Traditional Plumbing Skills Help Make a Wish Come True
Phil Mead, one of our volunteer demonstrators at the Plumbing Museum Workshop at Amberley, has provided a very touching gift to one of its visitors.
One of the greatest pleasures of demonstrating at Amberley Heritage Museum is the attraction of meeting interesting people who visit the Plumbing Museum Workshop. All the Plumbing Museum Demonstrators are keen to help and advise visitors, whenever possible.
Recently, April Bennett, a member of a Morris Dancing Team which performs at Amberley on special occasions, visited the Plumbers’ Workshop. April explained that her late husband, Denis, had produced a carved pattern copied from a carving located on the lectern in St. George’s Church, West Grinstead. Permission to copy this carving was given by Fr. William Harris. April explained to Phil that Denis had carved the copy in 2009 and it was his wish that a lead copy should be made from his carving. April had had some work carried out at her house, involving new lead flashings. April had saved the scrap lead hoping one day to use it in order to fulfil Denis’s wish.
On visiting April’s home to view the carving, Phil confirmed to April that it would be possible to make a lead copy of the carving, in accordance with Denis’s wish – and he made that wish come true.
Denis was a Precision Engineer and a wonderful Craftsman, which is reflected in the professional work of his carving and the wonderful lead copy.
