John Longworth – Figaro Furniture

Words and Pictures John Longworth

It’s been rough for lots of people during lockdown not seeing friends, getting bored with nothing to do but looking at the TV, TV, and more TV.
So I decided to go into my garage/workshop and find something to fill in my time.

With bits of hardwood, metal tubing & paint the sky’s the limit. The first Idea was a picnic table complete with Fleur De Lys hand-painted emblems, you never know when the pandemic is over we might get to have a picnic.

After sawing the wood into small pieces I started carving with the end result in something that looked like a Figaro. But not happy with that I thought it should be something useful. If it could be made to hold picnic coasters, that could work. With some oak, I made a barrel to hold the coasters, then painted the Figaro in Lapis Grey just like mine.

Then a funny story developed, I text my brother in law Ian Williams [you may have seen his write up while filming Dr Who a few months ago] and told him I had an accident and the Figaro was written off when a Beer barrel fell off a brewery truck and smashed into the Figaro, He was devastated, so I sent him photo’s, I think I could hear him swear.

So, to apologise, I had to make him an Emerald green Figaro complete with napkins!

And the headline picture?
It was taken at the Herrington country park, situated between Chester-Le-Street & Sunderland. In the background stands Penshaw monument, now run by the National trust. Inside one of the corner columns is a staircase which is open to the public during the summer. As it stands on top of the hill the views are spectacular. On a clear day, you can see about 30 miles in all directions. And is only 7/8 miles from the Angel of the North.

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