Dr Harold Plenderleith, widely regarded as the Father of Conservation, was born in Dundee in 1898, and as an archaeologist was involved in the excavations of the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt, Sir Leonard Woolley's site at Ur, and the Sutton Hoo ship burial. He went on to found the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at the British Museum in 1924. After retirement in 1959, he became the first Director of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property in Rome (ICCROM) where he served until 1971. He helped set up and then served on the Council of the International Institute for Conservation (IIC) from its creation in 1950 until 1971, and was IIC's President from 1965 to 1968.
Plenderleith was for many years the patron and honorary Chair of the Scottish Society for Conservation and Restoration (SSCR) – predecessor of the Icon Scotland Group. Plenderleith died in 1997, and the SSCR established a successful annual public lecture in his memory starting in 1998, the centenary of his birth.
Icon Scotland Group holds an annual Plenderleith Memorial Lecture to commemorate Dr Plenderleith with a talk, followed by a drinks reception and the opportunity to network with other conservators, in what has become one of the main conservation gatherings in Scotland. The Group’s AGM takes place prior to the lecture.
Invited speakers are leading figures in the conservation, heritage, archaeology or museum and galleries world. The lecture is usually held on the last Thursday in November each year at a venue in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dundee.
Please get in touch if you have suggestions for future speakers: [email protected].
Previous Speakers & Lectures
2024
Caroline Bendix ACR, From Vellum to Voicemail - Twenty-first Century Conservation Challenges (Technology and Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow)
2023
Prof. Christina Young, Conservation and the Kelvin Centre: Supporting Growth in Scotland (Engine Shed, Stirling)
2022
Dr Richard Mulholland (Northumbria University), Even on a Mountain, there is still a road’: Reflections on Conservation in post-Conflict Afghanistan (City Art Centre, Edinburgh)
2021
Sir Geoff Palmer OBE (Heriot-Watt University), An Evening with Human Rights Activist Sir Geoff Palmer (online)
2020
Euan Leitch (Built Environment Forum Scotland), A great disruption or 'plus ca change’? (online)
2019
Liz Davidson OBE (Glasgow School of Arts), After the dust has settled…Rediscovering the spirit of the Macintosh (The Lighthouse, Glasgow)
2018
David Saunders (Getty Rothschild Fellow), A Clearer View: New thinking on lighting in museums and galleries (Discovery Centre, Dundee)
2017
Helen Shenton (British Library), Conservation+ Personal Reflections on a Journey from Conservator to Director (National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh)
2016
Neil Brodie, Trafficking Culture project (St Mungo’s Church, Glasgow)
2015
Professor Sue Black, Dundee University (Discovery Centre, Dundee)
2014
Gael de Guichen, ICCROM (Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh)
2013
Philip Long, V&A Dundee (Discovery Centre, Dundee)
2012
Mark O’Neill, Glasgow Life (Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow)
2011
Dr David Mitchell, Historic Scotland (Edinburgh Castle)
2010
Prof. May Cassar, UCL (National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh)
2009
Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum (National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh)
2008
Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage (Royal Society of Edinburgh)
2007
Sarah Staniforth, National Trust (Royal Society of Edinburgh)
2006
Sir John Leighton, National Galleries of Scotland (NGS, Edinburgh)
2005
Dr James Tate, National Museums of Scotland (St Columba’s, Edinburgh)
2004
Dr Jonathan Ashley-Smith, Victoria & Albert Museum (St Columba’s, Edinburgh)
2003
Dr Peter Burman, University of York (St Columba’s, Edinburgh)
2002
Dr Andrew Oddy, British Museum (St Columba’s, Edinburgh)
2001
Prof. Norman Tennent, Rijksmuseum (Glasite Meeting House, Edinburgh)
2000
Clare Meredith FIIC, Paintings Conservator (Glasite Meeting House, Edinburgh)
1999
John McIntyre, National Library of Scotland (NLS, Edinburgh)
1998
James Simpson, Simpson & Brown Architects (Glasite Meeting House, Edinburgh)