Sir: Mr Harris's attack on the credentials of the Queen's
House Working Party must not be allowed to go unchallenged.
Harold Yexley is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a former Senior Architect with the Department of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings, with a And here comes the free set of tumblers.' lifetime's experience in the restoration of historic buildings, including Somerset House, the Banqueting House, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace, as well as the Queen's House projects of the 50s and 60s.
Geoffrey Parnell has had many years of experience as a member of the Crown Buildings Advisory Group, has excavated extensively at the Tower of London and done much documentary research on 17th- century buildings. His particularly valuable contribution to the Queen's House project was his ability to 'read' the actual structure of buildings rather than simply to analyse plans and drawings.
Erica Davies is a talented art historian who worked in the Picture Department of the NMM for ten years and made a special study of the Queen's House. Before com- ing to NMM she had worked for the Royal Commission on Historic Buildings. Ian Bristow is the country's leading expert in the analysis and restoration of historic paintwork.
All are able and intelligent scholars who immersed themselves in the Queen's , House and its history for more than six years. That gives them some claim to speak with authority.
The Working Party consulted a wide range of offical bodies and individuals including some of those listed by Mr Harris. At the end of the day, however, they had to come to their own conclusions and pursue their own path, because no two experts could be found to agree. The Working Party made no secret of their plans and were prepared to discuss them with anyone who showed interest at any time.
Unfortunately Mr Harris was unable to visit the Queen's House during the course of restoration, though cordially invited on more than one occasion. It is sad that his offer to sit on an honourary committee was made retrospectively. Perhaps he prefer- red to keep his powder dry for a broadside after rather than before the event.
Richard Ormond
Director, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London SE10
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