I'm not sure when I first met Ralph (I've tried to call him that over the last few years but really he's always been Mr. Davies to me), but I was probably around 9 years old. He regularly taught in my class at primary school and I remember us bonding over a love of reading; we used to have reading time in our class and I often got so absorbed in my book that he'd have to come over to me and tell me the time had ended. I had told my parents about my lovely teacher who knew lots about art and he soon became a family friend when they asked for advice on restoring some old prints.

I am particularly terrible at art, but he was always so patient teaching me and I remember him painstakingly showing me how to draw a little cottage. I always loved seeing what he was painting each time we met. He had such an amazing talent and I will forever cherish the Ralph Davies original I have at home. My favourite artist is Monet which was sparked by Ralph taking me on a visit to the National Gallery in my teens. I am so grateful for the lovely memories I have of trips like that, even though some of them involved hair raising drives in the Subaru!

I was really happy when I introduced him to my boyfriend (now husband!) in my teens and they had a shared love of fast cars; it also helped that Dan is from the same area of Wales! We enjoyed lots of lovely dinners at his house in Codicote where we'd eat his delicious pasta bakes and he'd tell us lots of stories about his travels, or talk about his love of history. We were so happy when he told us that he'd met Pam after one of his trips and we've spent some wonderful evenings all together since. 

He was an absolutely incredible man and I am so grateful to have known him.