Buckley Ousey "A Family History"

 

My Great-Grandfather was a great artist. This is a memorial set up at Castle Hotel in his honor.

As we get older, we learn things that we wish we had known sooner. This is the case with me and my Great Grandfather, Buckley Ousey. I wish I had asked my dad more questions about Buckley, and in turn about our family history in general. Luckily, my Aunt Bernice is still alive and knows a lot about the history. Plus, I have 2 dear friends who traveled to Wales last Fall and gathered more info and photos for me. This blog is written with the info supplied to me by my living family and these friends. I can't say for sure it is 100% accurate, but it is really close at least. And I find it all so fascinating! I encourage everyone to ask your parents questions NOW! One day it may be too late to ask. You will certainly hear stories you can't imagine are true, and it will make your imagination go wild. I guarantee it! 

A view of the castle walls in Conwy

My great grandfather was born in Stalybridge just outside of Manchester in England. His father died before he was born. His mom died when he was 2. He was raised by an aunt in York. He showed artistic talent as a youth. He settled in Rowen, Wales in 1884. Thomas Dutton, of The Belle Vue Hotel in Trefriw became one of his main patrons. Eventually the hotel's walls were covered with his artwork. The locals noticed his talent and sent him to Antwerp, Belgium to study art. After his 18 months of education, he returned to settle in Conwy, Wales. When he returned, he was not well. Some believe he knew he was dying. He befriended Sarah Dutton, who owned Castle Hotel. She was also Thomas Dutton's sister. She commissioned him to do some artwork for the hotel. His art is still on display there, 140 years later! He died in 1889 at the age of 37. Sarah had commissioned him for 1000 dollars' worth of art, which he would have finished in a year had he lived. He left behind a wife and 6 children. It has been said he died of lead poisoning, because he tasted his paints before using them. This is not confirmed but adds to the mystique in my opinion. 

Front Entrance to Castle Hotel, September 2023

My friends took the photo of the hotel and his art while there. They didn't stay at this hotel. They did go to the front desk to explain they had a friend whose great grandfather was an artist and perhaps had some art in the hotel. They asked if they could look around. The young lady at the desk was very excited when she heard the name Buckley Ousey. She showed them where his art and memorial were. She knew the history of the hotel well, and the history of my great grandfather. She said that Sarah Dutton was known to have loved Buckley's art. Which would explain the commissioned work. I find it fascinating that a 30 something young woman working the front desk of a hotel would be so excited and know so much about the history there, especially the history of Buckley! 

Two of his more well-known pieces. A lot of his artwork were on panel doors. Either on cabinets or actual doors.

When I told my Aunt Bernice, I had some friends going to Wales, she said Buckley might have some artwork there. She knew most of his artwork were painted on doors and she actually suspected most of it was probably painted over by now. What a delightful surprise to find out they have preserved his paintings! And not only preserved them but maintained and educated people about him. 

Some of his artwork on a door. It looks like this is a door to one of the rooms in the hotel. 

Buckley was a painter and member of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art based in Conwy. They have a website with some info on him, if you search for it online. When he died, his was the very first obituary published in the local newspaper, The North Wales Weekly. Obituaries were not a big thing back then, like they are now. That is how well he was liked. One person wrote "He had a large and kind heart, his spirit never failed, he always had a cheerful word or merry joke for everyone with whom he came in contact and regardless of his own requirements was ready to give a helping hand when called upon". This would seem to explain the way my dad was, along with other family members who do the same. 

These are not his usual style, but they also hang on the walls in Castle Hotel

 

After Buckley died, his wife raised 6 children alone until she died two years later. She left behind 6 children. One of which was a young boy, age 5, named John Percival Ousey. John was my grandfather. My great grandfather and my grandfather were orphaned at an early age. Maybe this is why I have such an affinity for orphans and children in need? And in the words of the late great Paul Harvey... now you will hear The Rest of The Story. 

A painting of Conwy Castle that I own.

My grandfather, orphaned at 5, was taken in by the community. He started working at age 12, which was considered of age back then. So, he started working to support himself. He was somewhat of an artist himself, although mostly in masonry work. When he was older, he moved his family to Canada to live. He had a wife and 3 children at the time. When World War 1 started, he joined the Canadian Army and went off to war. Early in the war he was shot twice, once in the arm and once in the leg. He laid in the mud for 4 days and 3 nights until the German Red Cross found him and took care of his wounds. He became a POW for 3 years until the war ended. He traveled back home to his wife, who had a new child. She said it was his, but he suspected differently. He was still a loving husband and father, but work was hard to find. He heard about masonry work in Chicago paying 2 dollars an hour. He moved there to work. He begged her to come with him, but she refused to leave Canada. He sent money home routinely to help with the children and kept begging her to move to America. She adamantly refused. After some time, they decided to go their own ways. I am not sure if they even divorced, but it doesn't really matter in the end. Moving along, he rented a room in Chicago at a guest house. A nice lady named Eva Falvey Daly was the clerk there. A romance blossomed and they became a couple. She was married to an Irish drunk named Dan Daly, but he had died a couple of years before she met my grandfather. They stayed together for more than 35 years, had 4 children together, but never married. Those children were my dad John, his brother Earl, and their sisters Bernice and Mary. My grandmother never used my grandfather's last name on the birth certificates. She chose her last name of Daly. Hence, our "family" name became Daly. I always thought I was an Irish Hillbilly since our name was Irish and my mom's parents were self-proclaimed hillbillies. Turns out, I am an English Hillbilly via Wales via Canada via someone else's last name. So, my last name of Daly has no connection to anyone in our family, other than a first marriage of my grandmother. My true family name appears to be Ousey. Or maybe it isn't? :0). Anyway, now you know The Rest of The Story.

A painting of Conwy, Wales that I own

The last two paintings look like they could have been painted by my great grandfather Buckley Ousey. Instead, they were actually painted by my grandfather John Percival Ousey. So, artistry runs in the family, but alas I did not get any of those genes. However, my dad did! He never painted anything on canvas exactly. But I remember when we renovated our house after the garage fire, he painted a scene on the new playroom wall. It seemed like a simple scene of a sunset with geese flying. In retrospect, it may not have been quite as simple as I remember! I wish I had a photo of it now. I may have one in old albums, but not sure. If I find it, I will share it. My family is full of great artists/painters, and I could not be more enchanted by it! So, tell me something fun or interesting about your family history. I want to hear all about it. And if you don't know anything, then ASK another family member.

     Now Go Out and Hug an Artist Today!!!