The people behind Big Ben: Lincoln Conservation Tickets and Dates

The people behind Big Ben: Lincoln Conservation

Did you know that the clockface of Elizabeth Tower is actually blue?

Join us in our newest free online talk - the latest in our series where we meet some of the specialists behind the historic project of conserving Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben - to hear from the conservation experts at Lincoln Conservation, University of Lincoln who undertook the daunting task of analysing the paintwork of the clockface in order to restore the original vision of architects Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin hidden underneath.

This free 45-minute talk will be hosted by Phillipa McDonnell and Rhiannon Clarricoates, research fellows and conservators at Lincoln Conservation. Book your ticket to hear about the conservation team's process of combining extensive academic research, scientific practice and expert knowledge of historic decoration, and how this allowed them to uncover six layers of different paints from throughout the Tower's history.

At the end of the talk, an additional 15 minutes will be available for you to ask questions.

Speakers

Phillipa McDonnell
Phillipa is a conservator and Architectural Paint Researcher at Lincoln Conservation, University of Lincoln. Following a BA in Art History at Warwick University, she completed her Grad Dip and AHRC funded internship and master's at University of Lincoln in 2015. She worked as an archivist for The Royal Household Property Section, before taking up a full-time role at Lincoln Conservation. Her interests include digital heritage, and the research and conservation of historic interiors, with a particular focus on wallpaper and 19th century painted decoration. She is currently part of the working group creating EU standards for investigation and documentation of built heritage finishes and is undertaking a PhD in late 19th century house paint.

Rhiannon Clarricoates
Rhiannon is an accredited easel paintings conservator at Lincoln Conservation, University of Lincoln. She completed her BA in Conservation and Restoration at De Montford University, and her MA in Conservation of fine art at University of Northumbria. Rhiannon has over 16 years' experience in the commercial conservation sector, where she has worked on projects in iconic properties such as Hampton Court Palace, The British Museum, and Stowe School. Rhiannon is also an Assessor for V&A/ICON Conservation and Collection Care Technician's Diploma, part of the Lincolnshire Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches, and a committee member of the ICON Paintings group.


Image credit: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

This is an online event and will be hosted on Microsoft Teams which you can access through web browsers like Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge. Safari is not currently supported. You do not need a Microsoft account to join the event. We will send full details of how to join the event online following registration.