From Tommy Armstrong The Pitman Poet by Ray Tilly.

Chapter 6 The Character And Alleged Drunkard

In 1951, WHA made the following comments about his father:
i) He was a champion quoits player in his day - ten yards on the clay, but he was also a champion drinker which kept him and his family down.
ii) Drink was his downfall.

In 1952, WHA went on to make the following additional comments about Tommy:
i) Me dad's muse was a mug of beer.
ii) My father always wrote his best songs when he had had one over the eight.
iii) He had an indomitable thirst. He got songs printed on broadsides which he sold round the pubs, a penny a time, to raise beer money.

It is worthy of mention at his point, that prior to the above comments being made public by WHA, no such comments can be attributed to anyone else before that time.