Episode 9
A broken ring that symbolises great courage in the face of tyranny, and two very heavy pieces of sporting history, require the team鈥檚 efforts to be restored to their former glory.
First in the barn are mother and daughter Halina and Lesley with a treasure from World War II in desperate need of jeweller Richard Talman鈥檚 expertise. The broken, silver ring belonged to Halina鈥檚 mother, Janina, who was born in Warsaw, orphaned at just 13 years old and taken in by a convent close to the Jewish ghetto in the city. She was given the ring as a thank you from a Jewish woman after she risked her life passing food through the fence to families imprisoned in the ghetto. The ring, Janina鈥檚 most treasured possession, stayed with her throughout her life, and was given to her daughter, Halina, when she passed away. Now broken, and severely worn, it's Halina鈥檚 wish that the ring be turned into a pendant, so she can keep her mum, who displayed remarkable courage in the face of great adversity, close to her heart.
Next to arrive is Gordon Craik with his sons, James and Ross. They鈥檝e brought two intriguing pieces of sporting history for the attention of silversmith Brenton West. The pair of heavy, outdoor curling stones, complete with their wicker baskets, originally belonged to Gordon鈥檚 grandfather and were famously used by Gordon鈥檚 father in his team鈥檚 victory of the Grand Match of 1979 鈥� a huge outdoor curling match held on the Lake of Menteith near Stirling. Having sat outside for many years, the stones are worn, their handles bent, and the wicker baskets aren鈥檛 fit to hold their weight. It鈥檚 Gordon鈥檚 dream to hand the stones that hold so much sporting and family history to his sons, both of whom are champion curlers in their own right. Brenton sets to work, bringing in the skills of leather expert Suzie Fletcher and basket weaver Sarah Hatton to get these stones back to their best.
Next, woodworker Will Kirk is given the task of repairing a cherished character from childhood. Tracey Emery has brought in a wooden chef figurine that鈥檚 sadly been fire-damaged in an unfortunate accident at home. The wooden chef used to sit on the counter of her grandparents鈥� pub - it reminds Tracey of her beloved grandad, Ralph, and a happy childhood full of family Sunday lunches gathered at the pub. Tracey鈥檚 dad, knowing how much the figurine meant to Tracey, was full of guilt after the accident and tried to have the wooden chef repaired, but it was the one thing he was unable to do before he sadly passed away. Will sets to work, to see if he can complete the task Tracey鈥檚 dad so desperately wanted to finish, restoring the wooden chef鈥檚 place in Tracey鈥檚 kitchen and preserving memories of her beloved grandad and dad.
Last in the barn today is Sonam Batra, hoping paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou can give a piece of cinematic and family history the red-carpet treatment. Sonam has brought a vintage film poster of Bollywood film Sholay. It鈥檚 a reminder of the Sundays Sonam happily spent with his dad and cousins at the local cinema in Leamington Spa, and it鈥檚 also where he learned to speak Hindi and Punjabi, simply by listening to Bollywood actors on the silver screen. Now torn and faded, Sonam discovered the poster whilst clearing out his dad鈥檚 house after he passed away. Angelina sets out to restore the film poster鈥檚 star quality, reviving Sonam鈥檚 memories of his dad and the many happy hours spent with his family in days gone by.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Jay Blades |
| Narrator | Bill Paterson |
| Expert | Richard Talman |
| Expert | Lucia Scalisi |
| Expert | William Kirk |
| Expert | Angelina Bakalarou |
| Expert | Brenton West |
| Expert | Dominic Chinea |
| Expert | Suzie Fletcher |
| Expert | Sarah Hatton |
| Production Manager | Jade Kitson |
| Executive Producer | Glenn Swift |
| Executive Producer | Emma Walsh |
| Series Producer | Matt Baker |
| Series Producer | Helen Page |
| Series Producer | Fiona Wilson |
| Series Producer | Tony Dillamore |
| Series Producer | Kim Boursnell |
| Director | Ashley Golder |
| Director | Ingo Nyakairu |
| Production Company | Ricochet |
Take Part
If you have a treasured possession that needs restoring, please get in touch.