I have recently been fortunate enough to connect with a relative of Dad’s Auntie Eva who emigrated to Canada in 1912 – before he was born. He did know her well as she often visited the UK during her life and clearly loved and respected her as I have learned that he gave her two very special pieces of his work from when he was young. Her Granddaughter said that she was very fond of him and often spoke about him. These pieces, although humble, represent a family connection from a time when the world was a very different place and I thought I would share them with you. I am delighted to now be the custodian of them and will treasure them alongside everything that Dad left.

35years ago, my clever, funny, loving, creative, amazing Dad was finally able to rest peacefully after years of living with Parkinson’s Disease and, in later years, the final stages involving dementia. I can still remember the phone ringing that morning, mum answering and then coming upstairs to sit on my bed, calling Sarah in and telling us he was gone. I was both devastated and relieved, but most of all lost.
It has been a journey coming to terms with his final years and my memories of that time. I was still so young and did not really know what to think or do when he became ill. I made some decisions at the time that I later regretted…the power of hindsight. What I do now know though is that he was my rock and mentor growing up, and I wish I had had more time to share with him. He is the reason I live life in the moment as we just don’t know what will be around the corner. Dad I love you and miss you so much. Thank you for the fun and joy when we were young and the knowledge and wisdom you so generously shared with me, my siblings and all those you taught. I hope I would have made you proud if you could have met my five amazing boys and husband who shares this day with you as it is also his birthday. Thank you for being you and, with mum, giving us the very best childhood.xxxxx

I have been researching family history for a number of years and have gradually built up quite a picture of the relatives I never knew, including both of my Dad’s parents whom I never met. I have recently been researching my Dad’s activities in World War 2 after he volunteered for the RAF. I had his service record from the RAF and knew he had been in Egypt during the majority of the war working with a radar unit. I had also seen a reference that he had obtained after the war from his commanding officer. I had not realised until this week that the man who wrote the letter was none other than Sir John Whitford who was in charge of the whole region in that period, and this made me appreciate the comments about my dad even more. He was always so humble and never talked about what he did in the war as with so many other men of his age, but I would like to share a section from the letter with you as it totally sum’s up Dad. What a man! Miss you, but thank you for being my Dad and inspiring me to try to be as good as you.xx

This is always a very special day for me as it is the day my parents were married and also the day I was married. As it approaches this year it is no less emotional. Mum and Dad were married for 33 years before dad passed away. Paul and I will have been married just 26 years in a few days time and we hope to have a great day with our amazing boys. Dad would have been so proud of all that they are becoming. They have all worked so hard to get where they are and they make me very proud as they move on through their life journey. Dad always instilled the importance of working hard and striving to be the best you can be, and this is what I wish for for my boys. One day I hope to be able to share some of my oldest boy’s art on this page (when he starts to believe in himself and allows me to) so that he can be proud of the talents he has in his own right.

It seems such a long time since I heard Dad’s soft voice and felt his warm embrace, and almost as long since I had the comfort of Mum to reassure me that I am doing ok with the boys. I cherish the fact that she supported me in my wish to share their special day and will be thinking about them both on Sunday. Love alwaysxx

This year would have been Dad’s 105th birthday on August 30th and his 67th wedding anniversary. I celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary on April 9th this year (the same day that Mum and Dad were married) and every year I still long to have had the opportunity to have shared my amazing children with him. He would have been a wonderful grandfather had life allowed him that opportunity and I see some of him in all of my boys. We have recently returned from a holiday to Wales and it always makes me sentimental as I drive through the valleys. This year we have a wonderful family session on a giant paddleboard and I couldn’t help thinking how much Dad would have relished the experience as he was a true water babe! We laughed and enjoyed a fantastic, very wet and noisy, two hours. Dad, thank you for teaching me the importance of having family. I know you are looking over my boys and I hope you are proud of the five wonderful young men they are becoming. They may never have met you, but I have talked about you throughout their lives and they are very strongly connected to you and your welsh heritage. I hope I have instilled in them the life lessons you instilled in me so that they may be as compassionate and generous as you always were. Love you Dad.xx

Three generations of Walsh men.

I am always researching my family history because, having lost Dad when I was so young, I did not ask many of the questions I now would like to have done! I recently discovered something that has helped me to understand the strict but loving upbringing that we had much more. Dad’s family were living in the mining village of Ferndale, but his grandfather had been born in Ireland and had come across to Wales at about the right time to have been fleeing the potato famine. He started work in the docks in Swansea before marrying and moving to the valleys where his son, my grandfather, Bartholomew, was born. Bartholomew was one of a large family with seven sisters! He inevitably went to work down the pit and worked his way up through a complete career that must have been very hard. He was an underground fireman or ‘shotfirer’. I never realised how his experiences down the pit had influenced his path in life until I recently discovered he was the first General Secretary of NACODs and did a great deal of work campaigning for mine safety for which he received an OBE. Not only did this discovery make me incredibly proud of him, but it explained a great deal about my father, Graham. As children he was very strict about certain things including working hard at school and education in general. I remember being scared when reports came out in case they were not deemed good enough….thankfully I passed the test on this one……but I now realise that was simply a reaction to the fact that he had witnessed his father going down the pit and seen the hardships that this could bring making him determined to seek a better future by being the best that he could at school and beyond. He simply wanted us to have the best possible chances in life and for that I am immensely grateful. I have tried to instil his values in my five boys and am immensely proud of the young men that they are becoming. My eldest has decided to follow somewhat in his grandfather’s footsteps and is doing a course in Art Animation at University. His younger brother has just passed 4 A levels with flying colours and will be studying Biomedical Sciences at Cardiff University. The others are still at school. Dad, I know you would be proud of your grandchildren. Thank you for being my amazing Dad…..dwi’n caru ti dad.

Watching the Royal British Legion Service of Remembrance tonight has made me feel so proud of you Dad.You and your generation really had a lot to teach us about giving and humanity.I now understand so much more about the values you lived by and instilled in us as children. I hope I have passed some of this on to my children and all the other children, young people and adults I have had, and continue to have, the privilege to work with. Some days , as now, I am so close to you I can feel you and hear you continuing to support me and love me the way you always did in life. If I can be half the parent and teacher that you were I have done a great job. I will always wonder how you faced Egypt with such level headed practicality and humour since reading your war diary. Thank you Dad, you are my inspiration and hope for the future.xx

100 years ago today my Dad was born, a second child to a coal miner and his wife. He would have been so proud of the grandchildren he never met, and they will always ‘know’ him as he is often talked about and his self portrait hangs in the living room watching over them. Dad, you were taken far too soon and I will always miss you, but without you I would not be the person I am today – you taught me to always think of others and do my very best. I try to live by your values and look out for those who are less fortunate and help where at all possible. Happy Birthday to my darling Dad – wish you had met Paul and the boys, I know you would have got on so well. Love always xxxxxx

Dad as a toddler.

Dad at school – to the left of the schoolmaster.

Art College.

62 years ago on 9th April 1955 mum and Dad married. It is now 20 years ago on 9th April 1997 that I married my husband…time moves so fast, but memories remain and this is one of the drivers for me to share dad’s lifetime of work….his passion and joy.

Dad would have been ninety nine at the end of next month and I fully intend to add more of his works before that time.  Life is mad until school term is over and then I will get down to it.  I wanted to highlight one of my favourite images of the valleys – it is so carefully painted and the detail shows the deep fondness he had for his childhood days and the freedom of the mountain behind his home.  Although dilapidated, the mine does not look sad and hopeless, but actually quite beautiful in a serene way.  Love you Dad.xx