My father, John Promote, who has died aged 79, spent his profession championing the safety of historic buildings and areas. After qualifying as an architect within the Nineteen Sixties, John attended a course on the Society for the Safety of Historic Buildings (SPAB), which knowledgeable his path for the remainder of his profession.
He turned a vigorous advocate and knowledgeable within the restoration and safety of outdated buildings. All through his life and profession John cared passionately about creating and preserving stunning areas for the advantage of everybody.
John described William Morris as a political hero and carried on Morris’s imaginative and prescient to carry collectively individuals from all backgrounds and views to look after outdated buildings. Between 2006 and 2011 John served as chairman of the SPAB.
A passionate advocate of the European venture, throughout the Bosnian warfare of 1992-95 John suggested how greatest to protect the heritage that was being closely shelled. As a marketing consultant on cultural heritage to the British Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he recorded the state of the buildings below fireplace, at instances placing his personal life in danger to maintain the file.
When the partitions of Dubrovnik’s outdated metropolis have been being shelled, John’s remonstrations led to the beginning of his lifelong connection to the cultural organisation Europa Nostra, which he served as vice-president in 2004. At dwelling he was appointed chairman of the Nationwide Amenity Committees and extra latterly was a non-executive trustee for the Nationwide Belief. John was appointed CBE for companies to heritage.
Born within the hamlet of Ivinghoe Aston, in Buckinghamshire, John was one of many three youngsters of Olive, who labored at a Residents Recommendation Bureau, and Leslie, a director at HC Janes, the household’s housebuilding enterprise. He was educated at Berkhamsted boys’ college, Bryanston college and Luton Faculty of Know-how, the place he met Penelope Weightman. They married in 1965 and moved to Primrose Hill in London, the place John accomplished his skilled {qualifications} on the Architectural Affiliation and established his apply, Promote Postins, in partnership with David Postins.
Jane Wade joined the apply, which turned Promote Wade Postins, then later Promote Wade Consultants, and relocated to Faversham, Kent. It expanded to include backyard design; and John and Jane, who have been married in 1994 (Penny having died in 1980), labored collectively on a number of initiatives together with the restoration of the gardens at Cobham Corridor.
After Jane’s dying in 2014, John married Barbara Rutter and so they made the Caribbean island of Nevis their second dwelling. John turned concerned to find out extra in regards to the historical past and heritage of the island. Usually, he had discovered the choice makers and folks of affect and was already providing his help the place it could be useful. His capacity to make associates and increase change wherever he went continued proper as much as his dying.
John is survived by Barbara, his two youngsters, Emma and me, from his first marriage, two stepchildren, Rebecca and Amyas, from his second marriage, eight grandchildren, and his sister, Mary.
