I Thought Washi Bach Had Died In The Old Valley Hospital

by Tony Jones
(Bury Lancs)

Hi Wil

I thought Washi Bach had died in the old Valley hospital near Holyhead.

It used to be an old workhouse many years ago, just around the Washi Bach time.

There was another tramp who is believed to have come from ireland. He used to play a violin very well and play for a jar of tea and bread.

Warmest regards

Tony

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Hi Tony

You might be right. The consensus is that he did die in a workhouse, which would probably be the only place that would take him in. What a terrible place to die.

The information I possess was received from a gentleman in Amlwch Port who knew a bit of the man's history. His relation saw the White Star Liner paybook. He seemed convinced that Washi Bach had died in the Conwy Hsopital, which was also a workhouse in its day, so I believe.

So Washi Bach remains an enigma then. Albeit a tragic enigma.

Two points about the Valley workhouse:

My Mum used to live in Trefor (near Bodedern) as a child and remembers the workhouse 'inmates' walking across the Holyhead Cob into town, as she passed by on the bus. She still remembers how cold they looked (spiritually, as it were) dressed in gray standard, poor uniforms and walking in a regimented two-by-two.

Mrs Catherine Roberts (Kate Roberts) used to keep the Trefor post office with her husband Bob and previous to that she had worked as a nurse in that workhouse and always shook her head and said,

"Lle ofnadwy." (A terrible place)

Diolch i ti, Tony

Nos da

Wil