How Well Do We Know People in Our Community?

By Lyle Griffiths

Kate Pritchard came to Martinborough just three and a half years ago. She had been living in Scotland working in Travel Tourism until Covid hit and her job vanished.

Working in Travel and Tourism in Switzerland, Scotland and the United States was a great way to see other countries, but Covid closed the doors. People could no longer travel. 

“I had to think seriously about what my next step would be, so I returned to NZ to stay with my parents in Canterbury. 

“My mother is very practical and creative. She can do anything. My great aunt who lives in London would send beautiful fabrics to my mother, so we had a stash of fabulous materials at home.

“Not wasting the opportunity, we decided that the perfect project during lockdown would be to restore and recover our dining room chairs. I learned a lot during the process. 

“We ripped everything off including pulling out all the tiny tacks. The legs of the chairs needed to be re-glued. The corner blocks needed replacing. The backs of the chairs were scalloped, which was challenging.

“But it was such fun. The ability to restore something old, at the same time creating something new was so rewarding.

“Before I entered the Travel and Tourism industry, I had already completed a Fashion Design course _ which engendered my love of textures, colours, and fabrics.

“Completing our dining room chairs inspired me to apply for an apprenticeship in upholstery.

“Neal at Graham and Sons in Martinborough has given me that opportunity. Neal owns the business. Mikey has worked there for three years although he has been in the trade for 10 years. Kim, Neal’s wife is the office manager and Aidan does all the heavy muscle work. 

“It is a great place to work, and we have a lot of fun. We do a lot of work for Wellington clients as well as for customers in the Wairarapa, so the work is varied. 

“Interestingly this is the first job where I have had to go to work wearing overalls and boots. I have learned so much since being there.

“Choosing the right fabric for the piece is critical. The fabric must meet a number of variables. “Colour of course is paramount, but the environment needs to be considered. Will it be in the sun? What sort of use will it be put to? How will it be protected from stains and spills? Will it rub or pill? Most fabric samples now come with good information about their wearability which is helpful.

“Recognising the significance of the history and sentimental attachment to some items is yet another aspect I enjoy. 

“Some of the furniture which comes in for refurbishing is quite old. Recently someone bought in a chaise which was around 180 years old. On the back we found a small picture frame with a timeline and information on the history of the piece. Other items often have inscriptions hidden underneath the fabric. These pieces are suddenly revealing their secrets.

“Frequently when we are taking pieces apart, we find treasures down the backs and sides of the chairs. A treasure trove of Listener articles was recovered from one chair, with articles relating to the Spring Bok tour of New Zealand in the 1980s.

“Jigsaw puzzle pieces are common, coins, occasionally notes, and frequently pills or tablets. We have even found old cellphones and, would you believe it, nerf gun pellets.

“Coming to Martinborough was an experience for me. My first impressions were that it was a quaint little village. But what was so surprising was that it has everything you need. 

“While it is often quiet during the week, during the weekends and holidays it becomes vibrant and alive. It is a great place to work.”

Caption: Kate Pritchard, in overalls and boots, sorts through material samples for the next upholstery job.