by A rare Welsh rugby shirt was restored in its former glory and left its owners in tears in the last episode of The Repair Shop from the BBC, the team recovered an old professional rugby shirt that had undergone a laundry disaster , which left a “mortified” family parent.
The jersey, which dates back to the 1960s, was brought into the barn by Lloyd Richards and his wife Karen, in the hope that the embroidery and the qualified textile curator, Rebecca Bissonnet, can help them. As the couple explained, Lloyd’s father was Bryan Richards, a former half of fly for the Welsh Rugby team, winning his only cap against France in 1960 at the age of 28 Cardiff Arms Park.
Bryan was the last man to play “outside” [fly] Half for Wales bearing the N ° 6 shirt, according to the WRU site, which also billed an “electrifying player”. Addressing the presenter Will Kirk and Rebecca, the son of Bryan, Lloyd, said: “He played for Wales. My biggest regret was that I never saw him play. He grew up in a Place called Skewen in the south of the country, rising the heaps of charcoal slag behind his house.
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“He continued to play for the Neath rugby club, moved to SwanseaPlayed for Swansea, became the captain of Swansea, he was barbaric, and of course, he culminates in a way to play for his country. “He continued:” The position he played – Fly Half, any fan of rugby will experience a fly half the number 10. But he wore number six. He was the latest Welsh international to play with number six. It was in 1960, and I don’t know the reason why it changed. “”
Lloyd then confirmed that his father died in December 2023. “He died just before Christmas Last year, he was 91 years old, “he said.” And since his death, it is even more important than we keep his inheritance. It’s a legend, my father. I loved him in pieces, he was a real unsuccessful on the rugby field, but a very conservative in life, a very humble guy. “”
Speaking of damage to the jersey, Karen explained: “When we were given the shirt, I thought, are we going to supervise or washing it? I forgot that it was 1960s, I have it Put in the machine and it came out and the red had run in the collar, I tried to take the pink out of the pass “.
She then confirmed that she had tried to whiten him, which caused even more damage. “So that’s all me,” she added. “I’m a little mortified to say the least. I’ve felt incredibly guilty since.” Listed in tears, she continued: “You know, he worked very hard for that. For me, it’s just a way to honor it if we can do it originally.”
While pointing the three feathers of the shirt, she said: “Thank God, the really important piece always looks good. But it is not a Welsh rugby shirt unless it is red , isn’t it? “. Her husband then added: “Red and Wales, I don’t really know why – there is a word in Welsh, which is called” Hiraeth “, and Hiraeth is somehow a desire for the place whose place that You come and it’s a kind of Hiraeth for me.
Rebecca told the couple that she “would do [her] Best “. While they left the barn, the repairer told Will that she was a bit” worried “about the challenge of relaunching the shirt. While working on the jersey, Rebecca said:” Rugby Welsh Red is a very distinctive, color. This shirt is in cotton and I believe that this seam is made of polyester, and I do not think it was affected by the laundering process.
“So, I think it’s a very good clue, because they would have equaled sewing to the color of the jersey. My biggest sorrow is this emblem, which is really important for the shirt. Feathers, the symbolism of Wales Wales , It makes me completely nervous because I will really have to cut this, because otherwise, once I have the jersey, everything else will be red.
Rebecca’s work included cutting the seams of the white collar of the shirt to remove it, creating a patch behind the emblem before sewing a small rear point around the emblem, then a seam row on the front to ensure No detangling, before cutting the emblem of the jersey. She then stripped the jersey of her color, before dying and drying him. She then sewed the emblem in her place before putting the collar and the number “6” at the back of the shirt.
When Lloyd and Karen returned to see the newly relaunched shirt, Lloyd said: “I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It’s papa. I miss it very much, so it would be good to have it and what It represents, because we must show it.
During the revelation, the two were surprised and visibly emotional because they saw that the jersey had been successfully restored. In tears, Karen said: “My God is incredible.” Lloyd then said: “Do you know that the red I was talking about? It’s Welsh red.” Karen added: “He didn’t even look so beautiful before putting it in the washing machine. Honestly, it didn’t look like that before. Waw!”
Referring to the emblem, Lloyd said: “The three feathers appear. It’s incredible.” When asked if the weight had been removed from Karen’s shoulders, she said, “Oh my god, so much.” The couple then explained that they were going to try to be framed the shirt, but pointed out that they looked “incredible” with a chest model because they were presented in the barn.
Will said that the repair workshop team had organized something else for the couple, who was a transparent case around the shirt. The case would allow the shirt to be seen but protected. Will said: “We have the impression that this is something that should be seen on all sides.” Lloyd accepted. While picking up the case on the table, he said, “Come on, dad.” Apart from the barn, Karen said: “It’s really healing. It is healing because he healed my guilt, but in fact, it’s healing because we have lost it and we have the impression that we have a little of him in return. “
The fourth episode of series 14 of the repair workshop will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 29 on BBC One and BBC IPLAYER.
