Ep 14. Grandmother Clock, Magnifying Glass, Blighty

In season three, episode 14 of The Repair Shop, the team of expert restorers are tasked with reviving a beautiful Grandmother Clock, a historic magnifying glass and a precious symbol of wartime love, Blighty.

The episode begins with a retired couple, John and Jane, bringing in their cherished family heirloom, a Grandmother Clock, that has been passed down through multiple generations. The clock has some missing parts and hasn't ticked for years, so the team set to work restoring it to its former glory. Furniture restorer William is tasked with fixing the clock's intricate mechanism, while clockmaker Steve takes on the task of crafting new hands for it. As the restoration progresses, the team is forced to confront some unexpected challenges, and they must work together to ensure that the clock is completely restored to its former glory.

Next up is a special magnifying glass from the 1800s that has great historical significance. The magnifying glass has a mesmerizing decoration of a snake coiling around the stem, a design that was popular during the Victorian era. The owner of the magnifying glass is a collector of such artifacts and has brought it to the Repair Shop to ensure its survival for future generations. Ceramic conservator Kirsten takes on the restoration task, carefully cleaning the fragile glass and restoring the snake back to its original state. The team also mounts the magnifying glass on a beech wood base to make it stable and preserve it for years to come.

The final restoration project of the episode is a treasured keepsake from World War II, a wooden sign that reads Blighty. British soldiers during the war often used "Blighty" as slang for England, and many carried souvenirs with them during their time in the battlefield. This particular sign was found by the owner's father when he was serving in France during the war. The sign has been passed down through generations, but over time, it has begun to deteriorate. Woodworker William steps in to restore the sign, sanding it down and carefully painting the lettering back onto it. It's a moving moment as the owner gets to see the sign fully restored to its former glory.

Overall, season three, episode 14 of The Repair Shop is an emotional and touching journey into the restoration of cherished family heirlooms. Each item has a unique story and history behind it, and watching the team work to bring them back to life is both fascinating and heartwarming. The experts at The Repair Shop truly know how to breathe new life into old treasures, and their dedication and passion for their work shines through in each episode.