Four Decades of Turning Bermuda Cedar By Burton Jones of the Littlest Drawbridge
At age 57, Michael Wears has been turning Bermuda Cedar for four decades — as a spare-time occupation. He is a postman during the day; however, as a part-timer, he is the most prolific local wood turner, crafting everything from paperweights (with the inlaid coins) to bowls and trinket boxes of all sizes, with a variety of other items in between. He still uses the same workshop in Friswell's Hill Pembroke, where he started as an apprentice in 1963 under the late Levi Daniels, who taught many schoolboys the craft at the time. These included Wears' four brothers, one of whom (Ambrose) still turns wood and has recently returned home from living abroad to help out. Wears took over the workshop when Daniels died in 1987.
Bermuda Cedar was still fairly available back then. The exotically fragrant native cedar trees once covered the islands of Bermuda. Major blights during the mid-'40s nearly wiped out Juniperus Bermudiana, the Bermudian variety, but thanks to local conservation efforts, the beloved tree is making a comeback. The wood from old cedars is hard to find, which makes it quite rare and expensive. The aroma and charm of Bermuda Cedar is frequently found throughout older local homes of the affluent.
Wears' 18-year-old son Mike, who is a full-time barber, has been part-timing with his dad since he was 10 —- and wife Lelette makes cedar sachets from the wood turnings. Somehow we think you will be hearing about these family crafts for a long time. The entire line of Michael Wears' work can be found at The Littlest Drawbridge Gift Shop in the Clocktower Mall at the Royal Naval Dockyard, and in smaller quantities at other locations around Bermuda.
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At age 57, Michael Wears has been turning Bermuda Cedar for four decades — as a spare-time occupation. He is a postman during the day; however, as a part-timer, he is the most prolific local wood turner, crafting everything from paperweights (with the inlaid coins) to bowls and trinket boxes of all sizes, with a variety of other items in between. He still uses the same workshop in Friswell's Hill Pembroke, where he started as an apprentice in 1963 under the late Levi Daniels, who taught many schoolboys the craft at the time. These included Wears' four brothers, one of whom (Ambrose) still turns wood and has recently returned home from living abroad to help out. Wears took over the workshop when Daniels died in 1987. 
Make your Bermuda trip even more memorable with dolphins! Dolphin Quest offers fun, interactive dolphin encounter programs for all. Book your adventure today!
Have a fun-filled vacation with a cycle from Oleander. If you can ride a bicycle, you can easily ride an Oleander scooter. See all of Bermuda...reserve one today! 
Bermuda is our specialty ~ Excellence is our promise. Individuals, Honeymoons, Family Trips, Weddings, or Groups -- let Bermuda Travel, the best Bermuda Specialist, plan your trip today!
