Ricky Wilson

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've just heard the most awful news - The great Beemaster and queen breeder Ricky Wilson of Cych Valley Honey farm has passed away after a short illness, my thoughs go out to his widow and family.
I honestly thought he would live forever!

 

[Erichalfbee]

So sorry to hear this Emyr. He will be sorely missed. Once he got going about bees he could talk even me into a stupor
I thought he was indestructible
RIP.

 

[Rockingod]

yes....He passed away yesterday after a short period of ill health. I've just come off the phone to Joyce (his widow). Ricky has been my mentor for the last 5 or so years and taught me everything about queen rearing and especially II. He was a stalwart member of the BFA for many years and was only recently elected to the post of Director for Wales and West region. He will be very sadly missed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

He was a stalwart member of the BFA for many years and was only recently elected to the post of Director for Wales and West region. He will be very sadly missed.

I was in the AGM when he said he'd do it, two years ago now, endless energy and great company, how I could do with a few hours at the apiary with him and Joyce now - you could feel all your worrries and stresses fade away as soon as you walked into the kitchen, I think sometimes he could sense you needed a tonic, he'd just get up and say 'come and have a look at this' and we would just randomly go around opening the occasional hive (no suit or veil or anything!!) for what it seemed to be just for the hell of it.
Last time I saw him was over Breakfast at the Woodside before attending last year's Tradex

 

[Swarm]

Shocked to hear this.

 

[mbc]

Bugger, RIP Ricky, another friend gone

 

[Bryang]

So sorry to read this. My wife always had a chat with him when we ordered Queens. When my wife phoned him and said "Is that Mr Wilson" he would reply quickly " Hello Mrs Gregory, everything OK down there"..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Covid apparently

 

[Hachi]

A Beekeeping great sadly lost. This damn virus....

 

[pargyle]

Whilst I did not know Ricky Wilson I knew of him .. sad loss. I rather fear that, with the average age of beekeepers being what it is, the craft will be a few short when it's finally over.

My extractor belonged to Bill Dartnall a local beekeeper of some note .. Mary, his wife, was the first woman president of the BBKA. They both died from the virus on Easter Sunday last year, one of the earlier casualties. We will all know someone who has succumbed to the virus when it's done. Tragic, the collateral deaths will never be fully known either.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Whilst I did not know Ricky Wilson I knew of him .. sad loss. I rather fear that, with the average age of beekeepers being what it is, the craft will be a few short when it's finally over.

My extractor belonged to Bill Dartnall a local beekeeper of some note .. Mary, his wife, was the first woman president of the BBKA. They both died from the virus on Easter Sunday last year, one of the earlier casualties. We will all know someone who has succumbed to the virus when it's done. Tragic, the collateral deaths will never be fully known either.

I heard on the news today that London hospitals need to see 500 new cancer patients a week to keep up with demand and this last week they saw 120

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I heard on the news today that London hospitals need to see 500 new cancer patients a week to keep up with demand and this last week they saw 120

My mother's cousin lost his wife end of last summer, diagnosed with early stage cancer just before lockdown, the prognosis was good with surgery and treatment but she never got either due to the lockdown

 

[philipm]

Sad to hear this he was a really nice man always ready for a chat.His were the first bees I had after I retired and decided to take up beekeeping.

 

[Goodwood]

very sad news

 

[jeff33]

So sad, I received the news this morning. He used to be so helpful and informative, he will be sorely missed. He had agreed for me to spend a few days with him this spring to teach me the ropes of queen rearing. I had 3 of his queens at the end of last summer, I will look after them the best I can and carry on with the line.

 

[Rockingod]

Hi folks, Just a quick heads up......
One of Ricky's sons (Rob) is taking over the running of the business (Cych Valley Honey Farm). He has plenty of overwintered nucs available and will continue to produce nucs for sale for the foreseeable future. Queen rearing using Ricky's existing breeder queen stock lines will continue per se, albeit at a considerably slower pace of production (please be patient though). For those of you who have Ricky's old contact details, please continue to use these as Joyce will pass all details on to Rob. For those who don't have the contact details contact me in the meantime and I will supply them. Rob is not currently a member on here at the moment but intends to join the forum shortly.
I'm sure you will all continue to use the services of Cych Valley Honey Farm in the foreseeable future and by doing so help to support a renowned supplier of quality nucs and queens.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi folks, Just a quick heads up......
One of Ricky's sons (Rob) is taking over the running of the business (Cych Valley Honey Farm). He has plenty of overwintered nucs available and will continue to produce nucs for sale for the foreseeable future. Queen rearing using Ricky's existing breeder queen stock lines will continue per se, albeit at a considerably slower pace of production (please be patient though). For those of you who have Ricky's old contact details, please continue to use these as Joyce will pass all details on to Rob. For those who don't have the contact details contact me in the meantime and I will supply them. Rob is not currently a member on here at the moment but intends to join the forum shortly.
I'm sure you will all continue to use the services of Cych Valley Honey Farm in the foreseeable future and by doing so help to support a renowned supplier of quality nucs and queens.

Yes good news. I let him into the forum yesterday.

 

[Rockingod]

Wow Dani.....That was fast !!

 

[jeff33]

Yes good news indeed.

 

[RichardBeeW]

Such really, really sad news. My wife, Pat, and I visited Ricky and Joyce late last summer for two of his black 'local' type mated queens (recommended here by the way) but it was at that time when the wasp problem was at its height and when we arrived as arranged we were instantly struck by just how many wasps were investigating their yard - and we thought we had problems! Ricky and Joyce had to inform us that when they went to their mating nucs that morning to extract our queens they found all seventy nucs had been destroyed by the wasps in only the few days since they had last checked them. They we so apologetic, which Pat and I thought was very noble considering their massive loss, but we were still able to come away with two mated 'Buckfasts', not what we really wanted but they've done well and each brought their 5 frame nuc through the winter so far. We were struck by just how generous with their time Ricky and Joyce were and what extraordinary and varied lives they had lived. As has been said here already, we too felt Ricky was the sort of man who would go on forever and still be keeping bees at a hundred.