For a private client I treated a pair of family portraits dating from 1908. They were so dark and damaged that the client had them stored in a box. The original frames were also in bad condition. I treated the paintings and frames. The client hung the paintings at home and the family showed a renewed interest in the paintings and their ancestors.

This project is a good example of the following: - Project Management. - Managing a team of conservators on site. - Carrying out condition reporting and remedial treatments on a wall painting. - Production of detailed and properly referenced reports.

A lovely example of a 16th century vellum binding. Creative solutions had to be found to allow treatments to continue while preserving as much original material and historical information as possible.

The Ickworth Church Conservation Trust (ICCT) was founded in 2006 by the Marquess of Bristol to conserve, maintain and repair the former church and churchyard of St Mary's, Ickworth, Suffolk, for the benefit of the public. During 2012-13, after six years of research and fundraising, the Church was restored thanks to generous grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage and donors. In 2012, I was invited to tender for the conservation of the Altar frontal and was delighted to be appointed to carry out the work. The Altar Frontal and Superfrontal were in the worst possible condition, the Church having been made redundant in 1984 and closed up since 1998. During this time the textiles had remained insitu and been subject to extremely poor environmental conditions.

One of a set of five pairs of dark crimson wool plush (velvet) curtains, Circa 1880, part of the window furnishings, together with a complex deep pelmet, with a rope fringe and silk covered bobble hangers. The curtains had undergone minimal repairs in1985, when the National Trust first took over Calke Abbey and, after 30 years on open display, were found to have suffered further mechanical damage. Work started on one pair of curtains as a trial in 2017.

Adviser to the in house Conservation Team for the HLF funded conservation project, “See, Sew, Save” – the conservation of a set of early 17th Century Verdure tapestries cut and fitted to line the walls of the Yellow Bedroom at Doddington.

Following an advisory visit in 2012, I was asked to prepare a variety of textiles on open display in the Suffolk home of composer Benjamin Britten and singer Peter Pears, in preparation for a major reopening in 2013. The objects ranged from 1960’s curtains, as part of the original interior decoration, Indian embroideries collected on travels, window seat textiles made from fabric designed by John Piper for Sanderson, to costume, including original items of clothing worn by Benjamin Britten when conducting. I worked closely with the Curator to present the objects within the context of the house, and with the exhibition planners to design supports for the costume within the limits of the new gallery. 

A mid-19th Century 'Berlin wool work'needlework picture of Queen Victoria seated on a throne was brought in to the studio by a private client. It was unframed and had been on open display, hanging over the fireplace, for many years. The question was could it be cleaned and the condition improved ?

The conservation of a small silk flag, embroidered with the coat of arms of Caius College, taken to the South Pole by Edward Wilson as part of the Scott expedition, 1910-12. This was a simple object of significant historical and personal importance to the College.

This sculpture had been heavily restored in its past. My treatment consisted of part conservation and part restoration, while retaining some of the previous restoration. Its private owner was involved in deciding some of the steps of the treatment, such as the extent of filling of old losses and retouching, as well as retention of some of the previous restoration for its historic value.