Interview Continued »
Tweed, Norman’s is woven on a traditional, single-width ‘Hattersley’ loom. Although commercial tweed production tends to use larger double-width looms, which give a wider cloth, he has no plans to change his current setup. “Single-width tweed has a limited
market, but I wanted to do it the old tradi- tional way. And it’s enjoyable, knowing that I’m keeping the old traditional way of Hattersley single-width weaving alive.” Norman buys his yarn from the local
tweed mill and does his own warping (preparing the threads that go lengthways through the tweed). Once a length of tweed is finished, he takes it back to the mill to be washed and stamped with the distinctive Harris Tweed ‘orb’ trademark. Today, Norman’s pastime has evolved
into a successful small business and tourist attraction, a fact which also clearly gives him great pleasure. “I still see it purely as a hobby,” he says.
“But I do sell a bit to the tourists who come round in the summer time. At the moment, I’ve got 30 or 40 different tweeds in my shed and I have visitors every day in the summer.
“I explain the history of Harris Tweed
to them and the history of the Hattersley loom. They hopefully enjoy it and I certainly enjoy speaking to them. So really, it’s therapeutic and a good hobby for a rainy day, which we have a few of up here I can assure you.” In addition to passing tourist trade,
Norman has a select group of mail order customers, including the American author Phyllis Cast – creator of the House of Night series – who uses his tweed in her merchandise. Asked if he ever misses his old life in
Glasgow, Norman just chuckles and replies “only the Sunday papers – we don’t get them here. “I thoroughly enjoy it up here. I’m my
own boss and there’s no pressure on me,” he says. “When you’re in an NHS practice, you’re on a treadmill, working away all the time. Here, I don’t have to worry and I can do as much or as little as I feel like. “I’ve got a small fishing boat, so we go out
and catch lobsters and I cut my own peats as well. I’ve also got about 25 Hebridean sheep I look after, so we always have plenty of lamb in the freezer. “I really couldn’t wish for anything more. No, this will be fine for me.”
ROYAL RECOGNITION
As well as being much admired by colleagues and patients, Norman’s work was also recognised with an MBE, awarded to him in 1992 for “services to dentistry”. “That’s all it said,” recalls Norman. “They never tell you what it’s actually for. But I assume it was something to do with my work on the capita- tion pilots in the late 1980s… I got a bit of friendly stick from people, but everyone was generally happy for me.” The award was presented at Buckingham Palace; an experience with which Norman was “quite chuffed”.
24 Scottish Dental magazine
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