Bill Wright of Rothwell Haigh, Samuel Dunton of Reading, George Orton and J.Spooner of Burton upon Trent, Thomas Tong of Kearsley, H.E.Jones of Hereford, George Cox of Hereford, Walter Watts of Bridgwater, William Wheeler of Guildford,
F.J.Thomas of Chertsey, Thomas of Gloucester, Stubbs of Barrowden, Fuller of St Ives, C.H.King of Wisbech, Godbolt of Norwich, Elias Leonard of Soham, Albert & Theodore Fry of the Bristol Waggon and Carriage Works, W.Watson of Belpher,
Herbert Varney of Belpher, Hallard Howcroft of Hartlepool, Fred Hill of Swineflleet, Uriah Hurst of Woodlesford, R.W.Hodgson of Halifax, John Hardman of the Radcliffe Waggon Works
A Bit About Myself
What can I say - like most people in life, I have had a myriad of jobs. From cleaning and bar work (*The Crooked Barmaid) in my college days to becoming a colour matcher and a paint maker (* Lab Rat and Paint Pixie). Each job giving me different skills, leading me to the next engagement and an eventual act of serendipity, which led me to the restoration of Romany and Showman waggons - not something you ever expect to fall into.
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A chance encounter of an advert for a camera person, passed on to me by a colleague, changed the course of my life. A phone call and then a successful interview saw me learning about cameras and computers and also introduced me to 8mm & 16mm projectors and the fast disappearing skills surrounding old cine film. With an 'already love' of black and white comedy films and the cinema in general, I slotted into my particular role quickly and with my newly acquired experience of film handling, I became a part time projectionist at a local multiplex cinema, until the digital age and changeover in 2012, which saw many projection suites around the UK become unmanned, empty vessels, operated remotely.
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I digress however, my new boss was soon to become one of my closest and dearest friends - with our mutual love of cameras, films, music and paint!, our friendship firmly continued and remained true for over 18 years until his untimely passing in August 2019.
* unofficial job titles
© Ange Davies / Paint your Waggon 2019
The Waggon Side of Life
How did I go from studio/film work into waggons?
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Due to his own personal bereavement in 2005, my boss purchased an old Romany gypsy waggon to restore. Rekindling his own passion for these wonderful rolling relics and introducing me to their unique and sometimes very elaborate builds and decoration. I soon became initiated into the waggon world. Although I was aware of my great grandfather's trade as a wheelwright, only a few years ago, I discovered it's possible he was also a coachbuilder and my great uncle, who lived next door to him, was a top notch carver, who taught in the local college. So perhaps it runs in the blood.
© Ellie 2020