Doug has been a Book Conservator since he left school.

He completed a 5-year apprenticeship at John Dickinson’s in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead gaining a City and Guilds distinction in bookbinding and print finishing at the Watford College of Technology. He continued his training by later working for the British Museum Bindery and The Foreign Office Press in Whitehall before joining the British Library in 2001 as a Book & Paper Conservator and Gold Finisher at the Centre for Conservation where he later achieved a level 3 NVQ qualification so that he can mentor interns and foreign students. He has made presentation books for the Princess Royal’s visit, Prince Charles’s visit, (now King Charles III), The King of Morocco’s visit, the Prime Minister of Malaysia’s Independence Day celebrations and the Dutch Ambassador’s visit. Doug is a member and regular face of the Society of Bookbinders regional Workshops and has lectured at the York conference in 2007, and Warwick in 2011.

Although now retired he continues to hold workshops on various aspects of Bookbinding, historical book structures, Restoration, Paper Conservation and Gold Finishing at adult education colleges, S.O.B. regionals and independent conservation studios. He has over 28 years teaching experience.