Team

Meet the team at W Thomas Restorations Ltd

The company of W. Thomas Restorations Ltd started in the 1920’s and specialised in the restoration and conservation of the finest carving and gilding from the 17th and 18th century, a period of exceptional design and elaborate decoration. We are fortunate to have been able to work on some of the finest pieces of furniture and ornamentation ever made and for some of the greatest collections and stately homes.

Three of our team of craftsmen and women joined as apprentices at sixteen years of age and have served more than 30 years each with the company. In April 2016 with the help of funding from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), we have been able to take on our first apprentice woodcarver this century.

Ray Dudman

Ray joined W. Thomas Restorations as an apprentice woodcarver in 1974 at the age of 16.

Ten years later he was appointed a director and after thirty six years with the company Ray became the new owner in 2010.

Ray was trained as a woodcarver, under the watchful eye of William Thomas, and has since gone on to train a number of carvers including the most recent woodcarving apprentice, Oscar.

Ian Harris

Ian joined W. Thomas Restorations in August 1987 on the Youth Training Scheme (YTS). His father had previously worked as a carver at W. Thomas’ before moving to Somerset and starting a family. At the age of 16, Ian travelled from Somerset to London to take up an apprenticeship as a wood carver.

His YTS training took him to the City of London Furniture College on a part-time basis, where he learnt machining and general woodworking skills. He now specialises in joinery and cabinetmaking restoration along with his wood and gesso carving skills.

Pola Muraszko

Pola studied in Poland before moving to England and starting her career in the antique industry in 2005. During an apprenticeship with antique restorer and artist gilder Christine McInnes at London Gilding, Pola learnt water and oil gilding and decorative furniture painting.

Pola joined W. Thomas Restorations in 2006 and has become our senior gilder, specialising in water gilding and conservation.

Oscar Whapham

Oscar joined W. Thomas Restorations in July 2011 as an apprentice gilder. After two years of training as a gilder, he took time out to undertake world travel before returning to W. Thomas’ as an apprentice woodcarver.

With the help of a grant from QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust), Oscar was able to attend the City and Guilds of London Art School on a part-time basis as part of his woodcarving apprenticeship.

Oscar has since been involved in some high profile carving projects, including the chandeliers for the King’s Drawing Room at Kensington Palace.

Jack Burger

Jack studied in Poland, completing his Master of Art in 2006, before moving to England. Jack was trained as a gilding conservator at the House of Mirrors, where he continued working for nine years.

Jack is the latest addition to our team and has been in our workshops as a freelance restorer since 2018.