MORE often than not, our readers will get in touch regarding something that’s caught their eye on the Bygones pages, typically if we have featured a friend or relative.
But a photograph from a recent edition of Bygones was interesting enough for one of our reporters to don their investigative hat to seek out the family of one man featured in Bygones.
The person in question was Clarence Keddie, born on in Chirk on August 11, 1918 and a coal miner for much of his life, before retiring to become an amateur painter.
The photograph, taken in 1981, featured Clarence painting what would become one of his defining pieces, satirising the political climate of the time.
After some research we were able to find a small but thriving community on Facebook featuring his art, run by friends and family.
After contacting his daughter Deirdre, she told us about the ‘hard-working’ miner-turned-painter featured in our photograph.
“He lived with his parents and siblings in RoseVille, Green Lane, Halton in the cottage where his mother was born,” said Deirdre.
“As with most other young men in the area he became a coalminer.
“During the Second World War, while his siblings were away with the army dad stayed at home as a member of the Home Guard – I doubt it was in any way as comical as the television programme ‘Dad’s Army’.
“I came along after the war and remember my dad as always being a hard-working man.
“I remember I used to go to meet him – with my sister and brother – off the miners bus.
“All the men were covered from head to toe in coal dust.
“That was where his problems started health-wise but of course we knew nothing different.”
In his spare time Clarence was a popular figure in the Chirk community, involving himself with many of the local festivals.
“Dad threw himself into village life,” added Deirdre.
“I remember him making the Maypole for the local children to dance around on May day.
“He also involved himself in helping with Chirk fete and helping us with fancy dress costumes.
“One year he designed a treasure hunt which went down extremely well.”
Before turning his hand to art, Clarence was already in touch with his creative side, playing several instruments as well as being a keen gardener.
“He was a very proficient musician playing piano, violin, trumpet, saxophone and drums,” Deirdre added.
“He played on the drums in the town hall for the annual pantomime.
“I am not sure who else played at the pantomimes but dad belonged to a dance band called Embassy – I have unsuccessfully tried to find out more information about that band other than when they played at Beaumaris AAA on July 2, 1955.
“Dad was also a very keen gardener and entered all the local flower shows often winning several prizes.”
The final shift at Ifton Colliery ended on November 22, 1968, which saw Clarence take on a new profession, which helped him discover his love of painting.
Deirdre explained: “Shortly after Ifton pit closed dad started working for Dunlop.
“They ran a competition to design a safety poster – Dad entered and won.
“That is when he started painting,”
Unfortunately for Clarence, like many others in his profession, the years of working in a mine began to take a toll on his health.
While this meant he could no longer focus on his gardening, he was able to work on his painting.
“His health had also deteriorated to the point where he could no longer work in his garden as he liked, so he concentrated on painting,” said Deirdre.
“He got an old caravan into the garden so that he could paint in peace with all his paints and brushes around him.
“There were two very political paintings, one of which was hanging in the Mall in London for a couple of weeks,”
Clarence’s work as a painter during this time was featured by various local publications.
Sadly his life would be cut short aged 69, succumbing to a mining-related illness.
But his work has since been preserved, by the small Facebook page dedicated in his honour.
“Sadly we lost dad on July 8, 1988,” explained Deirdre.
“He died of miners’ lung disease.
“One of my daughters started a face group entitled Clarence Keddie Art: Man’s inhumanity to man and I post photos of dad’s paintings on there.
“My dad was a very clever man, who we lost far too soon.”
Do you have any memories of Clarence Keddie?
If so, visit facebook.com/groups/1488687734757305