Aberfan

Terribly sad watching the 50 year anniversay of Aberfan on the news tonight. One man who was one of the few child survivors recounted how people didn't really talk about it afterwards, that enforced stoicism had obviously affected him. Another man remembered his little brother and said how he missed growing up without him. I was a child when it happened but I do remember the newsreel and my mother saying it was an avoidable tragedy. Heartbreaking all those young lives that ended before they had begun.

Oh, Anniebach, how kind of you to place flowers on our behalf, what a lovely thought.

I have only just seen this thread, but have had Aberfan and its people in my thoughts and prayers this week, and kept the silence today, along with so many others. I come from a Durham mining family and remember my mother railing against the "bloody Coal Board" and all its works when we heard the awful news. Her father and his family before him were Welsh miners, and even though they were estranged, this hit her very hard. What a waste, what a tragic waste.

The people of Aberfan have been in my thoughts all week. Annie thank you so much for the flowers, a beautiful thing to do. Mr C was close by when the disaster happened and did his best to help, he says little about his experiences and hasn't been able to bear to watch the programmes. You were brave to go today, hope you were able to get comfort from your friends and family. So many lives lost and damaged, so many people who must not be forgotten.

I have found yours posts very moving Anniebach thank you for posting so eloquently. I have watch the t.v programs. I was horrified at the way the villagers were treated and saddened by the personal stories and amazed by the stoism of the people who fought so long for justice while suffering from unbearable, unimaginable grief. Thank you again.

At last I've found this thread! I posted how I feel on another thread as I didn't realise this was here till ab told me, so won't repeat except to say how deeply saddened I was and am at this terrible tragedy.

So many families torn apart and so many children, victims and survivors, robbed of their childhood. Sadness for all the suffering, which didn't have to happen, and anger at the incredibly grasping and insensitive attitude of the NCB. I can only guess at how hard it was to suffer all that grief and have to bear the terrible treatment by those responsible.

Annieb thank you for sharing. I have and never will forget Aberfan. It must have been only a few days afterwards that we were travelling to Ynysybwl to see my grandparents. I would have been 15 and my sister 13. I have no idea why, but a policeman directed Dad's car off the main road and that took us straight through the village. The memories of that drive stay with me. So many people just standing in the roads, many in tears, many just vacantly staring and above all the absence of children. My grandfather was a miner at The Lady Windsor Colliery and my family spent many happy weeks every year in Ynysybwl. The memory you shared of your father's anguished cry is truly heartbreaking. Sending you a hug x

Annieb thank you so much for your words and for the flowers on our behalf. I was 19 and remember the event so vividly. Totally heartbreaking. I weep now for all those families.

At the same time I am still angry that no one was held responsible in any meaningful sense. I saw on tv in the last few days that Lord Robens was appointed chairman of the Committee for Health and Safety at Work just months later. Quite appalling!

I'd just turned 21 a few days prior to the Aberfan disaster; the black and white tv pictures can never and will never be forgotten, a tragedy so huge as to be almost incomprehensible.

Went off to my job in central London the next day and one of my colleagues (a woman!) remarked on the number of deaths and expressed the view that it was better that children had died than adults, as the adults had families to look after. 50 years on I still go cold with horror at such a sentiment ....

Thank you all.

Aberfan was betrayed from the start of the opening of the pit , I will not speak of it on this thread , so many kind words must not be overshadowed by the deeds of the self serving . I would advise if anyone visits the village , never mention Lord Robbins @ Co. Not wise !

There is nothing I can add to the sentiments expressed already. I have thought about Aberfan and felt so sad all week. I was 13 on the day the tragedy occurred and my family were having a huge birthday get-together that night. Needless to say, our hearts were just not in it and most of us left early.

I watched the rescue operation on our grainy black and white TV on the Saturday afternoon and again on the Sunday. I had never seen my Father cry before.

It was a terrible time and I just can not imagine what those people must have gone through, some of them frantically searching for their own children. It's unthinkable.

This should never have happened ......it should never happen again.

I have now read through all the posts and would like to echo all the sentiments. I lived near Oxford in those days, but it was a well known fact that these slang heaps in Wales were very dangerous, had been for years, and needed moving asap, but nobody listened and then later the refusal to admit culpability was just shocking. My parents, DH and I thought Lord Robens should have been prosecuted and jailed for what amounted to manslaughter. Then when the heaps were moved the village had to pay for it, something I didn't know, well words just fail me!
ab, I'm deeply sorry for your loss('s)

Thoughts are with you Anniebach.
Such a dreadful tragedy, Aberfan will always be remembered.

Anniebach, how you must have grieved over the years for everything that was lost - not just the human lives but the happy memories tainted. My DH has always remembered Cliff Michelmore crying as he read the news. I can recall a rescuer saying that he had seen a child's tiny fist poking out of the mud 'like a brussels sprout'. We were teenagers, but the horror of that time is etched and still brings tears.

So desperately sad and the Coal Board was worse than disgraceful from start to finish. I was 24 and had a first date arranged for that day after work and no way of getting in touch with my date so I went along to meet him and tell him that I couldn't go out that evening. I can still picture the bar where I sat to tell him why (he hadn't heard) and he then walked me home. I could never forget that dreadful event.

i dont think there are any words to describe this horror. The people of Aberfan have suffered too much. Prayers are with all of them.

I remember after DH came in from work, going out to the phone box (!) to ring my mother to talk to her. I couldn't do it ealier, a 22 month old! was not conducive to a phone box, never mind a call!! How strange to think that we weren't on the phone then, and didn't think anything of it!!

Anniebach, I remember seeing this on the tv news at the time. I was only a girl but I remember I cried. I have been watching all the Aberfan programmes and cried again. However, now I am an adult, the sadness has been overcome by anger. I could not believe that man who said the villagers would have to pay what they could afford. How can you imagine how those poor families felt. I felt I wanted to punch him right on his nose for being so callous and insensitive. I thought of you and everyone in Wales yesterday, let there now be peace in the valley, but never ever forgotten.

It is interesting how many of us come from mining backgrounds.

What a dreadful way to make a living, often with no choice. My grandad worked in Synghennyd and Abertridwr. My grandma told me about the disaster in 1913 when so many miners were killed and the village devastated. We regret the loss of heavy industry but it took so many lives at a young age.

No wonder there was such an emphasis on education in South Wales and so many became teachers.

George Thomas/Lord Tonypandy was Secretary of State at the Welsh office, he supported Lord Robens . Robens was at war with the unions over closure of some pits, so those to be angry with are Thomas, Robens and the union leaders , they put politics first . The money was eventually given back when we had the Welsh Assembly and Rhodri Morgan the leader of the assembly went a step further and also gave back the interest .

lully my great grandfather and paternal grandfather worked at the Universal in Senghenydd, until the accident. My maternal grandfather at the Windsor in Abertridwr. As a very young child I lived above my uncle's shop in the High Street at Abertridwr Went to school across the road.
My 3 aunties and my Dad all became teachers

Have been watching very very sad. Remember seeing it in the 60s when was young.

For all miners , their families and lost communities in the UK

youtu.be/VXiktmNxk8Q

I remember this vividly both then and now, my Mum and Nan were both from the other side of that very tump. My uncle kept the pub at Deri. I can remember my whole family who had left the pits for London factories being so devastated. I was 8 and my Mum asked if they could donate my intended Christmas presents to the survivors. I draw comfort from hoping that someone enjoyed the baby doll and cot with hand knitted clothing my Mum sent "home". I know the money we gave was misappropriated by the government making the village clear up the NCB's mess - but at least that too was reinstated eventually. I hope our rememberence hasn't brought those still living with the pain too much grief. I know Annie my pain would be more if I was seeing my now past family playing out their parts again on black and white film. Thanks for arranging the flowers for us - a lovely gesture from you, if my Mam and Nan were still here they would have sent some and be in tears as I am again. We do still feel your sorrows and will always remember and support Aberfan..... It unites all Mums and Grans in grief - there but for etc.....

Thank you ab for that, it was very moving, so very sad.