Meet the team at Dorothea Restorations

Meet Some of the Dorothea Team 

 

John Wallis I.Eng FIMechE: Managing Director

 

Having grown up within the business that his father started (Dorothea Restorations Limited), John had the chance to re-build the company several years ago. It has been hard work but we have now re-established Dorothea Restorations as a company providing high quality restoration and conservation services throughout many varied industries across the UK.

Having completed an HND in Manufacturing Engineering, John spent many years within the business both on the practical side running and carrying out projects and subsequently progressed into the management team. He is currently applying for membership of the IMechE.

 

Ruan Bester ACR: Commercial Director

 

Ruan joined us in April 2014 to help run the ever-growing order book and help develop the commercial side of the business. He qualified from UWE with a (BSc Hons) in Construction Commercial Management and has an enthusiasm for our kind of work. Ruan is an Accreditated Conservator Restorer with The Institute of Conservation 

 

Phil Beck - Contracts Manager

Phil Beck has joined us with vast project experience and historic interest. He leads our teams on-site and within the workshop. 

 

Joe Bennett - Contracts Manager

Joe Bennett has shown that hard work and reliability is key to progress. Joe joined our team as a craftperosn in 2015 and has worked his way up to Contracts Manager over the last 7 years. 

 

Caroline Perrington - Office Manager

 

Zenon Jurkow: Project Foreman

Zenon joined us in 2005 as a craftsman and has worked his way through to a supervisory level. His background is varied and has many skills including fine metal works, working with non-ferrous metals, gilding, drawing and many of the finer engineering skills. 

 

Steven Gunn: Project Foreman

Steven has rejioned our family after a decade in other industries, his love for machinery and historic project structures has made him a great addition over the last 12 months 

 

Toby Lewis: Carpenter / Trainee Foreman

Matthew Morgan: Stonemason / Trainee Foreman

Willum Tiley: Craftsman / Metalworker / Blacksmith / CAD draftsman

Kris Brooks: Craftsman / Metalworker 

Michel Venteo: Craftsman / Metalworker 

Connor Hogg: Craftsman

Benedict Jacobs: Craftsman

Declan Stinchcombe: Craftsman

 

Dorothea Restorations have a vast range of specialist skills including:

 

• Cast iron stitching & welding

• A full range of repair, strengthening and joining techniques including the use of:

           

              - electric arc/gas welding

              - plates             

              - stitches/dowels

              - adhesives/resins

              - carbon/glass fibres

 

• Structural welding of wrought iron

• Hot set riveting and rivet-busting

• Specialist joinery and carpentry

• Specialist glazing including lead came work

• Patination and cleaning of lead, copper, brass and bronze

• Supply of recycled Wrought (puddled) iron

• Conservation blacksmithing, using wrought iron

• Surface preparation - blast, flame, manual and mechanical cleaning

• Application of traditional and modern coatings

• Gilding and patination

• Dressing, repair and manufacture of burr millstones

• Repairs to traditional wind/watermills

• Restoration of historic machinery

• Activation of large historic machines for demonstration purposes

• Operator guidelines and training

• Safety advice and audits

• Conservation advice, plans, and budgets

• Condition surveys, specification writing, budget and project planning.

 

Pioneering techniques developed by Dorothea Restorations include:

 

• Carbon fibre wrapping of cast iron to recreate 100% of the strength of the original item

• Wrought iron welding

• Pressed decorative zinc

• Decorative copper roofing techniques

• Curved and bent glazing in iron structures, including double-glazing

• 3D Scanning and pressing of historic elements