Bob Elsey one of a dying breed of conservators

EMERGING from the grime of nearly two centuries, the warm glow of gold shines bright, and brings a proud, satisfied smile to the face of the man responsible for revealing it.

With only a couple of stiff-bristled artist’s brushes, cotton wool swabs, and a weak cleaning solution, Bob Elsey tackles the mammoth task of cleaning the Pugin high altar in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Ushaw, near Durham.

The chapel was made especially to hold the altar, designed by Augustus Welby Pugin, of the famous Pugin architect family, when it was moved from the its original home in the main St Cuthbert’s Chapel during reconstruction in the 1880s.

“I was looking at some other objects for conservation at Ushaw, when it was commented how nice the altar would look if it was cleaned up,” says Bob. “I was asked to do some spot tests and suggested that should clean half of the nearby credence to see what a difference it might make.” The result was startling and can be clearly seen on the right-hand-side of the credence where the colours and patterns are much more defined and bright.

Bob, a grandad now approaching 70, is a member of a dying breed of conservators, with a rare set of skills that are in demand all over the country. “There aren’t many left with the knowledge I’ve built up over the years, so I could be working round the clock,” he says.

He’s been working on the altar at Ushaw since the beginning of the year and hopes to complete it by March 2019. It’s not a job that can be rushed. He has to take precautions to ensure that everything is done carefully and evenly, so it looks its absolute best when he finishes, and also so that he doesn’t cause any damage to the delicate artwork.

Before he even picked up his paint brush, he had to submit a method statement to explain what he intended to do, what implements he would be using, and any health and safety risks. Only when this has been accepted could he start working to remove the thick coating that had built up over many, many years.

Dust, pollution and candle smoke have all contributed to the film of muck that has been hiding the beauty of the gilt and polychrome that was lovingly applied onto the original, intricately-carved plain, white stone.

“The cleaning test was really good and shows what can be achieved with the altar, which has been painted, gilded and even varnished in places,” says Bob. “I don’t know when it was all put on, but it hasn’t been done just by one person, either. There’s a much looser painting style on the surrounding areas compared to the inset panels.

“The surface textures differ, so need different treatments. The red areas haven’t been varnished, so if I clean too vigorously, the paint will come off. Because of that, I have to go slowly - examine it as I clean it, and identify ‘safe’ areas that volunteers might be able to work on to help with the work.”

At the moment, it’s a one-man-job for Bob, whose official title is Object Conservator. He’s been involved in a lot of conservation work with Ushaw – itself 450 years old - including the silver sanctuary lamp and the copper alloy eagle lectern in the magnificent St Cuthbert’s Chapel.

Bob grew up in South Shields with his mother and brother. Although his dad, a pitman, died when he was seven, Bob has very vivid memories of going with him to South Shields library.

“While my dad was changing his books, I’d sit on the slatted benches in the foyer and slide from side to side,” he remembers. “There was a model sailing ship fixed on display that my dad used to lift me up to look at.”

Forty years later, Bob was the Conservation Officer at the Tyne and Wear Museum and Archives when the same model came in for conservation. “It was a profound moment,” admits Bob, “seeing that same model that I used to look at with my dad when I was young. I even asked, ‘Where are the guns?’ because I distinctly remembered there being guns on it, and was told that they had been removed because they were the wrong type for that vessel.”

Bob deliberately works on the altar at times when Ushaw is open to the public. Once a Catholic seminary, the historic building is undergoing a new lease of life as a visitor attraction, events venue, conference centre and business hub.

“It’s good that visitors can see the work happening, and where the money is being spent. They talk to me about what I’m doing, and, yes, they do ask if they can help, so I have to politely turn them down,” smiles Bob.

Although he is into retirement age, Bob is struggling to contemplate slowing down. “I’m not very good at sitting doing nothing,” says the man who began his career as a boat builder, and has tackled jewellery-making, painting (seascapes, of course), and has trained international triathlon competitors. “And I’m just so fortunate to work on such marvellous objects.”

He truly has the golden touch.