An Open Letter On Legacy
My father, Brian Peebles was a magnificent fellow. A master of Terrazzo, tile and mosaic. He was also an amateur artist, designer and maker, Although I think his upbringing prevented him from sharing that openly. Although successful in business, he would characterise himself as a ‘Tradesman’. However, a tradesman of the highest order. A throwback to a time where to be a true tradesperson and skilled master craftsperson was to be highly respected. When it was commonplace to make and design your own tools and working practice.
His skills were mostly passed to him via post-war Italian immigrants who settled in Scotland. They had brought with them a truly fascinating blend of antique and contemporary skills. Skills that were honed over many, many years and passed down the line. Some of them had an intricate knowledge of geometry and would be able to implement those skills onsite without any head scratching whatsoever. Apparently, without really knowing the gravity of what they were doing. It was simply a skill (that for some) was an integral part of their practice, often using solely timber straight edges, plumb lines/string and a pencil to plan and execute ornate designs and layouts. Apparatus that would fit snugly into the hands of medieval workers rather than those from the 20th Century. These guys were a marvel and increasingly, I’m able to further appreciate the level of knowledge and understanding required to reach those levels.
On a couple of occasions, I was lucky enough to experience my father planning and setting out an intricate tile layout using only a pencil, a length of cotton builder’s line and a thin length of hardwood to use as a straight edge. No measuring tape or contemporary measuring, simply the most basic of rudimentary tools and using Pythagorus and Mid Line theorem amongst others. It was fascinating. As a young Journeyman of around 20 years of age, he would often be commissioned by his superiors to 'set out’ for home-grown colleagues of advancing years. Often setting out highly complicated layouts for them including intricate borders/designs and staircase geometry that would be taxing for some architects of the day. I’m sure you could guess that this made for some interesting banter and likely a slither of resentment to boot! With the reliance on Computer Aided Design, it’s easy to see where a future might exist where these practical skills are all but lost to history. My father worked on some fascinating projects over the years and could boast of having worked at Edinburgh Castle, The Museum of Edinburgh, Holyrood Palace and many many other grand and illustrious buildings although, he didn’t. As the years pass by since the death of my father in 2013, I realise that without any intervention from me, he’ll be lost to time. An absolutely critical figure in the preservation of heritage crafts and design whom without archiving, may disappear without a discernible trace. The Architects and “Designers’ that he collaborated with over the years having their names written into history.
I followed my father into the tile industry, although it was done in the knowledge that it was essentially against his wishes. He wanted a life for me that was free from the pain and discomfort of working for long hours on your hands and knees and breathing in dust on a daily basis. Our compromise was that I had to finish school and get a degree prior to making any decision on my future. After gaining my degree in Art and Design between 1996-2000, I started working for him full-time around 2 weeks later….! By this point, I was actually quite proficient as I’d been dedicating most of my weekends and holidays to working for my father since the age of 13. To be around him was magical. When he died, it was a complete loss. I had lost my best friend, mentor and hero at the same time. When the weight of grief became manageable, one thing was clear, I had a duty to not only my father but to all those who had gone before him. I must preserve their legacy.