Keith Barclay - Carpenter

Have you ever seen this guy around and wonder too yourself who he is and why he is around the school? Well, I have great news for you I do know who this man is. This man's name is Keith Barclay, and he is the school's very own carpenter.

Keith Barclay spent most of his life ever since he left high school at the age of 17 working, he first started off working for Hawkings fixing up the town hall after the earthquakes. Keith did not know what he wanted to do when he left but he fell in love with building after he joined the trade with fletcher. Keith has built lots of very cool buildings in his building career, like the new Dunedin police station, Christchurch after the earthquakes like the town hall and residential buildings in Christchurch and even fixing up buildings at St Thomas with some help from me, Michael, the person publishing this article.

Keith was born and bred up in Dunedin where he started off his building career. Keith went from building in Dunedin to building in Christchurch where he is to this day with his family and his kids and grandchildren. Once Keith hit the age of retirement, he did not want to stay at home watching television or anything else like that he said because he still has the love and passion for construction, so he got a job at St Thomas of Canterbury College as their carpenter and part of the support staff.

Keith loved working in the construction business and loves passing on tips for new carpenters that know they want to be in that type of trade. Just ask him some questions when you see him floating about … but be careful when you ask them because Keith might be in a mood. That is because he mostly gets fed up with having to fix a lock after he fixed it the week before.

Words from Keith himself about the effect of students breaking things that he has already fixed, "Think of your parents around your own house break things at your own house, kick doors, throw food at walls and stuff like that."

For the students that want to be a carpenter, or anything related to construction he some words of wisdom." listen to what you have been told and do what you have been told and most importantly show up on time."

By Michael McGregor