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So great to be in touch

From the Penarth Times, first published Thursday 28th Feb 2002.

A THRILLED local woman who wrote to the News appealing for information on her grand-father has got more than she bargained for.

Val McIntyre, of Fairl-eigh, Michaelston-le-Pit, appealed to readers recently asking about Thomas William Garn, who she only knew when she was very young.

She has been contacted by several people - and has even ended up with two paintings by Mr Garn.

Mrs McIntyre (nee Garn), 62, said: "I knew my grand-father was responsible with the rest of the people in his street for having the name Sydenham Street changed to Coronation Street in 1937 for the Coronation.

"He was a Barry docks worker but did a lot of paintings."

She received two letters, for which she is grateful. One was from Gladys Hunt, of Barry, who sent her a picture of her brother with one of Mrs Intyre's uncles.

The second was from Clifford Collacott of Barry, who sent a cutting from the News to his sister Constance Latham in Cornwall.

Constance, who revealed Mr Garn was her uncle, said: "I remember his tremen-dous painting of the Queen Mary ship strung across Sydenham Street to celebrate the Coronation."

Mrs McIntyre said: "She had two paintings, 'At the end of the day, 1948', and 'Good Night, 1921', and they made a family decision to send them back to the Garn family. My grandfather gave the paintings to her when she was young and she took them with her from house to house.

"Last Saturday she gave them to me. I'm absolutely thrilled."

Mrs Latham also surprised Mrs McIntyre with a postcard of HMHS Rewa which Mr Garn sent to his wife in 1917.

Mrs McIntyre's brother Geoff will hang one of the paintings in the Beaufort House Hotel, Cardiff, which he owns.

If you can help Mrs McIntyre, write to 3 Fairleigh, Michaelston-le-Pit, CF64 4HN, or telephone 029 2051 4544.

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