Trustee News

Spring 2008

Jane Brown, who has been a trustee of The Lutyens Trust since its foundation in 1985, has told us that she wishes to step down. Jane played a leading role in setting up the trust and building the membership in the early days and also served as the trust’s Hon Secretary. We are indebted to her for that and also for taking responsibility for Goddards, when Bill Hall so kindly donated the house to the trust – going to live there, caring for the house and garden and showing round some 4,000 visitors.

Jane’s knowledge of garden history and her celebrated books on the working together of Lutyens and Jekyll, provided the trust with expertise in this special area, which complemented perfectly the trust’s main architectural focus.

For this tremendous contribution, the trustees are very grateful to Jane and look forward to seeing her at Trust events and to picking her brains when needed, for many years to come.

To replace Jane, the trustees are very pleased to welcome Mervyn Miller, who has accepted their invitation to join them as a new trustee. Mervyn has been Architectural Adviser to the trust for many years: his knowledge of the work of Edwin Lutyens is unsurpassed, as those who have read his published work and heard him speak will testify.

Added to this, Mervyn’s experience and expertise in the planning process is vitally important to the stream of casework which he handles for the trust and the part he plays in the preservation of Lutyens buildings as they change hands – and use – with increasing regularity.

Lastly, the trustees were concerned to hear in mid-January, that Charles Lutyens, head of the family and our Hon Treasurer, was in hospital, awaiting a heart bypass operation. The operation has now been successfully completed and Charles is recovering at home. Our thoughts are with him and his family and we wish him a complete and speedy recovery.

Martin Lutyens