History

Currently I am the founding director of Hong Kong Strings Ltd in partnership with Ronald Wilson. Founded in 1999 from a small shop in Wan Chai it has gone from strength to strength to become one of the leading violin dealers in Hong Kong selling instruments from high quality student instruments from our now well known brand “Batoni” to fine European antique instruments and bows. With such a thriving shop my duties are many, but I strive to spend as much time in the workshop as possible.

Before Hong Kong Strings Ltd I was an independent violin maker and repairer working out of Wan Chai. Building a very high reputation for instrument repairs with local orchestral, student and amateur players. Later to be used as the building block for Hong Kong Strings Ltd. I was originally brought out to Hong Kong by Sandra Wagstaff Violins to take up the position of setting up the violin repair workshop in 1988. A position I held for 3 years. Previous to that I studied formerly at “The Welsh School of Violin Making” near Cardiff.

Before starting out in the world of violin making I spent 11 years as a cabinet maker and restorer of period antique furniture. Starting work in 1975 at the age of 17 for an antique shop repairing furniture and making solid elm and ash country furniture. After 4 years I moved to work for the Ferneyhough brothers in Henley in Arden, repairing and restoring fine period antique furniture. Four years on from that I set up my own workshop specializing in bespoke hardwood furniture at Hatton Craft Centre just outside Warwick

It was here that I was drawn towards violin making by Timothy Littlar working as a luthier in a neighboring workshop and the beginning of a great friendship and much collaboration to this very day. Through Tim I also became acquainted with Rowan Armour-Brown, a very talented and much loved maker working in Warwick at that time. She later became a teacher at The Newark School of Violin Making. Their acquaintance inspired me to sell up my business and start on the road in a new career as a violin maker. A task made a lot easier given that I was already a master craftsman in furniture craft.

Last but not least my parents Pat and Mac who always encouraged me to follow a career of my choice and supported me 100%