If he had lived, my dad (Jack James) would have celebrated his 100th birthday on February 10th. I’m publishing this tribute to him earlier because I will be on vacation on his birthday. He died in 1994 and his twilight years fell victim to that terrible disease-Alzheimer’s. My brother delivered the following eulogy at his funeral which is a fitting tribute to the life of a true Swansea Jack:
It was only when we moved back to Wales, to Cardiff, about 16 years ago that I first heard the expression “Swansea Jack” and I suppose that’s what Dad was, a real “Swansea Jack”. Born in Dyfatty St, not far from the centre of Swansea Town, I don’t suppose he ever imagined that not only would he and his brothers and sisters go to Dyfatty School, but so would his future wife, her brothers and sisters, and both of his sons.
Later, David and I both went to Penlan School and I know that I often pointed out that on the Swansea Schools Football Shield which frequently sat in the Trophy Case in Penal, there were several smaller shields showing that Dyfatty School had won the trophy a number of times when Dad would have been playing for the soccer team.
(Ironically, I also knew that on a night in 1942,Dad had stood on a hill overlooking Dynasty School watching German bombers drop incendiary bombs on the school)
Last week, after Dad’s condition really worsened, one of the nurses said “Jack is a real fighter”. And looking back, I can see that he was. He fought back against unemployment in the 1930s by going to London to train as a painter and decorator.
He fought in World War II, in the Royal Air Force. (Leading Air Craftsman, 2nd Tactical Air Force.) After the war he fought against a lack of formal education by going to night school to study welding and mathematics, and he became a highly skilled welder meeting a very high standard required by the American contractors who were building the new oil refinery at Llandarcy. Every time I saw the huge cooling towers I was reminded of Dad.
But he also fought for justice for people. He was for many years a shop steward in the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, I’ve got his badge here, and I’m sure that his willingness to speak on behalf of other people, to represent his fellow workers didn’t help him personally, but he never shirked the responsibility.
But, he and my mother also fought to make sure that David and I got the education that he hadn’t. It never seemed to bother him that neither David nor I inherited his skill with his hands, but he made sure that we used our brains (which we did get from him) the best we could.
Dad was a great sportsman – cricket, football he loved them both. Dad gave me a tremendous sense of fair play. Though I wasn’t very sporting, he taught me to take the ups and downs without moaning.
He was an excellent darts player and a formidable doubles player with his father Phil. His darts prowess had a strange consequence. When David was about 8, his school teacher asked the class if either of their parents had any notable achievement. The teacher went round the class and eventually got to David who said that his mother wasn’t famous for anything, but his father was – he’d been in every single pub in Swansea. I’m not sure if the teacher was impressed, but I’m certain my mother wasn’t when David went home to tell her!
Dad didn’t leave much, but as our uncle Cyril said, you probably couldn’t find a single person who had a bad word to say about him. He was generous, and brave. He was fair. He was a Swansea Jack.
There are many other things I could say but time doesn’t permit; his last years were tough, for him, for his brothers and sisters, for all of us, but he was a fighter to the end. In the book of proverbs it says:
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck”
David and I can endorse that today
proud to say he is my grandfather
He would have been proud of you too Shaun.
This is lovely to read a real history lesson in itself Dad! My grandpa was Swansea Jack! Xx
I remember being really moved by this at Grandpa’s funeral and it’s made me cry again today. It’s beautiful. Thank you David for putting it up.
love to you all
Sheridan
Thanks should go to your Dad for writing such a memorable eulogy. I’m just happy that three of his grandchildren read it around his 100th birthday.