Upholsterer: Winifred Watson

Winifred Watson and her 19-year-old son Stephen sticking a cake to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Upholstery is traditionally seen as a man’s work, but single mother of five Winifred Watson who lives in Stanley-town, West Bank Demerara, does it along with some amount of joinery to provide for her family.

Winifred started to repair chair sets after her husband, a joiner, dared her to take up the challenge over 20 years ago. She set about opening the chairs, piece by piece, carefully looking at the way they were built and how best to repair the damaged sections. Winnie, as she is fondly called, told this newspaper that she was surprised to find that, “No matter that the chair might be looking beautiful on the outside; it does not necessarily mean that it was a perfect job. Often, when the beautiful fabric or cloth is removed, one is stunned by the presence of the material that makes up the outfit.”

Nevertheless, she began to learn, day by day, how the chairs were made. She reviewed the various styles of the chairs that were entrusted to her, and assured this newspaper that