ARTISANS AT WORK

I have ,this week had the very great privilege of watching two artisan craftsmen at work replacing and painting the doors to my out door store houses. The word artisan is bandied about a good deal these days and is used rather loosely,these men were true artisans and their work speaks for them.

Three doors were hand made and fitted by a joiner friend,a quiet man who would blush if he knew of the fulsome praise I heap upon him here. They fit perfectly,as do the new lintels and the door furniture has been positioned with as much care as if the doors were made for the Queens bedroom rather than an ordinary out house.

The decorator primed the doors,under coated with care and today put on the first of three coats of paint,already they look wonderful,by the time they are finished they will be the best set f doors for miles .

In these times ,a couple of days on a course can qualify a person in just about anything. A chap I know did a two week course on tree surgery,got the certificate, bought himself a chain saw and set up on business. My brother,who is a tree surgeon had been an apprentice for three years before they let him do anything more than clean and sharpen the chainsaws,they can be lethal.

He was not allowed to climb until he understood all the safety rules and was completely familiar with the equipment. He had to save to buy his own harness,ropes,carabeenas etc. and learn how the maintain them .By these means he learned to respect his equipment and understand the dangers involved in his work.

He set up his own business thirty years ago and he is now known as the best in his part of the world.

He is used by the Emergency services and the telephone and electricity company in his area.

The chap with the two week diploma felled a tree and killed a man in the process,he had been in business for a month and carried no insurance.

Of course he can cheap, precisely because he did not have to pay the premiums on several million pounds worth of insurance cover. Cowboys are always cheap.

The friends who have done the work for me this week have a lifetimes experience in their chosen work and are both great proficient s,and yet,many employers would prefer to hire the young man with the two week diploma, because he come cheaper than the skilled man.

That is why these crafts men are becoming increasingly rare.

I will conclude with a little verse, not my own unfortunately.

His Lordship,While fixing the electric light,

Blew himself up,and serve him right.

For it is the duty of the wealthy man,

To give employment to the artisan.