An architect who could boast that he designed a large part of his home city will be remembered at a memorial service this month.

Keith Groom, the proprietor of York's Lendal-based firm Brierley Groom Associates, died in 1999 aged 60.

His life will be remembered at a service on January 20, at which a specially-commissioned stained glass window, designed by York craftsman Septimus Waugh, will be unveiled.

The window will be a part of the Bedern Hall, in Bedern, near York, to mark his position of chairman of the Bedern Hall Company, set up in 1982 to represent the York Guild of Building, the Company of Cordwainers and the Gild of Freemen.

His son, Matthew, said: "He was very proud of the work he and others undertook to form the Bedern Hall Company, and to commemorate Keith's efforts and achievements my mother commissioned Sep Waugh to design a stained glass window to be placed in the hall in his memory."

Mr Groom's well-respected practice was formed by John Carr 250 years ago, making it the longest running continuous architectural firm in the country.

The list of its work is long, and includes Fairfax House, Harewood House, the Dean Court Hotel, Goathland Church and Scarcroft school.

Updated: 11:21 Wednesday, January 03, 2001