Saga

The Downham WI Project for the Millennium is refurbishing town sign

About April or May 1999 a lady said to me, "Eric do you know anyone who would refurbish the Downham Market town sign"? Without hesitation and really foolhardy I said - yes I'll do it...!! ooh well, on the 27th of July - by now all the talking was done and it was agreed that we would take the sign down and put it in my garage on the bench. Mr Taylor "Tinker" to the friendly, Richard Wilson a bell ringing friend of mine and Derek Henson wrestled with what is probably 4 cwt of timber and iron, a dear lady from the near-by estate agents came to enquire if we were stealing it??... at about 10.00am my next door neighbour Frank Johnson arrived, and with a great deal of sweat and renaming of the town sign it was loaded into the back of the station wagon transported to Wimbotsham Road and placed on the bench. Looking at this and realising what time and the Seasons had done to the timber it is obvious that there is a great deal of thought and work to be done 'ere this sign will be put back in position. The upper solid block bearing the crown and arrows would be replaced entirely, recarved both sides and repainted. We are going to see a Timber Merchant with that piece on Friday 6th, arranged. I am talking to a few people in the timber and allied trades in an effort to discover the best and most durable in fillers, undercoats, and finish so that when needed or before, these will be obtained

6/8. Today went to Feltwell and arranged for a new upper piece for the sign (crown and arrows). The Timber Merchant will cut this to shape for me/us and bore it through. This afternoon I started cleaning up the two horses only to discover that they are both attacked by wet rot!! Will employ some thought on this during waking - and sleeping hours.

8/8. Where did those sleeping hours go??

9/8. Will collect the timber for the (crown and arrows) in the morning also hopefully, in the same journey see if I can arrange wood for the two horses, I have been told that tanalised (pressure treated) softwoods will last thirty years. Will see if we can make the horses of this. Have since been advised to use Cuprinol.

10/8. Visited Geoff Allen at Stoke Ferry to talk about horses, pressure treatment, and etc.. Suggested that I see a man in Stoke Ferry, Ivan Kenny, who makes furniture, he, Mr Kenny thinks that hard woods will be the best bet for lasting in all weathers. Have asked him to look at supplying profiled blocks of wood and when he gets a rough idea of price to give me a call and frighten me. We then went to the timber merchant at Feltwell to collected the piece for crown and arrows - a great slab of English Oak - and take a couple of "trankies" £87.00. I then drew crown and arrows onto one side of this new block, taking reasonably accurate measurements from the original. When the drawing was deemed good enough I did a tracing of same to be used to mark up other side of block with carbon paper.

11/8. Cleaned the bench and fixed block down and started carving crown and arrows, a pleasure to work with oak.

13/8. Working the first side of crown and arrows is proceeding quite nicely, gradually settling into a nice pace of work knowing that there is a long way to go and it is no good trying to do it in a rushed state of mind. A friend of mine from Buckinghamshire, staying in the town, routered the base of this block, thanks to Bob Pooss.

16/8. Have almost finished side one of the crown and arrows, will look at it tomorrow and see if I am satisfied with it - get second opinion if I can.

17/8. Not really satisfied, the size of the crown and arrows has been altered by me - how I don't really know, probably trying to speed things up - be kind, refer to this as artistic licence?!!... Please. We have since realised that the two sides are in fact different and were originally.

18/8. Have produced another tracing which is a lot closer to the original, will now start to cut side two.

26/8. Side two looks reasonably good - I hope. I will not pat myself on the back ever. Will attempt to find out how the horses are getting along tomorrow. Have at this stage found a friendly, willing decorator who is prepared to assist me with info' etc. when I get to that stage.

2/9. Have got crown and arrows to the stage where they will now fit comfortably into position. Some of the framing around the lettering "Downham Market" has disintegrated and will attempt to find pieces of oak to replace same, - like trying to stitch a cobweb!! Have rung Mr Kenny re the horses, and he will let me know when they are ready to be picked up. He says probably Saturday.

4/9. Richard Wilson my ever ready transport manager drove us over to Mr Ivan Kenney of I.K. Furniture, to pick up these ponies so must now give these some swift ?? attention, probably working on the Sabbath, these horses have been very nicely profiled, but there is a lot of material to be taken off to round and shape them. each of these horses cost £60.00 and in due course I/we will receive a receipt. A very friendly carpenter has been to see me at my request, regarding the bad state of some of the remaining timbers, replacement and further treatment of same prior to decorating. Mr Lowe, "Bert" he has been extremely useful both in work putting blocks in where the wood had rotted away entirely and a fund of guidance. Am getting on with shaping horse number one, these have to be shaped both sides of course and as I have said a lot of chips with everything. Side one of horse one is looking quite good.

23/9. Side two of horse one is now o k so horse one is now alright apart from the vigorous application of various grades of sand paper here and there - horse two is having the rough edges knocked off. Bert Lowe arrived with a great array of tools to deal with some - a lot - of the necessary carpentry that needs to be done prior to replacing the upright faces of the sign, and also to give me some advice on proceeding with same. We have treated a lot of the splitty shrunken wood surfaces with wood hardener and will use some filler where necessary. Each time some new wood is put in it is sealed in with mastic and new patches soaked with several heavy drenches of Cuprinol. The crown and arrows block is receiving a soak of Cuprinol every second day which will ensure good protection against the weather and attack by rot. Horse number one has gone to Ted Baker for various grades of fine sanding, looks quite good. Horse two is gradually assuming a rounded look and shaping where necessary.

12/10. Have asked Ted Baker to give a look at crown and arrows, to give a look and be critical, he has had a look and come to the conclusion that the sunken areas surrounding the crown and arrows need to be a bit deeper. Prior to the crown and arrows piece being sent to Alan Davies for decorating, this timber has been given three heavy soakings of Cuprinol, one side has already been done, other side is going to get the treatment now, both sides have been made a little bit deeper and had another good soak with Cuprinol.

15/10. Will now attend to sanding the horses ready for a coat or two of Cuprinol and then on to painting, but must get a bit more sanding done. I think the better the finish the better the paint will resist the weather.

7/11. Have hung both the horses on a piece of string each, in a vat of plastic so as to give each a good soak (3rd time) of Cuprinol after drying, now will be prepared to paint, to achieve a good solid coat of paint or several coats of paint.

24/11. The horses have each received two coats of primer and one of undercoat, the name board and St. Winnolds side have been severely sanded down and both coated with primer and some filler applied where necessary, also the iron straps and scroll work have now been scaled and cleared of rust and a coat of grey primer applied all over I am not a painter but Alan Davies is, gave me a good talking to from time to time and a great deal of "hands-on" assistance.

17/12. The horses in total have now received two coats of primer, one of undercoat, and two of top coat gloss, mane and hooves a coat of grey undercoat ready to receive the black gloss. Name board has had one of undercoat, the St Winnolds has had two undercoats, the frame edges all round (one side only) have been given two coats of grey undercoat, plus one of teak coloured gloss paint, the name board has had a coat of grey undercoat in the letters and a coat of black gloss, also the iron scroll work has received a coat of gloss after two of grey. The horses are now completed as far as paint is concerned, hopefully I can put them aside until next stage.

29/1. Have had assistance to turn the job over to sand the whole lot and try to remove all loose paints and scale, carve the new blocks of wood that have been put in where patches were necessary, the name board has been well sanded and given a coat of white primer, the faults in the surface have been filled and will perhaps need a final bit of attention, the figures, fisherman and boat etc. have been given a coat of primer and will now need some filler where necessary, this side at the lower end is in very poor condition, but hopefully will stand up to the treatment which has been given to it.

18/2. This second side is now ready for detail painting, this means getting the figures etc. in colour, the sign writing is done and doesn't look too bad - tomorrow I will get the surround all painted and am negotiating with a man who, I hope will take on the detailed figure painting, we shall then begin to see the beginning of completion (11/6 2000) after two firm promises and two reminders, (answer phone) no response at all.

16/3. Having contacted two or three people, three at least who have assured me that they will have a look at this job to see if they could, or would, like to do the detail painting, Nobody has yet contacted me. I am rather pleased that I don't frighten easily. Have been down to the Town Council Offices to see if we can find someone with the time, ability or whatever to have a look at, with a view to getting started on the detail painting. Mrs Gribble is going to put out some searching feelers in an attempt to kick start the final stages. I get the feeling that she thinks I should have emigrated - but quickly, and now wish that I had.

13/4. Have put the first coat of primer on the crown and arrows bits, the second coat will be in place tomorrow, will take a photo - carried on to put two of undercoat and two of gloss top coat with a fine sanding between and followed by two coats of grey undercoat where the colours will be, and then two coats of royal blue enamel, background for crown and arrows which is now covered with gold enamel, two coats and two coats of varnish over the coloured enamels, as I am told these will need a sealer over the top. Jenny Groom and Mr Murray arrived on Wednesday 16th by appt ! to have a look at the job so far, and had a look at some of the photographs being assembled to hopefully, accompany this story. Will now get in touch with friend to assist me to turn the job over, so that can colour the small shields at either side, two coats of red enamel plus two of gold plus two of varnish. These shields have now been coloured and varnished looking quite nice - I think will put the iron support across the crown and arrows top piece ready to bolt this down on the top. Still hoping a painter will be coming forward to do the detail painting.

14/5. We moved the sign to a garage - in Syon Close as we have now found a lady, Miss Peggy Pritchard of the W.I. who is prepared to take on the painting of figures etc. on both sides. Bert Lowe, Derek Gregory, Tinker Taylor, Richard Wilson and me put the sign on Harry Davison's trailer... I know Peggy has brought the paints so is now pushing on. I went down last week and Bert and me fitted the horses on so as when we take the sign down there, we only have to bolt them on and perhaps touch up any scarring which might occur while assembling.

1/6. Went to have a look at the completed painting … Excellent!! Some clouds have lifted from my shoulders - too late for dancing round the Maypole of course.

10/6. I do realise at this stage that I have said to Mrs Gribble that I would not mind if the press were invited to attend and record the triumphant installation of the sign, but, having second thoughts and possibly a modicum of second sight (wisdom) ?? We decided (small committee) to replace the sign minus fanfare, so we s/c decided on the 11th Inst. weather permitting and as we know now everything that could go slightly awry did just that, but with the very able crew assembled there, these things were overcome, we were all extremely delighted after three hours to wend our weary way homewards - small cries here and there - don't let it happen again!! What me??

Summary

There has been little or no assistance from the authorities on this, in any way on this project, at the earliest stage I did suggest that someone stacked twenty computers each side of the sign and then they all tampered with their "qwerties" , and again no takers, it has to me been an enjoyable undertaking, or the bits that I could manage. People who have been of real assistance have been "Tinker" Taylor, Derek Henson, Richard Wilson and Frank Johnson who were present when we took the sign down, with the help with carpentry and painting and guidance Bert Lowe, with painting Alan Davies, and of course Peggy Pritchard who undertook the detail painting. We put the sign back on Sunday 11th June not expecting all things to go perfectly we did our utmost to keep it a bit secret - Sorry.

Eric Wright