By Freddie Holmes
The life of an Ystrad Mynach man has been the subject of an art exhibition.
Artist Jane Chapman, 64, from Harlech, produced a series of photographs and memorabilia that portrayed the life of ‘Ernie the Lodger’ who first stayed with her family in 1950.
Mrs Chapman said: “Ernie was a Welshman, born in Ystrad Mynach, although his family was originally from Rhayader.
“He came to stay with our family as a lodger in Birmingham in 1950 to work for the Ordnance Survey, I was only 18 months old. We needed a lodger to make ends meet and from there he was part of the family.
“Even later on in life he was like an older brother to me. He lived with my parents until 1996 when he came to Harlech and became my lodger.
“He never married and was accepted as just part of the family. When he died I was left with a treasure trove of memorabilia of his life, with our family and before.”
Ernie Hamer died in 2003 and left his life’s possessions to Mrs Chapman, and the exhibition came from there.
She added: “He left suitcases full of maps, photographs, all his old school reports from Lewis School Pengam, and postcards from the 1800s from his father to friends.
“I’m doing my masters degree and I started the exhibition from there. It’s great and I’m really enjoying it. I’m halfway through the course and I will be carrying on with it this year. It shows part of my investigation, imagination and interpretation of the life of this unassuming Welshman.”
The display, which ran throughout October, was part of The Three Judges exhibition at the MOMA gallery in Machynlleth.