We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the Dutch Guild of Plasterers (Het Neerlandsch Stucgilde) to the United Kingdom for a remarkable study tour. The trip, organised with the help of my good friend Lee Carver – himself UK-born, trained, and now an accomplished plasterer living in Holland with his Dutch family – brought together over twenty delegates.
One of the highlights of the visit was a special tour of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers’ Hall at London Wall, where members of the Guilder experienced first-hand the rich history and traditions of the craft. The itinerary also included visits to Windsor Castle, Spencer House, and other sites of architectural and historical significance.
The Dutch Guild has been a cornerstone of the plastering community for 24 years, with its 25th anniversary celebration set for May next year. Our connection with the Guilder was forged during a two-day ornamental plaster training course in Holland last year, where Lee, Kevin Brown, and I taught fibrous plaster, GRG, and related techniques at a leading building college. It was this successful collaboration that inspired the UK visit.
By Keith Langden
Lath and Plaster 