Hi there, wanted to post some photos of my W.E. Temlett Hercules banjo c.1895 that I have just had restored.

The banjo has been handed down through family eventually coming to me last year. As a boy I always remember this being at the bottom of an old wardrobe in my Nana's (Grandmother) house. After it passed it ended up in my Fathers loft until he re-found it and had it restored for me as he thought I would like it.

It had been nearly 50 years since I last saw it and probably had not been played since 1962s when it's owner my great Grandfather passed away.

I believe the banjo was owned by my great grandfather Joseph MacDuff who was born in 1885 in the Newcastle (UK) area. Joseph's father worked in the Shipyard, and on a labourers wage with 7 children to support he would almost certainly not had the money to buy this banjo for his son. I suspect that Joseph bought the banjo on the second hand market when he started working as an Electrician around 1910.

The banjo is stamped with serial number 258 and the neck and pot match, both stamped with 6. The tail piece looks original having the same patina and colour as the pot. Sadly the original tuning pegs have been long lost as has the bridge and original head.

My father gave the banjo to a guitar luthier for restoration, who sadly butchered it, putting a modern synthetic head on, drilling the neck to fit a mechanical tuner for the 5th string, and stringing it with steel strings. The banjo was unplayable and as soon as I received it I removed the steel strings and looked for a sympathetic restorer.

This year the banjo has been restored by Flatfoot Johnny, a banjo maker in South East London. Johnny straightened the neck, re-fretted it, and replaced the mechanical tuner with a period correct friction peg. He also fitted a new skin head and gave the neck a coat of Shellac. I have not had the pot cleaned up as this is a 130 year old instrument, I did not want it restored to like new condition I wanted it restored to a playable condition. Johnny has done a beautiful job and the banjo has a lovely warm tone.
 

Temlett Side

Temlett Front

Temlett Back

 

Edited by - SheriffJackson on 09/14/2026 04:03:35