Fathers Day

If my father was alive today he would be way over 100 years old but still relevant as he was a person for the ages. Born before the first world war into a coal mining family within a stones throw to the mine which would dominate fifty years of his life. He was one of these boy helper miners sons who were cast out of school by the time they reached grade seven or eight and worked a 10 hour day along the side of their fathers. Their pay was pennies and given to their father rarely seen by them.

My father made the best of the experience and developed a love for horses while he worked in the pit .During his few breaks or lunch time he went to the horse stables where he used to share time with the pit ponies. He often spoke about one special pony named Samson. Every time he spoke of this little Welsh pony his voice changed as he thought that their life was down right miserable as they never saw the light of day except at miners vacation in August for two weeks.

Dad was a good miner and moved up the ladder in miners circle and became a loader. At this point dad and his partner had to cut, blast and load coal from the face of the seam coal measuring 20 feet long, four feet deep and 6 feet high. This task amounted to about ten tons per man every shift. Needless to say you had to be strong to endure this type of work day after day.

Perhaps the most enduring quality  my father had was his ability to do everything and anything. He loved a challenge and during his life rarely said no when asked if he would do a job. The neighbors saw him build his own hay baler ,build his home, act as a mechanic for himself and others, build many boats and you name it. His passion was fishing and as a member of a large family you had to learn to fish with Dad. He tied his flies and built a car top boat for getting to those hard to find places where the trout were numerous.

In his senior years Dad taught skating for many and never missed a session at the local rink. Time and space will not permit me to give a true and adequate account of my Dad but when I talk to my brothers and sisters we all agree that he was a man for all seasons. I have one brother who is just like him when it comes to doing and making things...Melvyn. He carries on the tradition of just being Dad.