Arthur Jary & Sons Funeral Directors
Photographs of workers at Arthur Jary & Sons in 2007
By Lauren Mccurdy
Profile of Glen Thain: Stone Mason at Arthur Jary and Sons Funeral Directors.
Glen Thain has worked as a stonemason for Arthur Arthur Jary and Sons Funeral Directors for 27 years on and off. His training took three years: he was taught the trade onsite by a retired stonemason as well as attending Bath Technical College.
A typical day involves meeting customers, letter cutting, sand blasting, and fixing memorials. He says: "An 80-letter inscription takes, by hand, a day and a half to complete. Firstly, if we are using marble, we will use a brick dye, so we can see the lettering, marking it out with a pencil. Then, we cut out the letters with a hammer and chisel. Then, it is drilled and filled with lead".
Glen says he enjoys everything about his job though it has changed over the years: with the introduction of new technology the number of stone masons working for the firm has dropped from 5 to 2 people.
Portrait of Stone Mason Glen Thain in the workshop
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Close up of Glen hand carving an inscription on a headstone
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Portrait of Coffin outfitter Trevor Sandall in the workshop
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Portrait of Undertaker Michael Nelson with one of the hearses
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The staff at Arthur Jary & Sons outside their premises on Northgate Street, Great Yarmouth
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