Scots stonemasons get bite of big apple

TWO Scottish stonemasons have begun working on a very special project – in Harlem, New York.

Kenny McCaffrey from Cupar in Fife and Malcolm Hutcheon from Insch in Aberdeenshire will help train a group of Harlem high school pupils in masonry.

For the next ten days they will be focusing on skills that can be transferred into caring for other buildings within the area.

Mr Hutcheon, who is normally based at Kildrummy Castle on Donside, said: "I have worked on a number of fantastic buildings in my time, however, to have the opportunity to visit and train young people in New York City is a huge honour.

"It will be a great experience to be working in the heart of New York among the skyscrapers and in one of the world's biggest and busiest cities.

A lot of the stonework used in the New York area is of a similar consistency to Scottish sandstone and we have a wealth of expertise here"

The two Scottish craftsmen will be working with Chris Pellittero, who is stone carver in residence in New York's Cathedral of St John the Divine – the world's largest Gothic cathedral.

Tom Russack, for the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC), said: "We hope that this is the first of many initiatives, and we look forward to working with the Scottish team on their visit to Harlem."

Over the past 20 years, the ADC has transformed traditional New York "brownstone" buildings into affordable homes and boosted employment opportunities across the city's Harlem neighbourhood.