Apprentice painters have a brush with history with museum project

Grade II-listed Jarrow Hall House has been given fresh look still in keeping with its history thanks to two young painter and decorators.

Teenage apprentices Thomas Goodman and David Goodfellow proved themselves fast learners after being assigned to redecorate hall.

It is part of the Jarrow Hall Anglo-Saxon Farm, Village and Bede Museum, which will fully reopen to the public on Saturday, April 8.

They used specialist Georgian-period paint to redecorate the interior, in a styling scheme finalised by Leigh Venus, operations manager, culture and heritage at the attraction.

It was the second project for the 19-year-olds at the Church Bank venue as apprentices of South Tyneside Homes (STH).

The pair also redecorated and refreshed the museum ahead of the Jarrow Hall site’s partial reopening last October by communities’ charity Groundwork South Tyneside and Newcastle (STAN) after it took on the former Bede’s World, which was run by a trust which went into liquidation last year.

For the museum job, they made repairs to walls, painted the its conference room, completed white wall painting and glossed doors.

David, from Hebburn, said during National Apprenticeship Week: “The main experience at Jarrow Hall has helped me understand how to decorate old-fashioned houses.

“We started working on Jarrow Hall House in mid-January and we’ve nearly finished painting the inside.

“It’s coming together really well.

“I picked an apprenticeship because it’s the best way for me to work, as I prefer doing hands-on work rather than sitting in an office.

“I love painting and manual work, and I’ve learnt how to paint houses correctly and complete interior work like fitting kitchens and wallpapering.”

Thomas, from South Shields, added: “My dad is a painter by trade and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.

“I’ve gained lots of different skills - I’ve completed redecorating work externally, internally and even painted and decorated windows, which is quite complicated at first.

“The best part of working on Jarrow Hall House has been painting decorative diagonal patterns, as this was quite a challenge.”

Their improvement work will support the arrival of Hive Coffee Company, which will open on Jarrow Hall House’s ground floor next month.

Andrew Watts, chief executive of Groundwork STAN, said: “We are proud to be working with South Tyneside Homes’ apprentices to improve the quality and the variety of opportunities they have during their apprenticeship.

“Decorating a Grade II listed building will give Thomas and David valuable experience that will improve their career prospects in the future.”

Councillor Ed Malcolm, chairman of the STH board, said: “Apprenticeships are a great way for young people to gain invaluable skills and enhance their future prospects and I’m delighted that South Tyneside Homes has been able to help these young men onto the first rung of the career ladder.

“They have done a tremendous job of painting Jarrow Hall and I hope people will be admiring their handiwork for years to come.”