Xavier Birch – a true craftsman

In his first floor workshop at Stonehurst Farm, Xavier selects the most suitable tool for the next step in his current project.

At 1.30 pm those of us attending the Field Trip met in the parking area outside the old original Stable Block of Stonehurst Farm where we were greeted by Xavier Birch who escorted us to his workshop situated in the loft area above the old stables that had been built in the 1860’s. The old hand operated saw blade marks are still visible on the timber to remind us of its history.

Xavier is passionate about history and traditional ways and was proud to inform us that his children were the seventh generation to reside on the family farm, his wife Chloe being the daughter of Laurence and Suzanne Max who descended from a long line of Max family members beginning with Albert Edward Max (1878-1958) who married Clara Stanfield Haycock in 1905 and Stonehurst Farm has been in the Max Family ever since.

Xavier explained that his interest in leathercraft began when he took up Falconry as a sport in both Australia and England and upon his return to New Zealand, as the manager of the Falcon Breeding and Falconry Centre in Blenheim, where our native Falcon, the Karearea, is used to deal to pests in the Marlborough Vineyards.

Whether it be for work or sport, each falcon is required to be fitted with a specially constructed leather hood. These intricate hoods are made from very soft leather and are designed to be removed with one hand and one’s teeth whilst the falcon is perched on the other gloved hand. The craftsmanship required to make these hoods is an artwork and from these humble beginnings, Xavier has developed a leather workshop that produces a wide range of leather goods to a very high standard.Xavier has a stall at the Nelson Markets where such things as bags and belts can be purchased or he will create something specifically ordered.

The workshop itself is a neat display of rolls of leather, mostly from New Zealand, and rows of old specialist tools as well as sewing machines – one treadle machine being 122 years old. The machines are Singers and an Adler (a German brand). These have been purchased or donated over a period of time and Xavier uses them all just as the Master Craftsmen from times gone by have done.

There are now only a few Master Leather Craftsman in New Zealand and Xavier is one of them. A visit to these unique premises is like taking a trip back in time, and leaves one with a deep feeling of nostalgia for the past as well as admiration that these skills from the a bygone era have not been forgotten.

We were also told the story of Mr Molesley, a rescued Little German Owl, who accompanies Xavier to the workshop where he keeps rodents and pesky birds under control. Xavier has built nesting boxes for these little owls on Stonehurst Farm and now has three breeding pairs. Unfortunately one nesting box was abandoned after the tree it was attached to was trimmed by linesmen. Xavier adopted the abandoned chick into his family and plans to release it back to the wild in the Spring.