Hugh Sinclair Swann otherwise known as Tim Swann, became the cabinet maker

Cabinet making

Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...

 to Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...

. His work was inspired by his admiration for Barnsley, Gimson and Russell. He fitted many of the most important of Britain's coin collections including the Fitz-william, Cambridge, the Barber Institute, Birmingham, and the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow. More importantly yet, he supplied the Royal Mint

Royal Mint

The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...

 with nearly 80 cabinets to house its complete collection.

His work for Elizabeth II began in 1975 when a complete reorganisation of the Royal coin collection at Windsor Castle was begun. The cabinets were created from specially purchased Honduras mahogany and Indian rosewood. On one occasion a log was delivered to his workshop addressed “Her Majesty the Queen of England, 3 Hexham Road, Heddon-on-the-Wall”.

He made the crosier

Crosier

A crosier is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran and Pentecostal prelates...

 and pectoral cross

Pectoral cross

A pectoral cross or pectorale is a cross, usually relatively large, suspended from the neck by a cord or chain that reaches well down the chest. It is worn by the clergy as an indication of their position, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians, which have no...

 for Bishop Leonard

Graham Leonard

Graham Douglas Leonard KCVO was a British priest. His principal ministry was as a bishop of the Church of England but, after his retirement as the Bishop of London, he became a Roman Catholic, becoming the most senior Anglican cleric to do so since the English Reformation...

Family

Brother-in-law to Monsignor Graham Leonard

Graham Leonard

Graham Douglas Leonard KCVO was a British priest. His principal ministry was as a bishop of the Church of England but, after his retirement as the Bishop of London, he became a Roman Catholic, becoming the most senior Anglican cleric to do so since the English Reformation...

 former Bishop of London

Bishop of London

The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...

Brother to Michael Swann, Baron Swann

Michael Swann

Michael Meredith Swann, Baron Swann, FRS was a distinguished molecular and cell biologist working on the mechanisms of cell division and fertilisation. He used cell polarisation methods to understand the changes in molecular organisation of the mitotic spindle...

 former chairman of the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

Nephew to Brigadier Vivian Dykes

Vivian Dykes

Brigadier Vivian Dykes , was the Director of Plans, War Office between 1939 and 1941 and became the first Chief Combined Secretary British Joint Staff Mission Washington in 1942. He was described as being 'at the heart of allied military policy making'...

 Chief Combined Secretary British Joint Staff Mission Washington 1942

Stepson to Sir Sydney Castle Roberts

Sydney Castle Roberts

Sir Sydney Castle Roberts was a well-known and popular figure around Cambridge throughout his life, and was recognised as a publisher of skill and distinction....

Secretary of Cambridge University Press, author and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge