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For Granville Thomas Dunn was the craftsman who created the latest incarnation of the fanlight window over the main entrance to Number 10, Downing Street.

It is a facinating legacy for a master of his trade who passed away only two years ago.

Mr Dunn was born at Ince in 1936, and later moved to Hindley as a teenager while attending Rose Bridge School. He married Kathleen and went to to have daughters Natalie and Andrea while working as a joiner and welder for AMV Design Fabrications.

PM Rishi Sunak outside No 10 Downing Street over whose door is the fanlight window created by Granville Dunn

Natalie said: “In 2002, work on new No 10 window replacements was commmissioned and given to Booths Engineering LTD, who sub-contracted the job to my dad’s firm, AMV Design Fabrications.

“They had to make virtually all the windows for Downing Street and the one above the entrance. My dad was the main fabricator and had to lead everybody through the whole process.

"But Dad wanted to do the Number 10 Downing Street arch on his own; he wanted that to be his thing. So, the work on the fanlight is all his own.

"The windows are bomb-proof and very thick, with a very strong frame. After building the windows, my dad and his team had to break them all down into pieces so that only the people who made them knew how to put them back together and could do that. It was all very top-secret so they couldn’t share exactly how and what they were made with.

“Once they fitted the windows, they had to dress them with wooden frames, in keeping with the period of the building. Everything just looks like it is wood from the outside and is all painted up nicely, but it’s much stronger and bomb-proof. It’s fascinating, you wouldn’t think that from looking at them on the news. They also only open very, very slightly for the ones that do open, for safety and security reasons.”

Granville passed away on November 16, 2020 after falling ill with pnuemonia and contracting Covid while in hospital. He was 84 years old. The family told this part of Granville’s life story in his eulogy at his funeral. Kathleen now lives with Andrea and her son Zico.

Natalie added: “My dad worked in different countries all over the world and had many stories to tell. But, he was very proud of this story.”

Gifted Wigan craftsman's legacy is there for all to see outside No 10 Downing Street

Granville passed away on November 16, 2020 after falling ill with pnuemonia and contracting Covid while in hospital. He was 84 years old. The family told this part of Granville’s life story in his eulogy at his funeral. Kathleen now lives with Andrea and her son Zico.