The Repair Shop guest in tears over ‘incredible’ restoration of fathers portrait
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Jay Blades and Louise Drover made one The Repair Shop guest very happy in a recent episode of the BBC show. Guest Lorna brought a precious reminder of her South African childhood into the shop. The item was a portrait of her father which dated back to the 1940s. When Jay and Louise revealed the restoration of the picture, Lorna became overwhelmed with emotion.
In a recent episode of The Repair Shop, Lorna brought in a picture of her father Steven.
She explained to host Jay the portrait had always hung in her front room when she and her family lived in South Africa.
Lorna revealed the picture would have been taken at some point in the 1940s.
Speaking about her father, Lorna said: “He was a very proud man. My dad was a member of the African National Congress – the ANC.
“It was a banned organisation because they were against apartheid. You know, they wanted to free South Africa,” she said.
The apartheid system racially segregated South African’s between 1948 and 1994.
In response, the ANC launched boycotts, strikes and protests led by Nelson Mandela.
Lorna explained because of her father’s involvement in the ANC she eventually went into exile with her family.
Her family came to the UK in 1967 and the portrait of her father was one of the precious items they brought with them.
Over the years the picture had been damaged by water and the frame was also broken.
So, Lorna left it in the hands of the experts at The Repair Shop in the hopes they could restore it to its former glory.
Later in the episode she returned to see the final result of the restoration.
She said: “Since the photograph’s been here I’ve been looking back on how things were with us in South Africa and the picture itself just reflects my dad.”
Jay excitedly asked Lorna if she was ready to see it and she replied: “Yes please.”
The presenter lifted the cloth on the portrait and Lorna instantly burst into tears.
She commented: “It’s beautiful. It really is beautiful. Thank you very much. Oh it’s incredible.
“How did you do that? Oh I can’t believe it. It’s just a beautiful picture. All the features in there that I haven’t really seen for quite some time. You can really see it in there.”
Louise remarked: “Nice to see his face again isn’t it?”
Lorna agreed, adding: “And it’s so much brighter as well and the frame is incredible. That’s not the same frame though is it?”
“It is the same frame. We’ve just had Will work on it,” Jay revealed.
Clearly amazed by the restoration work, Lorna said: “My goodness. Oh thank you so much.
“My poor brother Peter’s going to be in bits too. It means a lot to the family. You don’t realise how much things like that mean to you.
“This has taken me back to my 13 year old self. It’s just amazing,” she concluded.
The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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