 26th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present. The Committee had interviewed the secretary of the R.I.B.A who had suggested that they were within their rights to appoint a jury to assess the competition. The ratio of architects to laymen in the jury was discussed. The Bishop asked for guidance on certain points connected with the terms of the competition. The Committee advised: (a) there should be a public exhibition (b) there should be seating for at least 1500 and should have uninterrupted view of the high altar (c) selected architects does not need to show plans of other buildings on the site beside the Cathedral but should indicate the layout on the whole site (d) any style of architecture was acceptable. It was agreed to send the R.I.B.A the conditions of the competition and obtaining their formal official acceptance. It was agreed that Mr Tapper should be asked to be one of the three architects on the jury.
July 13th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present and apologies. The redrafted conditions which had been approved by the R.I.B.A were read, some alterations were proposed and adopted. The three architects on the jury were Mr Tapper, Mr Curtis Green and Philip Johnston. Lord Middleton and the Archdeacon were the two laymen on the jury. It was agreed that the Committee should be turned into an incorporated society and the diocesan solicitor should be approached to draw up the necessary documents”.
October 16th 1931. Minutes: A list of those present. The Bishop explained it was necessary to call an emergency meeting owing to the financial crisis, there were two courses of action open to them (a) to pay the five architects their £500 and finally close all proceedings (b) to carry on the competition, choose a cathedral architect and hold over for a period short or long before beginning to build. Various discussions took place. It was “agreed to erect a wooden cross on Stag Hill on the cathedral site and to grant £100 for its expenses incurred in carrying out this proposal”.
June 27th 1931. Minutes: This meeting was held at the R.I.B.A. and the designs for the cathedral from the five selected competitors were exhibited for the inspection by the committee. The cost and seating accommodation for each exhibit was noted.
July 22nd 1931. Minutes: this meeting was also held at the R.B.I.A. The jury presented a report and they declared that they had awarded first place to Mr E. Maufe. “The Treasurer was authorised to pay the amount of 500 guineas to each of the 5 competitors and the fee of £125 to each of the professional members of the jury”. “The designs of the winner would be exhibited in Guildford at the time of the diocesan conference”.
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