Reuben Miller-Jenkins is an apprentice working with Master Thatcher Lee Miller in Warwickshire. He began working with Lee, his uncle, in 2023, gaining early experience on site and learning the fundamentals of this long standing rural craft. Reuben grew up surrounded by natural materials, sculpture and outdoor work. Some of his earliest memories involve climbing scaffolding at the local museum to see a thatched roof up close, an experience that shaped his interest in the heritage and physicality of the craft.
During his apprenticeship Reuben will focus on strengthening his technical skills, gaining confidence in the physical and mental demands of thatching. He will develop skills in cereal straw and water reed thatching, roof construction, and conservation. Reuben will also learn how to protect sites and create and use the specialist tools required for his work.
Reuben is proud to be using sustainable materials and to be contributing towards continuing keeping the tradition of thatching alive and relevant. Reuben’s long term goal is to meet and exceed the skill level he has been taught and progress toward becoming a competent, highly skilled and respected full time Master Thatcher.
