Jack Hamer Jack was born on 25th February 1923. He was the sixth child of Henry John Hamer and Gladys Parfitt who were married in 1911 in Bedwellty Church, Blackwood, Monmouthshire. After leaving school aged 14, he worked in Oakdale Colliery as part of the turning gang. He married Joan Edwards and after 14 years of colliery work, joined the Glamorgan police force. He was based in the Caerphilly area until 1967 and was then made up to a sergeant based in Bargoed and Ystrad Mynach where he now lives. After retiring from the police he worked as the County Coroner's Officer in Blackwood.
Both his father's and mother's families (Hamer and Parfitt) had moved to South East Wales for work in the mines. The Hamers had come down from Mid Wales and the Parfitts from Somerset. Jack had brothers Ronald and Harold, and sisters Nancy, Bronwen and Morfydd. Another brother, named Iorwerth had died aged 7 in 1919 before Jack was born. Jack is the last surviving child of Gladys and Henry John.