Two weeks ago, we published this photo from the days when architectural models were hand-carved out of wood and nothing said steely determination quite like a well-appointed pipe. We asked you to provide as much information as you could about what was going on and such was the response that we had to devise an incredibly complex scoring system to determine a winner.
As almost everyone knew, the people shown were the chaps at R Seifert & Partners who were responsible for designing the old NatWest Tower, handed over in 1980. They were (left to right) architect Mike Byrne, project architect and partner Reginald Jenkins and chairman Colonel Richard Seifert.
Tony Smith, Sue Lindsey, Keith Young and Anthony Lynch knew that the picture was taken at the practice’s sixth floor offices at 164 Shaftesbury Avenue. Mr Lynch added that the colonel’s pipe was filled with Balkan Sobranie tobacco, and Mr Smith informed us that the building forms the NatWest logo when seen from above.
Mr Young, now with McBains Cooper, scored discretionary bonus points for reminiscence.
He wrote: “I joined Seifert in 1980 and had 15 great years there. It was a very professional and exciting office to work in. Mike, Reg and Colonel Seifert were three of the most talented and most pleasant people I have worked with.”
The winner however was Grahame Jenkins, the son of Reginald. He wrote: “Sadly both my father and Richard Seifert have passed away in the past few years but I understand that Mike Byrne is still playing trombone with his trad jazz band.
“They are, of course, standing behind a model of the NatWest Tower, presumably just after they had been appointed. That may be why they are looking pleased with themselves – although I prefer to think that my father is enjoying the irony that his son might win a free drink out of the occasion 25 years later.”
Many thanks to all who took part.
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