A Eulogy to my father ..... Walter grew up in Hetton-le-Hole as the 4th son of a mining family. His father Ralph was a coal miner and was determined that Walter would not join his older brothers as a miner. However he somehow managed to sign up at the local Eppleton Colliery as an apprentice blacksmith. Walter had 4 brothers and two sisters Jack, Ralph, Fred, Kit, Elsie and Mabel. Only Kit now survives Walter. Walter was a man of many talents... we’ve all heard the saying Jack of all trades, master of none. Walter was Jack of all trades, master of all. A keen DIY man, he completed many major DIY projects at many of the family’s homes and passed on many of his skills to the children and grandchildren. During his working life he worked as a blacksmith, a hairdresser, a working men’s club steward, a metallurgist and finally he retired as a blacksmith back where he started at Eppleton Colliery. Walter raised Karen and Walter junior as a single parent in the 60’s and 70’s whilst holding down a full time job at Silksworth Colliery and later Whitburn Workshops. Walter junior can recall many happy and unique memories from those days. Money was tight at times and Karen recalls how she was given a pair of young Walter’s sandals which he’d outgrown. When she eventually complained they were too tight, dad cut the toecaps off with a hacksaw and handed them back to her! Walter liked a drink and socialising and was known in all the Silksworth working men’s clubs, even taking on the role of relief steward on occasions. On returning home late in the evening, Walter would often sit in his underpants and vest in front of the fire tuning into the police VHF radio broadcasts, eventually falling asleep in the chair. Other times he and junior would rebuild a motorcycle engine in the dining room whilst watching a late night horror film on TV. On one occasion he tipped the entire contents of the ashpan all over the hearth and made a cardboard model of a coal plough, which he then pulled through the ash whilst making modifications to perfect the design. Both examples of activities which would have been frowned upon with a woman in the house! Walter was very strong willed and determined person ..... for example as a heavy smoker in his younger years (most of Walter and Karen’s toys came courtesy of the Embassy coupons catalogue) he decided to quit smoking overnight whilst on holiday in Blackpool, giving his entire stockpile of cigarettes that he always packed, to his two sisters, Elsie and Mabel. Walter would eat almost anything ..... Sausages sometimes wouldn’t reach the pan; he’d eat them raw straight from the packet, saying “they’re just bread anyway!” Walter junior recalls eating Kippers for breakfast and Walter picked the eyes out of the left over heads and tails and ate them, proclaiming “They would see him through the week!” He also recalls him bringing home a pig’s head wrapped in newspaper which was rendered down into some fine brawn, the original chopped pork and much tastier! He liked his brass band music and was always there with Walter junior at the major brass band events such as the National finals in London and the Durham Miners Gala which incidentally takes place tomorrow. Walter became a somewhat reformed character in 1975 when he met and married Edie. His family immediately expanded from 2 to 8, with Bob, Maureen, Valerie, Malcolm, Alan and Tonia. Bob, Maureen and Valerie were already married, and Malcolm was serving in the Army, leaving just Alan and Tonia still at home. Walter was very proud of the way Edie’s family accepted him into their family, and this love for him has been most apparent during his recent illness. Walter loved his grandchildren and they loved Walter, as he watched them grow up, making sure of course that they understood Walter’s values in life and that they all had full command of his repertoire of stories. He was very proud of each and every one of them and that in turn led to many more stories for Walter to tell. As I have said, Walter was a great story teller with only one fault... he would forget which stories he had already told. Most of the close family will have heard most of his repertoire many, many ..... many times, but none had the heart to tell him so ..... except Edith. Walter was also one of the original ‘Silver Surfer’ computer buffs ..... except Walter didn’t have any of that Silver hair. He had a fine thick head of brown hair which even close friends thought may have been a wig, until he convinced them otherwise by inviting them to give it a tug! He was thrilled when he got the occasional email from the family, and was well versed in internet banking and ordering online medical prescriptions. A little known fact about Walter is that he played two ball sports even in late life - Bingo balls and Lottery balls! Walter liked to collect the special promotional gifts from the bingo, once even winning a car. He also enjoyed the free 2 pint jugs of Fosters lager! He was convinced to the end that his major lottery win was just around the corner! Walter’s memories will live on in you all for many years if not generations to come because of his special qualities and the way he told his life stories to anyone willing to listen. Walter had only one final request which he shared with his son a week or so ago in hospital. His words were; “If owt happens, give me a good send off son.” Walter Daglish Jnr. 7th July 2008