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New introduction to the 1998 edition of

Plastering
Plain and Decorative

William Millar

The first edition of William Millar’s book Plastering: Plain and Decorative was published by B.T. Batsford in 1897. It met with considerable success and a second edition was brought out in 1899. In the autumn of 1903, whilst actively engaged in the revision of a third edition, Mr Millar was stricken with a severe illness and died in the early part of 1904. The third edition was eventually published in 1905, with additions and revisions by others. Notable additions were those on fibrous plaster, terracotta and concrete, but in format it remained basically the same as the first edition. A fourth edition was published in 1927, but this was considerably edited and revised by George P. Bankart, who omitted large sections and added complete chapters of his own.

Mr Millar was a Scottish plasterer active during the second half of the 19th century, the latter part of which was spent in and around London. He descended from a large family of plasterers, and was able to draw upon first hand knowledge and experience stretching back for generations. We are fortunate that Scotland once again produced someone who, like its architects, made a lasting contribution to our built heritage. His book had a major influence all over the United Kingdom and even in America.

Mr Millar’s book was the great labour of his life. Every page bears the impress of the directing hand of a master craftsman; a craftsman who not only knew and understood the history and practice of his craft, but who also appreciated its artistic possibilities. His book records and sets down the standards of good practice of the time and inspires its readers to understand the useful and decorative craft with which it deals.

A hundred years later the book is still viewed, by most traditional plasterers, as the plastering ‘bible’. Jeff Orton remembers, at the start of his apprenticeship in the early 1960s, being told about a legendary book which contained all the knowledge a plasterer would ever need to know. After a long search for a copy, and having studied and used it for over 30 years, he has found that, whilst this may not be completely true, it is a unique record of the skills and understanding that existed throughout the 19th century. Tim Ratcliffe has often referred to ‘Millar’ when working on the repair of historic buildings, or producing new details using traditional methods, and has always found it has something helpful or enlightening to say on the subject.

At a first glance, one can sometimes get the impression that Mr Millar is rambling, but with further reading it becomes obvious that the pages contain an incredible depth of knowledge. It can sometimes almost be like chatting with the man himself!

It is clear that his insight is based on years of practical experience. He writes, for example, about contemporary advances in plastering, like an angled running mould used to create mitred cornices. Having described in detail how to set up one of these running moulds, he then goes onto tell us that he has found them to be of little use (page 116).

Plastering – Plain and Decorative is not only an interesting historical document, it is a vital record of the skills and knowledge that existed 100 years ago. Much of this knowledge has been lost because of the de-skilling of the building trades and the demise of the apprenticeship system.

Traditional in situ plastering skills have also been lost because most specialists in decorative plaster use fibrous plastering methods. Fibrous plaster production is workshop based and, therefore, requires different skills from those used for in situ work. Mr Millar’s book describes traditional in situ skills, but also talks at length about fibrous plaster, describing it, rather prophetically, as the way forward for decorative plasterwork in the future. He does say, however, that it will never entirely supplant solid work (i.e. lath and plaster). One wonders what he would have made of plasterboard!

Over the last 5–10 years there has been an increasing awareness, amongst those involved in historic building conservation, that traditional skills are vitally important when carrying out repairs to old plasterwork. We have been pursuing the idea of reprinting Mr Millar’s book for quite some time and were delighted when Donhead Publishing decided to take up the gauntlet and reprint the first edition. It will, we believe, make a significant contribution to the general knowledge and understanding of traditional plastering methods, amongst both architects and plasterers. We hope that it will go further than this and encourage the raising of standards in the plastering trade and generate a new enthusiasm for this neglected craft.

This book is possibly more important now than it was a hundred years ago. At that stage traditional skills were still being handed down from generation to generation. Modern construction industry training, however, is designed to meet the needs of today, rather than teaching the skills of yesteryear. For people working in the field of historic building conservation, or simply in the repair of old houses, there is a need for a manual which explains the methods and materials of the past. There is a need to understand traditional techniques for conservation purposes, but more importantly, to enable reinstatement to be carried out on a ‘like for like’ basis. Such a manual exists in the form of Mr Millar’s book.

William Millar’s earnest desire was to spread and increase the knowledge of fine plastering skills. He left a magnificent legacy for future generations in Plastering: Plain and Decorative. The reprinting of this book pays tribute to his work, and should also, we hope, enable others to appreciate and understand better the art and craft of plastering, about which he cared so passionately.

Tim Ratcliffe (Architect) BA DipArch RIBA

Tim Ratcliffe is an architect working on historic buildings in and around the Midlands and North Wales. He joined Donald Insall Associates in 1997, having previously worked for Rodney Melville and Partners. In 1987 he was awarded a travelling scholarship by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and has also worked as a labourer for a number of specialist plastering and conservation contractors. He sits on the Technical Panel of the SPAB.

Jeff Orton (Plasterer) CRP MPCG

Jeff Orton served a full plastering apprenticeship from 1963–1968 with a traditional family firm, and gained a distinction in the Advanced Craft City and Guilds Examination. He is registered with the Worshipful Company of Plasterers (CRP) and in 1981 he attended the San Servolo Architectural Conservation Course for Craftsmen in Venice. Since 1987 he has worked for Trumpers Ltd, repairing and reinstating plasterwork in historic buildings for private clients as well as The National Trust and English Heritage.

Tim Ratcliffe and Jeff Orton are both members of the Plasterers’ Craft Guild and the Building Limes Forum. They give lectures and demonstrations together on traditional plastering techniques. The Plasterers’ Craft Guild was established, almost 50 years ago, to pursue the ideal of craft excellence within the plastering trade; through education and the ongoing development of skills in the industry. The Building Limes Forum was formed in 1992 to encourage the development of expertise and understanding in the use of lime in building.

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Plastering: Plain and Decorative