On The Repair Shop, woodworker Will Kirk and bookbinder Chris Shaw restored a worn Victorian writing box, and a thoughtful addition brought the owners to tears. The episode, which first aired in 2025 and was shown again on Wednesday, November 4, featured mother and daughter Sarah and Laura, who brought the box to the barn.
A Family Heirloom with a Journalistic Legacy
The writing box was originally gifted to Sarah's grandfather, Dolly MacCormack. When Dolly died in 1959, it passed to Sarah's mother, Kay Kennedy, who died in 1993. Sarah explained that her mother left school as a teenager but later forged a career in journalism.
Sarah said: "She worked her way up to becoming an editor of one of the papers called the Ulster Star. She was one of the first women editors in Northern Ireland, which I'm very proud of. It was amazing. She was quite an exceptional woman. She did very hard-hitting news stories at a difficult time in Northern Ireland."
Sarah added: "She was right on the front doing that, but she also met all sorts of celebrities. She got to know Johnny Cash quite well, Roger Moore, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Bee Gees, you name it. She was well respected and well admired."
Restoring the 'Sad Wreck'
Laura described her grandmother as a "trailblazer." She told Will: "It's really important for me to say that and to talk about Kay Kennedy because she broke so many boundaries. I'm a journalist because my grandmother was a journalist. My grandmother was definitely my hero."
The writing box, described as "a sad wreck," required extensive restoration work, as it was literally coming apart. Will pledged to handle it carefully and began repairing the piece alongside Chris.
An Emotional Reveal
When Sarah and Laura returned to the workshop to view the completed restoration, both were instantly overwhelmed as the box had been completely restored. Will had created a name plaque for Kay's name, positioned beneath Dolly's, which brought them to tears.
Delighted, Sarah said: "Oh, that's lovely! Oh, that's so thoughtful." Laura added: "Well, as you know, I was like, 'Say her name, say her name,' and there she is. Kay Kennedy, and she's so important. That's just such a beautiful way of honouring her."
Will replied: "It's been great to be able to keep Kay's name alive; it's a pleasure." The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
