Bardsley & Brown Master Thatchers
Added on March 5, 2006
In 1989 Barney and David decided to amalgamate their businesses and form Bardsley and Brown Master Thatchers.Most of the contracts we undertake are within a 30-mile radius of Newbury although work is sometimes undertaken further afield.
We use all the main thatching materials, (Long Straw, Combed Wheat Reed and Water Reed), although presently, Combed Wheat Reed is by far the most commonly used material in the area.
We will happily advise on a programme of work for the thatching requirements of a property and willingly liase with builders,architects, surveyors and conservation officers, as needed, at both planning and building stages.
We are able to give independent roof surveys for estate agents, potential purchasers of thatched properties, insurance companies and thatch owners.
We have thatched roofs of all shapes and sizes from a large modern family house through pubs and even a small dog kennel!
Jane Brown and Mig Bardsley are partners in the business. Jane does all the secretarial work while Mig deals with some of the day-to-day administration.
About Barney
Added on March 5, 2006
Barney Bardsley started thatching in 1976 and spent four years learning the craft with a team of thatchers in East Berkshire. In1980 he set up his own business, based near Newbury. Barney was a founder member of the Oxon, Berks, and Bucks Master Thatchers’ Association (OBBMTA) When it was reformed in 1980, serving first as Vice Chairman and subsequently as Chairman.
In 1987, the OBBMTA along with nine other county based Master Thatchers ‘ Associations helped form the National Council of Master Thatchers’ Associations (NCMTA) to deal with matters concerning the thatching industry at a national level. For many years, Barney was the OBBMTA representative in the NCMTA.
At present Barney is the OBBMTA representative on both the Thatching Standards Committee and the Occupational Working Group on Thatching. With the help of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), these two bodies are formulating an NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) in thatching. NVQ levels 2 and 3 are now up and running.
Away from work, Barney enjoys woodturning and is one of a small co-operative, which runs a local craft gallery where some of his output is displayed and sold. The woodturning is also a handy and pleasant way of providing birthday and Christmas presents for friends and family!
Barney also plays guitar in a local Barn Dance band, “Sensible Shoes” with his wife Mig who plays the fiddle. They perform at local functions, weddings, parties and the like.
They have three children and four grandchildren and a cat.
They do not live in a thatched cottage on the premise that “the cobblers’ children are worst shod” and so the Thatcher’s roof might not be the best advertisement for his own work!
About David
Added on March 5, 2006
David began thatching in 1977, working with his father who had been a well respected Thatcher for over twenty five years in the area around East Garston, Berkshire. David is a member of the OBBMTA, as was his father before him.
Having spent a couple of years renovating his house, David now has some spare time during which he enjoys looking after his smallholding, renovating vintage tractors, and sharing the care of several rescued donkeys and ponies with his wife, Jane.
David and Jane have two children.