News of Cadwallader Pugh

Memories

Cadwallader Pugh has good memories of his time in Aberffraw. You might not remember him as he was a nervous lad who didn’t go out much except to go trainspotting at Bodorgan Station, otherwise he mostly stayed  at home watching TV.

He didn’t like school much, so he didn’t attend very often. However, he left secondary school with GCSE Grade E’s in Art and Human Biology so he decided to leave Aberffraw to make the most of his qualifications. He left in 1981 and moved to a number of towns and cities around the UK to find employment. He eventually found seasonal work in Jaywick, near Clacton, Essex, where he has stayed ever since in his well-appointed static caravan.

Seeing the great opportunities Jaywick had to offer he set up ‘Cad’s Tattoo Studio and Piercing Parlour’ on the sea front. He specialises in sophisticated face tattoos and nose piercing and he sees his job as a vocation. Recently he has introduced the ‘Wednesday Specials’ -an over 60’s half price deal on selected tattoo designs and basic piercings.

A Tattoo Studio for Aberffraw? 

He writes that ‘Cads’ is now a household name in the area and he has recently opened a second studio in nearby Frinton. He wonders if Aberffraw is ready for a branch of ‘Cads’. He thinks the old café next to the Post Office would be ideal when the lease comes up for sale. He believes that the half price deal for over 60’s would be especially popular with the older residents of the village. He will be looking for a suitable person to manage the studio and learn the trade.

Below are follow-up emails from Cad

2nd email from Cad Pugh (10-8-07)

Tattoos for Senior Citizens of Aberffraw?

Cad writes that he has been staggered by the response from readers of this website. One lady emailed him to ask what tattoos he recommended for the over 65’s. He suggests the classic full ‘Maori Face Tattoo’. This is still a real ‘eye-catcher’ and has the added bonus of being an anti-personal attack deterrent. Imagine, if you open your front door to an unknown stranger looking extremely fierce (as you would with the Maori look) any unwanted visitor is very likely to run a mile, particularly if you complete the effect by wearing a bowler hat.

Success in Big Event in Prestatyn 

He writes from Prestatyn, where he has been attending the VIIth International Seaside Body Piercing and Tattooing Convention, to tell us that he achieved 3rd Prize in the 'speed combination' class (under 6 hours - start to finish) for his ‘Classic Bone through the Nose’ allied with an asymmetrical spider’s web stretching from below the neckline to the left ear. This was made more noteworthy by the life-size gilt and diamanté spider stud pierced through the earlobe. The whole effect was stunning and drew gasps from the audience.

He adds that it’s the first time that he has visited Prestatyn and it reminds him very much of Jaywick; the caravans are not so big and the burger bar is not as classy but the kebabs are better. Both Jaywick and Prestatyn have a similar meritocratic, if slightly faded, ambiance forged from being situated close to larger more sophisticated neighbouring towns (Clacton and Rhyl). Part of their charm is the impression that they are a little past their glory days.

Cad sends greetings to everyone in Aberffraw.

3rd email from Cad (11-8-07)

Cad visits Aberffraw 

Cad emailed again to tell us that while attending the convention at Prestatyn he was able to slip away between engagements and drive along the A55 to make a to surprise visit to see his aunt in Aberffraw. He was disappointed that nobody recognised him, but he puts this down to his changed appearance since he last came to Anglesey 26 years ago. Memories flooded back. However, he was taken aback by the lack of development in the village; he expected a thriving go-ahead seaside resort along the lines of Jaywick, Prestatyn or even Kinmel Bay with associated attraction such as plenty of caravans and large mobile homes, burger bars, take-away kebab stalls, at least one night club, 'Lap Dancing' in Y Goron and ‘All-nite Bingo’ in the Village Hall.

Cad has plans for Aberffraw 

He thought that the Aberffraw Dunes offered exceptional possibilities for modern development – just the thing south-west Anglesey needs. He is not put off by the environmental status of Tywyn Aberffraw and he feels sure the Anglesey Council Planning Department will look favourably on his outline development plans.

Cad sends greetings to everyone in Aberffraw.

4th email from Cad (12-8-07)

Excellent news

Cad's entry in the VIIth International Seaside Body Piercing and Tattooing Convention, which was originally placed 3rd in the 'speed combination' class (See earlier email) has been upgraded to 'Gold Medal' first place. Cad is a little disappointed that he was not able to stand on the top of the podium while the Welsh national anthem was played, but the Gold medal will take pride of place in his static caravan back in Jaywick.

Disqualifications

He goes on to explain the unfortunate circumstances regarding the disqualification of the original 1st and 2nd place contestants. Drug tests, given to all medal winners proved positive in the case of the former gold and sliver medallists. The winner was disqualified for taking beta-blockers and the runner-up had more than a little LSD in his system. Cad writes that he suspected something was not right from the very beginning. The original winning entry - in intricate Celtic design including pierced nostrils - was too well done to be completed in 6 hours without the assistance of some ''medication'. As for the runner up - a retro psychedelic design - it was just too psychedelic.

There is just one cloud on the horizon; Cad is awaiting the outcome of a test taken later in the week but he assures us that he is clean.

Cad’s 5th email (15-8-08)

Cad and Lud's proposed visit to Aberffraw 

Cad sends greetings and some interesting news. Since visiting Aberffraw for the first time in 26years he feels the need to return. He is thinking of bringing along his partner, Ludmila, to see if she likes the place. Cad met Ludmila (‘Lud’ for short) when she visited Cad’s studio for a body-art makeover. She owns the scrap-metal yard across the road from Cad’s studio. She operates the car crusher and she says it’s the most satisfying job she’s ever had. Her tattoos had faded somewhat and needed refreshing – Cad puts this down to the inferior quality Eastern European ink that was used. Lud grew up in Moldova, where she initially trained to be a dental nurse but soon gave this up to become a welder.

Cad's speciality 

One of Cad’s specialities is tattoo refurbishment and he was more than pleased to work on Lud. The first challenge was the pair of dancing bears on her chest. The faded ink had resulted in giving them a rather mangy appearance. In Cad’s own words the tattoo was “a poignant visual allegory of life and the inexorable passage of time; what were once youthful, playful bears were now a somewhat doleful duo, decidedly middle-aged and looking for an escape from a humdrum existence”. It took all of Cad’s skill to rejuvenate them. What was needed was for the edges of the bears to be redefined and re-contoured. The faded pigment needed to be enhanced in order to give the bears the healthy looking appearance. The refurbishment took some while to complete successfully but after several sessions in the studio with Cad, Ludmila was absolutely delighted with the result. Her many admirers now describe her dancing bears as nothing less that stunning!

Cad and Ludmila decided that they got on really well together, shared many interests and had a similar go-ahead entrepreneurial outlook on life. Lud introduced Cad to a wider group of people and experiences.

Lud's athletic heritage 

Cad writes that he admired Lud’s physique and husky voice. She told him that all the lady welders in Moldova swore by ‘Herr Muskel’ tonic and she added that it was suitable for men and women. Lud explained that it had been used by some of the finest former East European athletes, including Olympic gold medal winners. Cad ordered a 5Kg package of ‘Herr Muskel’ via the internet and it cleared customs without any problems. The problems started when it was unwrapped. The instructions for use were in German and it seems that the ‘white powder’ originated from the DDR, so it must have been quit old. However, Lud was not put off and took a double dose straight away. Cad followed her example and they have both been regular users for the past six months. Apparently, the effect on both of them has been quite startling.

Sad news

Now for the bad news - Cad is quite distraught – his gold medal has been withdrawn and he has been banned from competitions for two years. This is really disappointing as next year’s convention is in Tallahassee, Florida –a place that Cad has always wanted to visit. The drug test he took at Prestatyn proved positive but he puts this down to the cough medicine he was taking at the time. He explains that he has complete confidence in Lud and her advice and recommendations.

With this sad news, Cad signs off.

6th email from Cad (28-8-07)

Cad visits the Aberffraw Horticultural Show 

Cad writes to tell us that he made a surprise visit to the Aberffraw Flower Show on Bank Holiday Monday. Unfortunately Lud was unable to attend. He came incognito in order to avoid any problems with fans etc. In order to do this he took the bone out of his nose, wore heavy make-up, put on a blonde wig and entered the hall without anyone recognising him - although he did get a few strange looks.

Cad's suggestion for improvements 

He found the event a little old-fashioned and he feels that next year’s event could do with some fresh ideas. How about a ‘body art’ section in the small room downstairs instead of the cakes? It would be a great opportunity for residents to strip off and make an exhibition of themselves.

Cad will be contacting the organisers.

7th email -  (15-9-07)

Exciting news from Cad and Lud 

Lud is expecting! Both she and Cad are very excited at the prospect of bringing another Pugh into the world. She has had a scan and it is 80% certain that the baby is a boy.

Lud is very interested in Celtic heritage and has been looking through lists of suitable Welsh names, which will also have resonance in Moldova. She has come up with ‘Ap’. Cad has tried to explain the significance of  ‘ap’  but Lud wouln't listen. Apparently ‘Ap’ is a little used Moldovan word for ‘wild boar’. She is planning that for Ap’s first birthday he is going to have a gold ring through his nose – something that Lud has dreamt of for a long while.

Cad hopes that everyone will share their joy, and he promises to bring Ap to Aberffraw as soon as he is old enough to travel.

Cad sends best wishes and greetings to all his admirers in Aberffraw.

8th email - More News from Cad and Lud  (1-10-07)

Cad has emailed this message to his many admirers in Aberffraw.

Even more exciting news from Cad and Lud 

Cad is overjoyed. Lud visited the clinic again. She was re-scanned and discovered that she is expecting twins! Ap is going to have a brother! Lud was so pleased that she was able to find the name 'Ap' that worked well in Welsh and Moldovan that she returned to the same book of names and this time she came up with 'Fab'. Cad tried to explain that 'Fab' wasn't a real name but Lud wouldn't listen. Apparently, 'Fab' is a Moldovan dialect word for 'little donkey' - and donkeys are very highly regarded in Moldova.

Cad's offer. 

Spurred on by his recent successes Cad has decided to share his expertise with a wider public. He has established himself as a 'life-style therapist and body-art consultant' and can be contacted via his website. So if you would like to discover how to improve your life in an all-round, holistic way - which includes knowing what sort of tattoos and piercings work best for you - then send a recent photograph and lots of personal details to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Cad sends greetings to all his admirers and potential 'consultees' in Aberffraw.

Email 9: Interesting news from Cad and Lud  (10-10-07)

Cad has written to his many fans and admirers in Aberffraw to thank them for their letters and emails. He promises to reply to them all – when he has the time and is able to break away from his busy schedule.

Cad has plans for Aberffraw 

He would like everyone to know about his exciting plans for the village - plans that will take Aberffraw into the 21st Century while paying due regard to its historic past. He can say little at the moment, but he informs us that he has some ‘big name’ backers, who are excited by Cad’s plans for what he is going to call ‘The Aberffraw Experience’.

Cad has developed new skills 

Life in Jaywick is winding down after a hectic holiday season and the tattoo studio is a little less busy, so Cad is concentrating on his other activities. He has established a new enterprise with his partner, Lud. They are now feng-shui consultants and holistic equine psycho-therapists. (Motto: House – Horse so little difference!).

Cad explains the origin of their new interest: One evening, just after returning to his well-appointed static caravan after a hard day in the studio, he tripped over Tammy – Lud’s large ginger cat (a neutered tom) – and crashed into the trophy cabinet, seriously damaging two of his most prized awards. The caravan was getting too cluttered and crowded. By chance he saw an advert for feng-shui outside a newsagents in Clacton. He did a bit of research – tried rearranging the furniture, re-positioning the trophies in the cabinet - and there was an immediate improvement in the quality of his and Lud's lives. Other residents of Jaywick were so impressed by the improvement in the caravan and by Cad’s new serenity that he has been asked how he did it and - for a fee - he tells them.

Lud's love of horses. 

Lud, being Moldovan, has a great love of horses, and was whispering to them long before it became fashionable. She has her own pony called Irene who lives in a small field next to the scrap-yard where she works. (Irene has an excellent stable made from two old BT vans welded together.) Over the years Lud has given lots of successful advice about ‘horsey’ problems but how she has set herself up as a registered holistic equine psycho-therapist she can charge for it.

Lud's Welsh heritage. 

Lud has also been researching her heritage, and much to her delight and surprise she discovered that she has a Welsh grandfather. Her surname, Press, is, in fact, really a corruption of ‘Preece’ or ap Reece. Her paternal grandfather, Evan Preece, was a Welsh migrant who, fleeing the cruel domination of wicked landowners saw the opportunity of the Russian October Revolution to discover a better life in a socialist utopia, but only got as far as Moldova.

Evan, who was a miner from somewhere in North Wales, is now dead but her Uncle Tam (formerly Aunt Tamara) new him well. On her next visit to Moldova, Lud is determined to discover more about her Welsh roots.

With this interesting information, Cad bids farewell for the time being but promises to email again soon.

Email 10  (22-10-07)

Cad's ban is lifted

Cad has some news that will please his many supporters in Aberffraw. The two-year ban imposed on him at the VIIth International Seaside Body Piercing and Tattooing Convention, held earlier this year in Prestatyn, has been lifted and he is now free to take part in next year’s event to be held in Tallahassee, Florida.
(Cad asked for his samples to be retested and the ‘B’ sample was shown to be contaminated and, under the strict rules of ITaBAC, the positive drug result was, therefore, null and void.).

International Body Art Convention to come to Aberffraw in 2009

This means that Cad is back on the ITaBAC events sub-committee and he has persuaded other members that the 2009 event should be held in either Jaywick or Aberffraw. At the moment Jaywick has the advantage of better facilities and infra-structure but if Cad’s exciting plans for Aberffraw come to fruition then the village will be an ideal venue for the IXth International Seaside Body Piercing and Tattooing Convention.

International connections

This fits in very nicely with Cad’s plans because Lud’s family is keen to expand its international business interests. Lud’s brother Vlad is soon to visit Aberffraw in order to assess the investment opportunities that Cad’s proposals have to offer. Vlad works in the Moldovan security industry. He is the co-founder of ‘Gutzprod’ – one of Moldova’s most dynamic security companies ( Motto: enforcement through persuasion) . If Vlad is to invest in the ‘Aberffraw Experience’ venture (see previous email) then he needs to be convinced that the casino will be suitably profitable.

If residents notice a distinctively dressed individual with a very thick neck, long blonde pony tail and an eastern European appearance, being driven slowly around the Aberffraw area in a black Lexus LS600 with dark tinted windows, they should not be unduly alarmed. The very realistic ‘dagger’ tattoo on Vlad’s neck was a youthful indiscretion.

With that exciting news, Cad signs off. 

If you would like to read Cad's earlier emails then click here.