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John was born in Chipping Campden, in the heart of the Cotswolds, in England and obtained his City & Guilds of London in Agricultural Engineering and Blacksmithing (Ornamental Ironwork). He immigrated to Canada in 1965 and spent his first years with a Massey-Ferguson Farm Equipment Dealer in Calgary.
Helen, although born in Barrie, ON, Canada, calls Niagara-on-the-Lake and nearby St. Catharines, ON her home towns, having spent her early childhood in NOL and on her Grandparents’ farm just outside St. Catharines, where her parental ancestors came as United Empire Loyalists during the War of 1812. Helen moved to Calgary in 1965. Her career began in Banking and Legal. |
In the early 1970’s John and Helen moved to Fairview, AB where they both were instructors at Fairview Agricultural & Vocation College: John as a Heavy-Duty Mechanics Instructor and Helen as a Business Education Instructor. Upon returning to Calgary in 1973 John continued his Mechanical career with Massy-Ferguson as the Industrial Machinery Service Representative for Western Canada and Alaska. John joined the City of Calgary Police Department in 1979 and remained there until our business grew to the point where it was necessary for him to take an early retirement in 2002. Helen was a ‘stay-at-home’ Mom until the mid-1980’s at which time she pursued a new career in retail sales and inventory control. She left her position in early 1999 and began building the business end of Hearthside Craftworks.
John’s and Helen’s background in public and customer service has been very important in their business – they both realize the importance of ‘customer service’ and ensuring their customers receive the absolute best they can ‘build’ and ‘service’.
They have two lovely adult daughters: Kate and Mary, and 3 wonderful Schipperkes: Lucy, Mick and Mouse – 4 if you count their daughter’s Schip, Rambo, who they puppy-sit every day while Mary is at work. On occasion you may even get an email from Mary. She kindly looks after the business and customers if John and Helen aren’t available. Mary will also help with the finishing process of the stands if John is so busy crafting that he can’t find the time to do the staining and varathaning.
In John and Helen’s own words:
“We have had the opportunity to ‘meet’ many of our customers from around the globe and it is a thrill to be able to put a face to a name and be able to call these wonderful customers ‘friends’. We have also been very fortunate to have met and become ‘friends’ with many of the designers whose links you will find in the ‘links’ area of our website.
Please come visit us often – we are continuing to grow – from starting with the Stands and adding Accessories as customers and shop owners make suggestions to the inclusion of beads, charts, fabrics, kits, notions and threads. Our Inventory grows and we both feel very fortunate to be in a position to ‘help’ our stitching friends.”
Happy Stitching!
John and Helen Wilkes
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