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Episode 12

Episode 12 of 14

Jay Blades and the team restore a record turntable, a chair made for King George VI’s coronation, a code breaker’s leather writing case and a mechanical toy clown.

Jay Blades and the team bring four treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.

Londoner Pablo Henderson is first to arrive, with his late father’s defunct record turntable. His father arrived in the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s and loved music. The turntable would provide the sweet sounds of reggae music for the huge sound system that Pablo’s father set up at neighbourhood parties. Electronics expert Mark Stuckey gets the dilapidated deck back in tip-top condition once again, while Will Kirk crafts an impressive plinth to house it.

Andy Matthews and his daughter Anna have brought in a stately chair for the attention of Will and upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary. The chair was made specially for King George VI's coronation ceremony, which Andy’s grandfather attended as an usher. The chair was presented to him as a token of appreciation and has been a source of great pride for their family. However, 90 years have taken their toll on the piece. The wooden frame is unstable, and the velvet fabric is faded and threadbare in places. Together, Will and Sonnaz give it the restoration it deserves.

Wendy Bray is a woman on a mission. She would love leather expert Susie Fletcher to repair and revitalise her late mother’s writing case. Wendy’s mother was a remarkable woman who, during the Second World War, worked as a code breaker at Bletchley Park. She was a keen letter writer, and the case was with her always. Wendy would like to preserve the now-tattered case and pass it on to her daughter and granddaughter, through four generations or wonderful women.

And last but not least, Cathy Downie has brought in a beloved mechanical toy clown. It was a gift from her dear Uncle Jimmy, with whom she spent many happy times as a child. She has treasured the acrobatic clown for decades, even though it has been broken for many of them. Fortunately, expert Steve Fletcher knows just how to get this little clown spinning again.

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57 minutes

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Narrator Bill Paterson
Expert William Kirk
Expert Steven Fletcher
Expert Sonnaz Nooranvary
Expert Mark Stuckey
Director Rich Merritt
Series Producer Tanveer Bari
Series Producer Paula Fasht
Executive Producer Hannah Lamb
Production Company Ricochet Limited

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If you have a treasured possession that needs restoring, please get in touch.