Friday 29^th March at Slough House Wood with Katie Abbott and friends

 

Now, I thought Nic Smith was making some more bread but she was also making me a birthday cake with some help from Olvin!

 

Will Wall was busy making shave horse components,

 

 

Olvin Smith was spoon making from blackthorn using one of his many Nic Westerman tools.

 

My birthday cake!

Will using Katie's lathe to make some more components.

Sadly just a one day visit, however a glorious day in the wood. Had some fun driving a tipping dump truck around the trees. Always enjoy their  hospitality, thanks to Katie, Olvin and Nic , as well as Sue and Will.

24^th March Mary’s Barn Little London Nr.Heathfied

 

Mike Gordon contemplating a Birch prior to felling; for the Sussex groups first meeting of the year.

 

Mike has just returned from his second trip to Uganda. He was live on Whats App to one of the pole lathe turners and introduced us to her!

  

Andrew and Karen had just driven back from their holiday in Devon

 

Richard Bingham had also not long returned from his winter New Zealand trip. He was making shoe horns and back scratchers.

 

Mike was making a spoon to show our host Mary how to do it. 

Don’t think I have ever seen him off his pole lathe.

Well it was glorious weather this year I even took my shirt off!

Thanks to Mary for her hospitality especially the honey biscuits and real coffee!

Wednesday 20^th March at Apothecaries Hall Blackfriars

  

  

Worshipful Company of Turners and my Livery ceremony.

A great day in town – I was in good company! With a few bodgers – Stuart King and Katie as well as many AWGB / RPT members - Les Thorne, Reg Hawthorne to name but a few.

Visit to Shepard Neame Brewery 13^th March

 

One of their new stainless steel mash tuns cleverly disguised as barrels! – well not really they like to hang on to examples of earlier technology.

Refurbishing the mash tuns left  a huge hole in their building which led to a couple of new windows being commissioned.

Happily giving an opportunity to show the history of the brewing process in the stained glass.

 

 This grain crusher was bought second hand many years ago and is still going strong.

 

Shepard Neame were the first brewery in the country to use a steam engine – this is one of two they still keep going.

They used to be known as the steam brewery.

 

They  have a historical collection of delivery vehicles.

 

They have some connections with spitfires. Hence the name for one of their beers, they also donate a percentage of their sales to the  Royal Air force benevolent fund.

I can recommend the brewery tour and the tasting afterwards. This appeared to be a great family business doing much to support their workers and past workers as well as the local community.

 Seat weaving day at Eden green with the Kent group 10^th March

 

Needless to say there was a lot more then seat weaving going on  – the number of spinners is on the up!

 

Great to see Gill Swan and Phil Kara again seems like ages! Looking forward to another weekend in her woods in June.

Harry gave a demonstration in the use of rush seating using a family heirloom that he worked on as a teenager.

 

This young man was fresh from a seat making  with Tim Stevenson (Nunhead Cemetery).

 

Amy brought a very long stool!

 

Paul Shubshaw from the South London group (based at Brockwell Park).

 

Keith Leonard having far too much fun with a home-made stool.

 

Amy getting some assistance. John Burbage was leaning on the first stool he ever made.

 

Robin Etheridge was carving green men.

Another very interesting Kent winter meet with so many different thing going on. Thanks as usual to Phill and John Burbage for organising all the resources available for the very lucky people who were able to go.

The next Kent meeting is the White Chimney Wood (Burbage Towers) 27/8^th April.