My father, John Sell, who has died aged 79, spent his career championing the protection of historic buildings and spaces. After qualifying as an architect in the 1960s, John attended a course at the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), which informed his direction for the rest of his career.
He became a vigorous advocate and expert in the restoration and protection of old buildings. Throughout his life and career John cared passionately about creating and preserving beautiful spaces for the benefit of everyone.
John described William Morris as a political hero and carried on Morris’s vision to bring together people from all backgrounds and views to care for old buildings. Between 2006 and 2011 John served as chairman of the SPAB.
A passionate advocate of the European project, during the Bosnian war of 1992-95 John advised how best to preserve the heritage that was being heavily shelled. As a consultant on cultural heritage to the British Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he recorded the state of the buildings under fire, at times putting his own life at risk to keep the record.
When the walls of Dubrovnik’s old city were being shelled, John’s remonstrations led to the start of his lifelong connection to the cultural organisation Europa Nostra, which he served as vice-president in 2004. At home he was appointed chairman of the National Amenity Committees and more latterly was a non-executive trustee for the National Trust. John was appointed CBE for services to heritage.
Born in the hamlet of Ivinghoe Aston, in Buckinghamshire, John was one of the three children of Olive, who worked at a Citizens Advice Bureau, and Leslie, a director at HC Janes, the family’s housebuilding business. He was educated at Berkhamsted boys’ school, Bryanston school and Luton College of Technology, where he met Penelope Weightman. They married in 1965 and moved to Primrose Hill in London, where John completed his professional qualifications at the Architectural Association and established his practice, Sell Postins, in partnership with David Postins.
Jane Wade joined the practice, which became Sell Wade Postins, then later Sell Wade Consultants, and relocated to Faversham, Kent. It expanded to incorporate garden design; and John and Jane, who were married in 1994 (Penny having died in 1980), worked together on several projects including the restoration of the gardens at Cobham Hall.
After Jane’s death in 2014, John married Barbara Rutter and they made the Caribbean island of Nevis their second home. John became involved in finding out more about the history and heritage of the island. Typically, he had found the decision makers and people of influence and was already offering his assistance where it would be helpful. His ability to make friends and augment change wherever he went continued right up to his death.
John is survived by Barbara, his two children, Emma and me, from his first marriage, two stepchildren, Rebecca and Amyas, from his second marriage, eight grandchildren, and his sister, Mary.
