Charlie Gee (stonemason)

Charlie Gee (born c. 2002) is a British stonemason known for his work on cathedral and heritage restoration projects in the United Kingdom and Europe.[1]

Early life and training

Gee spent part of his childhood in Tuscany, where his father worked on stone restoration projects.[2] His family returned to England in 2012 and lived in Lyme Regis, where he helped on repairs to the Cobb, the harbour wall that dates back to around 1328.[3]

In 2017, Gee began formal stonemasonry studies at Weymouth College.[1]

He later joined the York Minster apprenticeship programme, training from 2019 to 2023.[1]

Career

During his apprenticeship, Gee worked on Tadcaster limestone for the restoration of the South Quire Transept that was damaged in the York Minster fire.[3]

He became self-employed in late 2023.[1]

In 2023, he has contributed to restoration projects at Cologne Cathedral in Germany, including work on eight pinnacles affected by Second World War damage — as well as the Palace of Justice in Brussels and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.[1]

Public engagement

Gee shares examples of his work online and has spoken about the shortage of trained stonemasons in the UK.[4]

Gee has appeared in media productions including ITV's The Prince's Master Crafters: The Next Generation and a BBC programme examining contemporary craft practices.[5][6] He has also spoken publicly about apprenticeships, heritage skills, and the role of craft in occupational wellbeing.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Meet the Gen Z stonemason who restores historical landmarks damaged in World War II". MNR Journal. 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  2. ^ "Gen-Z Stonemason Restores Iconic European Landmarks Damaged in WWII". Good News Network. 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Meet the young craftsmen preserving York Minster". The Yorkshire Post. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  4. ^ "For Every New Stone Mason, Seven Retire: St Paul's Plan to Save Heritage Crafts". Country Life. 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  5. ^ Michaels, Melissa (2 August 2022). "Prince Charles Judges New Reality Series, The Prince's Master Crafters: The Next Generation, premiering August 10 on Makeful". Blue Ant Media. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  6. ^ The Prince's Master Crafters: The Next Generation on Makeful. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2025 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "'Sheer volume' of rainfall over last five years caused damage to York Minster". Yorkshire Post. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.