The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers is saddened to hear of the passing of Past President Terry Moore.
Terry served as GAI President from 1990 to 1992, and was a member throughout his career, serving on the Executive Committee and in other roles.
His working life was spent with Yannedis, where he worked for nearly 50 years before retiring in 2009.
Terry was the main specifier and contact for the company’s celebrated work on the Windsor Castle refurbishment after the 1992 fire (work that was mentioned in the Adam Nicholson book Restoration – The Rebuilding of Windsor Castle). On the completion of this challenging project, Terry and colleagues were invited to a private party hosted by The Queen, Prince Phillip and members of their family. Colleagues recall that on being asked by Her Majesty whether there was one key that could unlock every day in the castle, Terry jokingly replied: “Surely, Ma’am, there is someone that locks and un-locks the doors for you!”
Terry was also part of the team which won the contract to supply the Emir Palace in Doha, Qatar in 1985/86, another huge and high-profile project.
Remembered as one the industry’s real characters, Terry was a prominent and popular figure at GAI events, and a legendary joke teller. He was well known for the crib sheet of jokes he would carry around with him, and he was always ready to run through his favourites with anyone who would listen. Even Barry Cryer – guest speaker at a GAI Annual Lunch, and widely regarded at the time as Britain’s foremost comedy scriptwriter – couldn’t escape a 25-minute run through of Terry’s best material!
A keen enthusiast of cricket and football, Terry was a dedicated West Ham fan, and would often tell stories of the famous players he used to play with – as well as insisting he helped get Terry Venables his first role in football management.
Terry was a hugely popular and effective voice for the architectural ironmongery sector, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.