Village Squire, 1977-12, Page 14•
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Alethea Jones adds colourful dried flowers as a finishing touch to
a small plaque.
John and Alethea's hobby resulted from necessity. They were
both laid off from work - he in December of 1976 and she last
July. The only carpentry John had done previously was for the
church. He built a cross that everyone seemed to like.
His incentive to try other things came from a bean box, that
:as sent to them as a gift from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He studied
its design, and with trial and error, he finally achieved the proper
angles and fashioned a box similar to the original one. Since
then, he has developed his own technique and has branched into
a diversity of products.
He and his son-in-law sold a few items around the city, but
with the purchase of the boutique, he found an excellent
showcase for his work. Now he does not have enough time to
develop all .the ideas that he and Alethea have thought of.
• His current project is a five -piece cross, that will contain a
Bible verse and a bell as well as dried flowers. His next item .ill
be an umbrella stand, and he will also design custom-built
planters on request.
John is still looking for another job, but in the meantime, his
hobby keeps him busy. He admits that being unemployed after
10 years of service was frustrating, especially during the first
months, and he adds, "If the Lord hadn't given me the talent to
do what I'm doing now, I probably would have gone back to
England." He and Alethea came to Stratford from England 10
years ago.
They believe everyone has talent, and they urge people to use
it. Their shop provides an outlet for the craftsmen of Stratford
and area because, besides their own creations, they sell the
hand -crafts of several local people. Alethea hopes to add
Mennonite quilts and the paintings of local artists to their
collection.
"There are so many talented people around," she explains.
"Seeing the beautiful things they do makes me wonder why we
need imports. Of course, hand -crafts are more expensive than
the mass-produced one, but each one is unique. It is sad to see
the "old masters" being lost in mass production."
In her dealings with the local craftsmen, she has been
encouraged by the number of young people that are carrying on
the techniques taught to them by their parents and
grandparents.
The Shakespearean Gift Shop fulfills two purposes. It provides
an outlet for the talent of John and Alethea Jones as well as other
craftsmen from Stratford and area. It also gives tourists and local
customers a chance to buy products that are truly Canadian. ❑
12, VILLAGE SQUIRE/DECEMBER 1977.
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