Episode 12

Lilian Russell from Newry in Northern Ireland brings in the first item. She has a harp for brand new experts Alex and Nigel Tree. A father and son pairing with over 50 years' combined experience in building and restoring harps, they are impressed to learn that this harp was built by Lilian's father, a complete novice, in his garage. As a child, Lilian had pined for a harp, but since times were tough, the family couldn't afford one. So, Lilian's dad, Jimmy, decided to build one himself, using a book from the library. It took him about six months, and he painstakingly fashioned every separate element - the workmanship for a complete amateur is astonishing. This was his first harp, and he went on to become a luthier, making harps and instruments for people all over the world.

Lilian was devastated when the harp her dad made was dropped during a house move, causing cracks in the case and making it no longer steady on its feet. Alex and Nigel have their work cut out to return it to Lilian in the state she remembers, so she can hear it played for the first time in decades.

Next, lifelong friends Mac Greenwood and Pete Hemmings arrive with a delicate item for paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou. It is a ‘returning birthday card' in the shape of an airline sick bag that Pete's mum bought for him to give to his friend Mac on his 16th birthday. The idea was that Mac would keep the card and send it back to his friend with a new message for his birthday the following year. So started a tradition that has lasted all their lives, right up to the present day, despite Pete moving 12,000 miles away to Australia 28 years ago.

For the friends, it signifies a constant in an ever-changing world and became all the more poignant when Pete was involved in a terrible car accident that left him with voids in his memory. The card has helped fill in some of the blanks. It is a delicate task for Angelina, who must work out a way to conserve the paper but also keep it viable as a card that can continue to be written on and sent halfway around the world for years to come.

The next visitors are sisters Fiona and Kirsten with a treasured family heirloom: their father's potter's wheel. The wheel belonged to their father, Syd Walker, a renowned potter and artist known for his exceptional work in Scotland during the 60s and 70s. Syd's pottery was celebrated internationally, with exhibitions across America, Holland and France, and even featured in the Royal Family Collection. As Fiona and Kirsten reminisce about their childhood spent in their father's pottery studio, they fondly recall the sights, sounds and smells that surrounded them. The potter's wheel was not just a tool, but a symbol of their father's passion for art and creativity. Despite its impracticality, they held onto the wheel as a tangible connection to their beloved father and his legacy. Now, Kirsten dreams of following in her father's footsteps and creating pottery on his wheel. However, the wheel is in need of extensive restoration. Dominic Chinea, the resident expert, is entrusted with the task of bringing the wheel back to life.

The barn's final guest is Maria from Dublin, who brings in her mother's retirement clock. Maria's mother received the clock as a gift from her colleagues upon her marriage in 1962. The clock holds significant historical importance, as it symbolises the challenges women faced in the workplace due to the marriage bar in Ireland during the 1960s. Maria recounts her mother's experiences of having to give up her job upon marriage. Despite this, Maria's mother cherished the clock as a symbol of her career and independence. However, the clock stopped working around ten years ago, and Maria seeks the expertise of resident horologist Steve Fletcher to restore it to its former glory. As Steve examines the clock, he discovers worn bearings and realises the extent of the repair work required. Despite the challenges, Steve is determined to bring the clock back to life for Maria, who hopes to place it back on her father's mantlepiece where it belongs.