The passport belonging to Beverley’s father carried decades of history (Picture: BBC/Ricochet)
Fans of The Repair Shop are often reduced to tears by the amazing restorations that the team, including Jay Blades, present to their clients, reigniting cherished memories from childhood and paying homage to loved ones.
The latest episode of the BBC programme was particularly special, as it commemorated the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in the UK in 1948 and so in turn, celebrated the legacy of the Windrush Generation.
With Windrush Day taking place on Thursday June 22, honouring the Caribbean community and their contributions to British society, the people who appeared on Wednesday night’s The Repair Shop brought in four respective items of great sentimental value belonging to their relatives.
A woman called Beverley brought in the passport that was issued to her father Edgar in Jamaica in 1948, which had become weathered over the past eight decades of its existence.
Keithly brought in a suitcase – known as a grip – which was owned by his mother, Locita, and which she wished to take with her back to the West Indies on a trip in the near future.
Brother and sister Stephen and Dorcas presented the team with a clock which had belonged to their parents, Hermann and Keturah, which they purchased after arriving in the UK from Antigua, and which the siblings wished to hear chime again.
The transformation of the radiogram was a work of genius (Picture: BBC)
The grip looked as good as new (Picture: BBC)
Meanwhile, Patrick Vernon OBE, the man behind Windrush Day becoming an observed day from 2018 on its 70th anniversary, brought in a radiogram that used to belong to his late friend Eddie Noble, which he had received as a gift after his friend’s service in the RAF.
Beverley was astounded when her father’s passport was given back to her in mint condition, along with a specially-made case to keep it in to ensure that it would remain that way.
Keithly was in awe by the transformation of his mother’s grip, which included brand new lining on the inside, which could be peeled back to look at the original material.
It was an emotional moment in the barn when Dorcas and Stephen heard the clock chime once again, taking them back to memories of their childhoods with their parents.
Patrick looked as though he’d been transported to another time when the radiogram played music tunefully once again.
One person who watched the programme tweeted: ‘This, for me is the best episode of #therepairshop that I’ve seen. Thank you to everyone who brought their items in and shared their memories with us ❤️.’
‘#TheRepairShop is always really touching but today’s episode was extra special. It showed the journeys made by the Windrush generation (passport and ‘grip’) but also how they worked to establish themselves in the UK (clock and radiogram). Great job @jayblades_ & team!’ another said.
Someone else wrote: ‘Watching this episode and loving every precious memory reborn.’
Another praised the ‘talented’ people working in the barn, while one individual said that they were ‘bawling’ their eyes out throughout the entire episode.
The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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‘One of the best and most important episodes of The Repair Shop,’ one fan said.