Remember Aberfan

I was 9 years old and remember it well, seeing the devastation on the news, so terribly sad. 💔

Thank you ANNIEBACH

I was into my second day of labour with my son. The news, as I managed to pick it up, was devastating. 24 hours later he was born, 4lbs 6ozs, three week’s early and I could only think I was so, so lucky to have him. 58 today!

Thankyou Anniebach, that’s a lovely thing to do.
I was 12 when it happened and remember feeling so bad for those little children and their poor parents.

Remember the day. Living in a mining community and with miners in the family there was a great sadness all over. I used to play on one if those coal bings, rolling down, and my father would go absolutely mad when he found out. Couldn't hide it with the coal dust stuck to my behind..

Very well. It was just tragic!

I remember seeing it on our little black and white TV. Very sad day. The slack heap should never have been put there in the first place.

Yes I was in my mid twenties when this happened and I can’t believe anyone who witnessed the terrible scenes on the tv and news reels will ever forget it. The flowers from Gransnet is wonderful. Thank you so much.

Yes I remember Aberfan.I was 16,living in the north of England, and it was the first newspaper story that truly shocked and saddened me.

Little did I know that one day I would study in Wales, marry a Welshman, and live and work in industrial South Wales before all the pits closed.This last was a valuable learning curve in so many ways.

There was a very powerful play based on this event, which I saw at the theatre not all that long ago. It centred around several characters based on the women who had lost their children through this disaster.Has anyone else seen it? and if so, can they remember the title?

BTW, in recent years, I met a man who wrote wonderful stories set in South Wales.His mother had been a cleaner at the school in Aberfan, while he was a young teacher in England.She left the building only 15 minutes before it was engulfed by the collapsing slag heap.Communications were poorer then,and he did not know for many hours that she had survived.

Respect to all who helped those who suffered in and around Aberfan at that time.

I'd just turned 21 when this tragedy happened. I remember most people where I worked being horrified and deeply upset when one staff member said something along the lines of "well it's only children" - can you imagine anything so callous and unfeeling! Thinking of the suffering and anguish of that community brings tears to my eyes even now ...

I was 12 years old and lived with my family in the Rhondda . My uncle was a policeman and was sent up to,Aberfan
on duty .

Anniebach thank you so much it means such a lot. It’s very good of you. 💐🩷
I was 9 at the time and I was living in the next valley over.
We came home from school and it was on the tv. We were shocked and just couldn’t believe what had happened. Some of the men in my village went to help.
At the time the politics obviously went over my head it just seemed like a tragic accident.
We had numerous “tips” scattered around south Wales and to us one of them had just become waterlogged and slid down the mountain.
It wasn’t until much later i found out it could have been prevented and I never felt so much rage as i did then.
The greed of men caused it to happen then lied.
Sometimes we have driven past the graveyard and you can plainly see all the little white headstones in a row. A sad poignant sight it makes, especially when you realise it should never have happened. 🖤

Thank you all..
HiPpyChick may I ask if you have time do check the documentary by BBCWales Aberfan - The Fight For Justice

The lies and coldness of Lord Robens, George Thomas Secretary of State for Wales, Harold Wilson , several politicians
Union leaders.
One more knife in the back for the families who were grieving
many donations from around the world, the charity commission requested mothers should say how close a relationship they had with their dead child, request was refused refused

Meant to say earlier Anniebach, thanks for the floral tribute on our behalf, and for telling us the true background to the catastrophe.

Thank you, what I have said is the truth, it was not an accident,
it is on record

mothers should say how close a relationship they had with their dead child, request was refused refused
What?

How insensitive was that, even for those days? What sort of mother doesn't have a close (almost symbiotic) relationship with a child of that age?

I had just started Senior School, each class put on a fundraising activity, so we could send money to the area. I remember we sold cups of Tomato soup during morning break. We all got our mother's to buy a tin of Heinz Soup which we decanted into a big vat thing in the Cooking Labs. I remember it was a cold day we did quite well.

It’s true Doodledog , the. mothers refused, the day after the
funerals the mothers started a group which met every week,
so much evil was carried out , it sounds unbelievable but I speak the truth and it is on record.

I ask,if you hear ‘it was an accident ‘, please speak out

I am not doubting you for a minute, Annie. It's just so awful. After all those poor women went through (and the dads, of course) to be asked that is just unspeakably disgraceful.

Thank you. The village was so abandoned by those they trusted. A strong Labour vote, first Labour mp was Keir Hardie,
union members. NCB their employer , and they knew of the springs but remained silent whilst fathers and grandfathers dug out that slag which killed 144 children and adults and deaths of those who died some time after .
Thank you all x

Anniebach and everyone else, Aberfan : The Fight For Justice is also available to view on YouTube.

NotAGran55

Anniebach and everyone else, Aberfan : The Fight For Justice is also available to view on YouTube.

Thank you for that. I’ll definitely watch it.

Thank you, Anniebach, for the thoughts and information you have shared and also for the flowers you lay each year. It is a terrible event that must be remembered.

I'm 71 now and I have never forgotten Aberfan, it was such a terrible, preventable tragedy.
RIP all who died there. You will not be forgotten.

Just found this…

Thank you