|
Peter Weldon.
Artisan and Director of
Peter Weldon Iron Designs Ltd.
I was born in 1967 in Blantyre Malawi, East Africa. My father was an Englishman working as a dairy farmer on the Nchima tea estate in Thyolo, about 10 miles out of Blantyre. He arrived in Malawi during the 1950’s as a young graduate in agriculture and met my mum working in the town bank at Blantyre. My mothers family had settled in Africa several generations before and she was born and raised in Malawi. Although just a little boy of 7 years old when my family moved to England it was my early years in Africa that have given me an adventurous spirit in business, design and in travel. We left Malawi and moved to Leicestershire, England in 1974 where I spent the rest of my childhood. Now I have a family of my own- married to Louise for 17 years and with two beautiful daughters- Evie who is 11years old and Robyn now 4.
15 year after leaving Africa I graduated from Staffordshire Polytechnic in 1989 with a first class BA(Hons) in Ceramic Design. For the next few years I worked in the ceramics industry, developing design and modelmaking skills and then went on to start my own business during 1994.
European creamware of the late 18th & early 19th century became a particular interest of mine, leading to a commission to recreate the ‘Tulipieres’ from Chatsworth House, one of England's finest stately homes I also developed a technically difficult range of Sevres-style copies with lost-wax bronze mounts and raised paste gilding, the majority of orders being for export to high end retailers & designers in the USA.
After 7 years of successful ceramics manufacture, I made the decision to sell my business, complete with all plant and machinery, moulds and copyrights.
The buyer was Theodore Alexander, a leading manufacturer of 18th & 19th century reproduction furniture and accessories. I was contracted to relocate the factory to new premises in Vietnam with the objective of building a ceramics factory producing lamp-bases and sculptural interior designs, contributing to an already vast product range.
For 12 months from March 2002 this was my main activity, living in Ho Chi Minh together with my wife Louise and daughter Evelyn. I made many friends and contacts during this period - and even picked up a little of the language.
|
While working in Vietnam it was the French colonial ironwork that caught my eye. I found the Vietnamese to be skilled steel fabricators, and both friendly and hardworking. I met my future business partner in 2002 and the seeds of a new enterprise were sown. ‘Peter Weldon Iron Designs’ began trading in late 2002. The factory is now well established and managed by my friend and business partner Hai. It employs 25 skilled and versatile metalworkers - not just manufacturers, but craftsmen in their trade.
Each item is built at the factory prior to delivery to the UK by seafreight container. This ensures that all elements fit correctly and are suitably protected for transport to the UK and on to the various final destinations, ready for assembly. Now based once again in the UK, I am personally responsible for the design of all work and run the business from Stoke on Trent. I am a frequent visitor to Vietnam and consider it to be a second home.
The entire Vietnamese nation relies on travel by motorbike, the 90cc Honda ‘Dream’ moped being the favourite machine. I preferred the less popular Chinese Bonus. Considered thirsty and heavy by the Vietnamese at 150cc it would carry the three of us and our baggage quite comfortably. During one weekend we rode from Ho Chi Minh city to the Mekong delta taking it easy along the way. Our journey attracted much interest from the locals who rarely see Europeans travelling like this.
We also rode an ancient Lambretta that was around 40 years old. Named the ‘pig and dog’ by Evie because it made such a terrible noise and occasionally just refused to start.
|
