Roger Thomas has been repairing and tuning accordions and concertinas for many years and serves as the accordion and concertina expert on the BBC TV programme The Repair Shop. He learned core workshop practices at an engineering training school, supplementing this with skills inherited from his father, who worked as a clock and watch repairer.

Roger deepened his specialism by restoring a variety of instruments and building a button accordion with master accordion designer Emmanuel Pariselle. He also received formal training from Paul Flannery, the in-house accordion technician at The Music Room in Cleckheaton.

He operates his workshop just north of Andover in North West Hampshire, and carries out accordion repairs on behalf of Hobgoblin music stores in London and Southampton, as well as receiving referrals from specialist dealers including The Accordion Shop.

Outside of client repair work, Roger restores and sells accordions from his personal collection and plays melodeon and piano accordion with a local ceilidh band, maintaining a broader musical interest that also includes guitar, mandolin, and piano.

Roger’s date of birth, parents’ details, and current family life have not been disclosed publicly.