This is the only family ‘heirloom’ that we possess – and it’s rather beautiful don’t you think? But as a self-confessed wood-fetishist you’d expect me to say that I suppose.

As I’ve said before, I’m from ‘working class stock’ – my Mum’s family were coalminers and my Dad was also a coalminer as a ‘boy’. He does, have better-off/posher/higher class ancestors (I don’t know what you’d call it really). His Dad was, as we all know, a scoundrel who ran away and left his wife and children for my grandmother. None of us can help that but it’s a fact.

His grandfather though was of ‘good stock’ and this is my Dad’s only link with that former life. His grandfather’s crest from his stint as the Mayor of Wigan. I believe that it would be true to say he was also the MP for Altringham in Cheshire too if my memory serves me right.

Tonight I’m at my folks’ house after a couple of business meetings in the South East. I couldn’t get home afterwards by train so I asked Mum and Dad if I could spend the night with them. A very rare event that can be counted on the fingers of one hand since I grew up and left home but nonetheless one well-received by me.

Not long after I started this odyssey, I photographed my Dad’s pit lamp – one of the other two ‘treasures’ that is in their hall. The other being their grandmother clock, bought by us ‘children’ for their 40th wedding anniversary in 1999. That too was photographed but more recently. Now this – which I don’t think they’d mind me saying has probably exhausted the seam of possibilities in that room!

People were being very kind and worrying about my well-being last year - as for this year - well, what do I know - I thought yesterday's shot was cack but DM said it was really good - so I'm obviously no judge seeing as he's the artist.