Domesday Book restorer joins conservation studio

From the Domesday book to William Shakespeare's will and the Magna Carter, Fred Bearman has conserved and restored some of the world’s most precious books and documents over the course of a forty year career in conservation. Having just taken up the post of Book and Library Collections Conservator in the University’s Book & Paper Conservation Studio, he is now conserving local books to their former glory.

Fred's first project, a Book of Remembrance honouring former pupils of Harris Academy who served during the Second World War, has just been re-dedicated at a ceremony at the Dundee school. Created in the late 1940s, the book had been on show in the school when it was removed from its display case and vandalised. In order to restore the book Fred employed ‘dry cleaning methods’ such as using swabs to remove dirt from around the lettering, a painstaking process which meant that it took six weeks to restore just 37 pages.

Commenting on the book, Fred said, "This was one of the most extraordinary projects I have ever worked on." Former Harris Academy pupil Gordon Laird, who organised the restoration, said, "The department of Conservation has done a marvellous job."

Fred has worked at Columbia University, New York and at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC over the course of his career. He joined the University from Shepherds Bookbinding and Conservation in London. Already a regular lecturer in London, Fred will be lecturing on his areas of expertise in Dundee, including the history of the book, book conservation and fine binding. There are also plans to organise workshops and to create a new 'friends group' for all those interested in finding out more about what Fred and his colleagues in the Book & Paper Conservation Studio are involved with.

Fred added, "As well as my conservation work I can also create fine bindings and presentation bindings for books - for gift books for visitors to the University, or staff who are leaving or retiring."

For more information about presentation bindings or any of the other services offered by Fred and the rest of the team at the Book and Paper Conservation Studio visit: www.dundee.ac.uk/library/conservation/introduction.htm