Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
consultant and skilled bricklayers like Richard Keech and Scott Williams, the
likelihood of me being able to demonstrate to the main contractor and his
sub-contractor that their work was incorrect and the workmanship unaccept-
able, was remote. They would almost certainly have maintained a position that,
'Bricklayers able to produce what I was demanding are no longer available in the build-
ing industry today'
.
The Bricklayer's Perspective
By Richard Keech, craftsman bricklayer, Brogborough, Bedfordshire
As an apprentice bricklayer at Bedford College I, along with my colleague
Scott Williams, were among one of the first students introduced to the art of
gauged brickwork whilst studying under Gerard Lynch. In my four years spent
at college selected students, including Scott and myself gained valuable knowl-
edge and experience from his hands-on approach in cutting, rubbing, and
setting gauged brickwork. After completing my apprenticeship I set myself up
as a sub-contractor. A little while later, he left the college to pursue his work
as a contractor, consultant and author. He had great confidence in my abili-
ties at carrying out gauged brickwork and I had the honour to work for him,
along with Scott on several repairs or restoration contracts, and he kindly rec-
ommended us for other contracts, involving historic brick buildings including
tuck pointing and gauged brickwork.
The original gauged arch, of buff coloured malm cutters, had failed and sev-
eral of its voussoirs had loosened and some standard brickwork above it. This
had been taken apart and rebuilt by the brickwork contractors undertaking
other works on site. These did not have the required experience or skills in this
type of traditional brickwork and the standard of the rebuild was not accepted.
In their attempt to rebuild the failed arch, the bricklayers only added to the
problem; even damaging some arch voussoirs. Additionally, the majority of the
re-built London Stock bricks over the arch, due to the excessive damage they
sustained, and having been laid in hard cement mortar, could not be re-used.
It was essential to provide a safe and comfortable working environment. An
aluminium tower scaffold was erected of two sections. The first section nearest
the wall was positioned just below the height of the arch, to be in a comfortable
sitting position when laying the arch voussoirs and make laying them that much
easier. The second platform at the rear of the tower was on the next level up to
provide a bench for us to systematically layout the arch on as it was taken down
and prepare the voussoirs at a convenient height. The top and three sides of
the tower scaffold were covered with a protective tarpaulin to create an envir-
onment that was both dry and 'out of the wind'; allowing work to proceed in
inclement weather.
