Jewish french polisher Glasgow 1940s

[allyj50]

Can anyone confirm whether Gardiner's was a french polisher company in Glasgow in the 1940s please? My work learnt her trade with a jewish family firm.

Ally Whittaker
England

[punkmonsta]

Well there was a company in "Busby" Glasgow, called "Gardener & Lieghton" i met mr Lieghton a few times during my apprenticeship,when they were only upholsterers,but i know they were more than that years b4 me,,,,
If you want to find out more about that company and mr gardener you should ask "Paul Hodgekiss" about that particular company, his now company is
"Paul Hodgekiss Design" Clarkston Rd Cathcart Glasgow, he knew the pair of them particuarly well.

yours
Robert The Polisher

[Lesley Robertson]

Can anyone confirm whether Gardiner's was a french polisher company in Glasgow in the 1940s please? My work learnt her trade with a jewish family firm.

Ally Whittaker
England

Ask Glasgow's main library if they have a trade directory from the 1940s..
Lesley

[allyj50]

Ask Glasgow's main library if they have a trade directory from the 1940s..
Lesley

Thanks Lesley - that is a good idea. i am actually visiting the mitchell library in mid March for some family research with a friend so will try to remember that. We have booked our spaces!

Ally x

[allyj50]

Well there was a company in "Busby" Glasgow, called "Gardener & Lieghton" i met mr Lieghton a few times during my apprenticeship,when they were only upholsterers,but i know they were more than that years b4 me,,,,
If you want to find out more about that company and mr gardener you should ask "Paul Hodgekiss" about that particular company, his now company is
"Paul Hodgekiss Design" Clarkston Rd Cathcart Glasgow, he knew the pair of them particuarly well.

yours
Robert The Polisher

Many thanks robert.
It was my Mum that worked for them but her Mum (my Nana) also worked for them but they were "different french polishers" and i have never been able to find out what my Mum meant by that.


Ally x

[momat]

Can anyone confirm whether Gardiner's was a french polisher company in Glasgow in the 1940s please? My work learnt her trade with a jewish family firm.

Ally Whittaker
England

Hello ,
Just found your post and wonder if you are still out there.
The Leighton in this post of Gardener & Leighton was my Uncle and they were Upholsters and Polishers.
Cheers, Maureen.

[allyj50]

Hello ,
Just found your post and wonder if you are still out there.
The Leighton in this post of Gardener & Leighton was my Uncle and they were Upholsters and Polishers.
Cheers, Maureen.

Hi

I visited Glasgow about 3 weeks ago to visit the Mitchell Library and Park Circus and do a memory tour of Glasgow itself. The bus went past Gardners and I now have photographs of A Gardner & Son through a bus window - its now a pub owned by JD Wetherspoon and called The Crystal Palace. The building was bought by their rivals from Edinburgh Martin & ? in 1995 and then they in turn sold it Wetherspoons in 2000. Address 36 Jamaica Street, Glasgow.

I have a reference letter for my Mum and she was relieved of her job 29th August 1947 - shortage of work was the foreman's reason but he recommended her as a first class french polisher. Her mother also worked for them I have been told but she was a different kind of french polisher but I have no idea what was meant by that.

She was the foreman's apprentice and then later became a journeywoman french polisher.

Ally Whittaker

[momat]

Hello Ally,
Was your mother Mary ?
Cheers,
Maureen.

[allyj50]

Hello Ally,
Was your mother Mary ?
Cheers,
Maureen.

No Maureen. Her name was Elizabeth Wilkie and was known as Bunty by her family.

Her mother also worked for them I am told and her name was Alice Maud Wilkie.

I do have a photograph of my Mum and I "think" some of her work colleagues, basically because I and the rest of the family dont recognise anyone else in the photo!

Cheers
ALLY x

[punkmonsta]

Many thanks robert.
It was my Mum that worked for them but her Mum (my Nana) also worked for them but they were "different french polishers" and i have never been able to find out what my Mum meant by that.


Ally x

Ok ally
I will explain to you what was meant by that,,,it is just a very polite way of saying that she was "A real french polisher" as most french polishers can only stick to the theory they were taught, every real french polisher has their own methods that they have perfected over the years and we are all "different" from each other,,we are very bendable, changable, for every job we do, never polishing 2 jobs the same because we adapt to every job differently.

The polishers who just stick to the theory that they were taught are polishers who are really only hobbyists or students etc,,,

The french polishing trade is one of the most secretive ones with more "tricks of the trade" than any other trade and cannot be taught in college or Uni.

So if she had some great methods and ways(tricks of the trade) she will be described as "A different french polisher" even "A very different french polisher"

hope you understand now

robert the polisher
Furniture Diamond French Polishers