The Repair Shop S2024E03 - Episode 3

Stepping into the barn is a pair of tiny cowboy boots, treasured by the family of Elton John's former drummer, while queen of the invisible fix Kirsten faces her biggest challenge yet, as she must painstakingly piece together a shattered vintage glass lamp.

First through the barn doors is a pair of tiny but treasured cowboy boots. Belonging to Diane Wynell-Sutherland, the boots were bought for her son by her brother Roger Pope, a talented drummer and session musician. Diane shares the remarkable story of her brother's musical journey and his close bond with her son, from Roger's early days in local bands to his collaborations with superstars like Elton John and other iconic musicians in the USA, where the boots were bought. Tragically, Roger battled throat cancer before passing away in 2013, leaving behind a legacy of music and love. The boots serve as a tangible reminder of Roger's affection for his nephew and his enduring presence in Diane's life. However, the boots are showing signs of wear and tear, with brittle leather and split soles. Expert cobbler Dean works his magic, ensuring that the boots will be safe to wear once again and keeping alive the memory of a beloved brother and his extraordinary life.

The next visitors are Mehmet and his daughter Ozlem who bring in a treasured saz, a traditional Turkish instrument with a poignant history. Mehmet acquired the saz as a teenager, just before the eruption of tensions between the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus in the 1960s. Despite the turmoil of the time, Mehmet found comfort in playing the saz, using its music to ease stress and provide moments of respite from the chaos of war. A constant companion throughout his life, the instrument followed Mehmet to his new life in England where it suffered damage, including a significant crack that threatens its integrity. Expert luthier Julyan Wallis takes on the task of repairing the saz, recognising the instrument's significance to Mehmet and his family. With meticulous care and skill, Julyan sets about mending the crack and addressing other issues, including a broken friction peg, ensuring that the saz will continue to serve as a cherished memento for generations to come.

While it's not a timepiece, the intricate parts of the next repair mean Steve Fletcher is well-placed to meet Caroline Caldwell from Castlewellan, Northern Ireland. She brings in a fascinating piece of industrial history – scales used in the linen industry to weigh threads of linen. Caroline's connection to the linen industry runs deep, with both she and her mother and having worked in this once-booming trade that defined Belfast in the early 1900s. Steve takes on the challenge of repairing the scales, aiming to restore both their functionality and their aesthetic appeal. Steve works to address missing pieces and stubbornly stuck drawers, ensuring that the scales will once again serve as a tangible link to Belfast's industrial past.

Left picking up the pieces, quite literally, of the last restoration is Kirsten Ramsay, who welcomes mother-and-daughter duo Mal and Jo McKenna. They bring a cherished but smashed Murano lamp to the barn. The story starts in the 1920s, when Mal's grandmother acquired it as a souvenir from Italy. Mal recounts how her grandmother initially broke the lamp, prompting repairs by her mother, and now, with the adhesive deteriorating, they fear further damage. Tasking Mark Stuckey with making the antiquated electrics safe, Kirsten sets about meticulously dismantling the lamp, cleaning away the old adhesive before delicately reassembling it, ensuring that every piece aligns perfectly. Thanks to the team's expertise, the Murano lamp, once on the brink of irreparable damage, is given a new lease of life.