Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/6
Page:
Description
Architectural Newspaper articles from the Yorkshire Post
Architectural Newspaper articles from the Yorkshire Post, 6.2.1931
Date: 1930-31
Transcription
Co-operation between municipal authorities and the architectural profession was a
subject of several of the speeches at the
annual dinner of the West Yorkshire
Society of Architects, held last night at
the Great Northern Hotel, Leeds. Mr.
Norman Culley, of Huddersfield. President
of the Society, occupied the chair.
The toast of the Royal Institute of
British Architects, the West Yorkshire
Society of Architects, and other allied
societies was proposed by Mr. Gerald C.
Veale. who, referring to the Registration
Bill, said it seemed to him that it was a
matter of real importance, because, whilst
membership of their ereat Institute was
necessarily and obviously the hall-mark of
an architect's qualifications, it was, as far
as he knew, possible for him and any other
incompetent person to put a brass plate on
the door and announce to the world that,
they were carrying on the profession of
architects. There was no doubt that the
profession not only demanded great skill
but also imposed upon those practising it
a sense of very real responsibility, and it
was a matter of real importance to the
public at large.
The people owed a debt to architects
that they could never repay, but they
asked that the debt should be increased.
We lived in an industrial age, and there
never was a time when beauty in form
and outline was more necessary. Why
should there be slums at all? Why should
there be those red brick abortions which
spoiled our cities and desecrated the
countryside ? W as it too much to hope
that, at a time when social services were
being ministered to with an orgy of expenditure that had never been known, members of their profession should be given
the direction of what had hitherto been
given to the jerry builder?
"SMOKE MEANS BRASS."
Mr. Henry M. Fletcher (vice-president
of the Royal Institute of British Architects), who took tho opportunity of congratulating Leeds upon its admirable
school of architecture, and Mr. Addison,
the head of tho school, upon the award to
him of the R.I.B.A. Athens bursary,
responded to the toast.
Turning to the work of the modern architect, particularly in relation to industrial
centres, Mr. Fletcher said he thought the
slogan "Smoke means Brass"—which was
probably invented in "Lancashire or some
of those outlying districts"—ought to be
amended. Smoke was waste of brass. It
was responsible for illness, which caused
doctors' fees; transport fees, through
delay; and exaggerated laundry bills. And
it meant inefficient fuel. It led to depression, and loss of working hours. " If you
care about civilisation, give more power to
the architects," he added.
The Chairman, who also responded, said
they were endeavouring in West Yorkshire
to create a knowledge and lovo of architecture, particularly in some of the cities and
towns where, it might appear, some of the
eminent citizens had never known of
Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.