Interview with Tim, the Plasterer

18 January 2011

 

How did you hear about this project?
I was sat at home on the internet looking for a few jobs and I saw it advertised through a plastering website.

What made you try to pursue it?
I just thought it would be a bit of fun. I emailed the producer and the exact words I wrote were: ‘I look like a fat Peter Kay and I've done TV work, and if you're bothered get in touch with me' and that's what I put.

So when you say you've done TV work, what have you done?
I've done A Little Help with Our Friends with Paul Burrell and I did the plastering before they went in. I weren't on the TV but it was a bit of fun - in for a penny, in for a pound.

And why do you think they chose you?
Because of my personality I think. I don't know, I'm just me that's it - you can tell that straight away can't you?

As part of the experiment you all had to live onsite in caravans, how did you find that experience?
A bit horrible at first.  Working away, you're stuck with the people who you work with, and I could never switch off. And it was a bit hard for me because I was away from my family and my little'uns. So I didn't particularly enjoy it. I enjoyed the people around me like Darren, Ben, Bill and Kevin, but you need to switch off and sometimes it's important to switch off.

Apparently you rigged-up the caravans and installed Sky in them.
Yes I installed Sky and we had a TV in every room and in every bedroom as well.  It was rigged up so we could watch it in anywhere we wanted to. We had Scalextrics and ...helicopters - I like gadgets, that's why they call me 007.

And did you all get on well?
Yes, it was a rollercoaster ride and it had its ups and downs. The experience was like having your head kicked in but enjoying it.

You travelled to Turkey to see the ancient Roman ruins - that was your first time abroad wasn't it?
Yes it was. I got beaten up in a Turkish masseur place or whatever it was. So my first big holiday experience was being beat up. Never again.

Did you enjoy the experience of being away anyway?
I missed my kids a bit. I was a bit upset all the way through it, but I enjoyed being away. It was like a very hot painting of Torquay. I didn't eat anything while I was there. They made me eat things that were horrible so I lived on Pringles for three days.

And what did you make of seeing the Roman ruins - did you find that helpful?
Very helpful, because we discovered that Romans did their frescos in three layers.  The visit was totally related to what we were doing in Wroxeter and Turkey was the only place I was allowed to do any bricking - they wouldn't let me do it at the site.

You had to work using only the tools that were available to the Romans. How did that work and what tool did you miss the most?
Power tools. I had to do all the lime plaster mixing for 70 days and that nearly killed me. It was a bit different because you went to work and there was a hierarchy  - labourer vs brick-layer vs everyone else - so I ended up most of the time being labourer for everyone else which upset me a bit to be honest. And when it came to plastering, no one else wanted to do any labouring for me - I was a bit cheesed off about that.

Did you learn a lot from this experience?
Yeah, a hell of a lot. I've learnt about lime plastering. You know I said that the only people to come out of this with any knowledge of how to do anything different was me, because I've learnt to mix lime and put it on.  I've also learnt how to do frescos and stuccos.. Certain parts were difficult and certain parts I couldn't believe what we were doing. It's like winning the lottery doing this project.

Will you use any of the stuff that you learnt in the future?
I want to.  I don't want to do what I'm doing now - plastering - I want to do the authentic heritage stuff.

Like restoration work?
Yeah,  you should see the columns that we did in the main room.  Amazing.

So do you want to do that stuff because there's more craft in it?
There's more craft and there's more emphasis on it lasting longer - there's more finesse in it. Instead of doing a normal room - a square box - with the Roman Villa you were allowed to put your own input into it which I enjoyed much more.  That's what I want to do - have a say about what happens. I've never been a builder, I've always been a plasterer, and I've never been actually involved in building a structure.

What do you think the biggest challenge was that you faced?
Getting on with five other idiots!  (he says laughing)

What were you proudest of - what were the high points of the project for you?
Finishing it -  I'm proud of what I plastered - I plastered it all.  Bits and pieces I wasn't happy with basically because we had no time.  But I'm very proud of what I achieved.  There's a warm glow inside of me when I see what we did.  I'm proud of Darren and the columns he did- it's all a real achievement.

What were the low points for you?
Just being away from family. And the back-biting.  Everybody was interested in what everyone else was doing and not getting on with their work.  I'm so used to getting on with my job, but everybody else was worried about what everyone else was doing and  in turn nothing was being done  - that did my head in.  

What were the funniest moments?
Ben -  I used to wind him up all the time.  Trying to get Ben to move into Kevin's caravan - he was spitting feathers for three days.

How did it feel to be the first group of builders in over 1500  years to have built a Roman villa?
I'm very proud and very honoured.  I'm happy I didn't miss the opportunity - I never miss opportunities. I worked my arse off on that place. I've done something that I can show my kids and they can show theirs.