« Sincerely yours, Grandpa You have given life back and you have helped a lot of people »
Gavin & Stacey’s star Ruth Jones was moved to tears as she appeared in Who Do You Think You Are recently, when she found out that a family member had helped shape the NHS
In tonight’s episode of BBC Genealogy Show (October 26), which sees famous guys delving into their legacy, the writer-actress learned that her grandfather Henry Richard Jones was a prominent figure in the Medical Aid Societies of South Wales
The organization, she continued, ended up being a « precursor » of the current public institution
Investigating his past revealed that Henry’s work in the sector led him to regularly contact then-health minister, fellow Welshman Aneurin Bevan, to find out how much of a service national health system would be beneficial Interestingly enough Bevan became the founder of the NHS
« It was truly an accomplishment that my grandfather was so involved, » she said, while perusing Henry’s letters to MP Tredegar
« What excites me, in a slightly superficial way, is that my grandfather knew Aneurin Bevan, » Jones added. « Such an influential figure in our history Of course you, Grandpa You gave back to the life and you’ve helped a lot of people And that’s pretty good, I think «
Related: Who do you think viewers are heartbroken about as Daniel Radcliffe discovers tragic ancestry
Jones later became emotional after coming across a letter Henry had sent to NHS officials, along with his CV, after it was conceived in 1948, in which he questioned the possibility of finding a job in the system
Despite nearly 40 years of experience in relevant fields, his investigation proved less than successful
Who Do You Think You Are continues next Monday (November 2), with an episode focusing on Silent Witness star Liz Carr at 9 p.m. on BBC One
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