Yesterday I went to London. That meant a 7am start, drive through the snow to Chesterfield and train to London. I was there for an inspiring meeting. A small group of very committed folk were discussing the way forward for traditional crafts. We have been researching all the previous initiatives and all the different organisations that have done work in…
One of the beauties of being self employed is being free to catch rare opportunities when they present themselves. Today school was closed so all the village kids were at home. They spent the morning sledging then they all came to ours for lunch and a film. Afterwards a bunch of us dads got together and went up the hill…
Things are changing around the world in the way that “heritage” is viewed. I would like to share a few words from Linda Fabiani, Scottish Minister for Culture from her introduction to the new report “Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland, The way Forward” “Our cultural heritage informs the identity of our nation. It’s more than what we can see and…
Yesterday Darren the blacksmith brought my gate back. It took him a lot longer than he expected but I am very pleased with the result. Today I have been working on a bench. This is for a local National Trust property, it started as a an order for a copy of my Charlton on Otmoor bench but when I visited…
We don’t have a TV but several folk told me I should watch the BBCs “Victorian Farm” on iplayer. Most of the presenters are friends, Ruth Goodman a Tudor expert has used my bowls for years, the latest episode featured two other friends Owen Jones my all time craft hero and in my opinion a “living national treasure” this is…
This morning I was sent a new report on Heritage Crafts Training in Australia, it is a PDF which I can forward to anyone who is interested. I learned quite a bit from it amongst other things I did not know that there was a UNESCO convention on “intangible cultural heritage” It is inspiring here is a brief excerpt of…
As someone who plans few things more than a week or two away it takes quite an effort to sort our course dates out months in advance. We have been very pleased then to already have a good number of bookings even for courses into June and October and only have one place left on our February course. This does…
This interesting article appeared in the Telegraph 14/01/09 “England’s last remaining master cooper Alastair Simms has predicted that the nation’s barrel-making trade will go to the grave with him. “ Mr Simms said his “only regret” is that no one will carry on the trade when he retires Mr Simms, 45, began working as an apprentice cooper on his sixteenth…
I have just been sent a lovely letter from Stanley Clark a retired ladder maker. He is 70 in April and no longer capable of making ladders but wishes to share some of his extensive knowledge of the craft. He was apprenticed in 1954 straight from school to John Ward and Son Ladder makers, Bugbrooke Northampton. His letter tells how…
Yesterday I received a very exciting parcel through the post, my German Friend Hannes after his carpentry apprenticeship spent his journeyman time working in Japan with traditional temple builders. When he helped me build our timber framed logstore I coveted his beautiful Japanese tools and in particular a gorgeous carpenters axe. Hannes has just been back out to Japan and…
