The Repair Shop

S07:E11 - Abe Pops Violin, Toy Replica Cooker, Leather Briefcase

Today in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team bring three treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.First to arrive are Nick Clare and his daughter Vicky, delivering a fragile violin. They are hoping stringed instrument expert Becky Loughton can restore harmony to this treasured keepsake. It belonged to Nick's grandfather, Abe, who came to Europe from the Bahamas in the 1920's. He played violin professionally in several orchestras and jazz bands during his lifetime and although Nick only met him a few times as a child, he has listened to Abe performing on various recordings and feels huge admiration. Nick inherited not just the violin but also Abe's love of music, as did Abe's great granddaughter Vicky. They would both dearly love to play the violin but it has spent the last fifty years stowed in an attic and is in terrible condition. The front panel is cracked and scratched, the bridge has broken off and the strings are long gone. This little instrument will require a huge amount of work to restore and will test even Becky's many years of experience.Steve Fletcher's mechanical know how is called upon when Jane Griffin arrives with a toy that means the world to her. The 1930's mini replica cooker was a gift from her god mother and Jane spent many hours playing with it, cooking up tiny treats. The heat is generated by an internal paraffin burner and comes complete with little pots and a kettle for the stove top. However, time has not been kind and it's riddled with rust and several details have fallen off. Steve is only too keen to get cracking on this unusual project but will he be able to get it fired up once again?And master saddler Suzie Fletcher welcomes Lesley Faithful, who has a briefcase made in the 1940s by her grandfather – a fellow saddler. Lesley's grandfather ran a busy leather workshop, and she remembers watching him work as a child. The briefcase was made, with love, for Lesley's father for his first day at work and has remained in the family all this time. Lesley would very much like to use it herself, but it's not fit for purpose – the fastening strap is ripped, the leather is so dry it's flaking away and the key to the lock is missing. Fortunately, Suzie is the perfect woman for the job.