Main content

Episode 1

Episode 1 of 14

The team restores a Ukrainian painting which survived a WWII labour camp and a 1960s bookings calendar from Liverpool's Cavern Club, which records an early Beatles performance.

The team restores four precious heirlooms, including a painting belonging to a Ukrainian family who risked everything to conserve their family history in the face of unimaginable odds. Also in the barn is an original 1963 calendar from Liverpool's Cavern Club featuring an early Beatles booking, an 18ft self-built kayak and a leather swivel chair that evokes precious memories of a much-missed father and grandfather.

The first arrival is for paintings conservator Lucia Scalisi. Maria has brought a 19th-century Madonna and Child painting that originally hung in a Ukrainian village church where her family lived. During the Second World War it was rolled up and hidden in her grandmother鈥檚 coat just before she was taken to a forced labour camp in northern Germany with her two daughters. Lucia has her work cut out as cracks have appeared where the painting was hastily folded and stored. Maria hopes to one day return the restored painting to its original home in the Ukrainian village church.

Dom has his own challenge when a two-person kayak, originally built from a kit in the 1960s, arrives measuring 18ft. It was built by owner Stephen鈥檚 father and was the focal point for him and his brother Nigel鈥檚 childhood holiday memories. Being so large it has been stored outside and the years have taken their toll, completely rotting through the original wooden deck and blistering the fibreglass hull.

Peter, son of Ray McFall the original owner of Liverpool鈥檚 legendary Cavern Club, brings in an item for the attention of paper restorer Angelina Bakalarou. It鈥檚 a wall calendar from 1963 used to book in bands at the venue. It records the dates of all the bands who played at the club during 1963, including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

The final item of the day is for upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary when Joelle and her children arrive with a broken office swivel chair. It belonged to Herall, Joelle鈥檚 father, who would play with his grandchildren spinning them around in it.

Available now

57 minutes

Audio described

Last on

Wed 22 Mar 2023 20:00

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

See all episodes from The Repair Shop

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Narrator Bill Paterson
Expert Angelina Bakalarou
Expert Dominic Chinea
Expert Lucia Scalisi
Expert Pete Woods
Expert Sonnaz Nooranvary
Executive Producer Emma Walsh
Executive Producer Hannah Lamb
Executive Producer Paula Fasht
Director Ben Borland
Series Producer Claire Egerton-Jones
Production Company Ricochet Ltd

Broadcast

Featured in...

Take Part

If you have a treasured possession that needs restoring, please get in touch.