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| The modern workshop in Kilburn |
In James Herriot’s Yorkshire, we learn of the first
time the famous veterinarian of Thirsk met the equally famous woodworker of
Kilburn. Robert Thompson brought his dog to Skeldale House for a consultation, and Helen showed him into their dining room. When James entered, he found the man gazing
at their sideboard of French fumed oak, a piece of furniture from Helen’s side
of the family. Robert Thompson “bent and
stroked the wood reverently. ‘Beautiful,
beautiful,’ he murmured, the gentle, white-mustached face illumined by the
great passion of his life: oak.”
Herriot’s work often took him through Kilburn, and he must
have visited Thompson’s shop regularly.
He and Helen fell in love with the man’s signature style and started a
“Thompson box.” They purchased a coffee
table. Then Fate stepped in, and their
“Thompson box” became a “Baby box.”
Later, after his children grew up, and especially after the royalties
from his books flooded in, the couple were able to purchase all the furniture
they wanted.
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| I wasn't surprised by the router, but the tank top and shorts threw me. Then again, it was warm that day in June. Imagine that: a warm Summer day in England! |
Robert Thompson passed away in 1955, but his family
continues on with his work. Stacks of
long, thick Oak planks tower above visitors outside the showroom and gift
shop. These wood planks can take up to
four years to dry out, as the staff opt to not force the moisture from the wood
via some mechanical process. While
Robert Thompson worked with hand tools, today’s employees aren’t afraid to mix
traditional methods with modern power tools.
The wood is still fumed with ammonia instead of stained, and tabletops
bear a wavy, honeycomb pattern from the adze.
As a woodworker, I can appreciate the quality of construction,
as well as the artistry of each piece in the showroom. The Arts and Crafts style is popular and
functional, and each piece gleamed, reflecting the overhead and natural
lighting. I’m not wild about the fuming
process, as it necessitates that a piece be waxed regularly in order to retain
its health and beauty. I’ve restored
several pieces of furniture, and even built a quilt rack, yet I never get
around to performing maintenance. Still,
that’s a minor quibble: when and if I get back into woodworking, I’ll have to
decide how to finish what I make. As
with everything in life, there are no perfect solutions. Everything is a tradeoff.
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| "Beautiful, beautiful." "Hey, you there! Stop that drooling!" |
I don’t think we’ll be buying furniture from Robert
Thompson’s Craftsmen Ltd anytime soon.
Remember that fumed sideboard that the woodworker drooled over in James
Herriot’s dining room? The firm sells
their own beautiful sideboards for a little over five thousand pounds after
tax. After adding in the cost of
shipping halfway around the world, and a sixty-percent increase for the
exchange rate to dollars, I don’t think we can afford one right now.
And no, we haven’t started a “Baby box,” thank you very
much!
Still appreciating fine furniture,
Dragon Dave
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