At the Inquest when one child's name was read out and cause of death given as asphyxia the father shouted out 'No, sir, buried alive by the NCB' Lord Robbens (lovely person) refused to allow NCB funds to be used to remove remaining tip above Aberfan but instead apportioned money from the Disaster Fund to do the work. In 2007 the Welsh Assembly gave £2M to the Disaster Fund which still supports the victims of this tragedy.
Remember watching the Aberfan disaster unfold on televsion was a massive topic of conversation in and around mining communities a you'd expect. It was that disaster that gave rise for the levelling off of slag heaps in coalfields all over as there were many in Barnsley towering over villages at the time Barnsley Main and Houghton Main amongst the biggest
I remember it vividly myself. Although only 10 at the time some things stick in your mind. Absolute tragedy.
Remember it well. My dad (recently died) was a shot firer at Woolley (ie loaded and exploded the dynamite in the coal face) in the 1960's. My granddad and my uncles were all miners as well.
I think I was seven and I remember it as the kids were about my age. My Granddad was also a shot firer. They wouldn't allow it now.
Me too. I was recently working in south Wales and saw the sign for Aberfan - it sent a shiver down my spine. Incidentally, if you think it's bad round here post Thatcher, the Welsh valleys are totally f---ed.
I remember walking down Eldon Arcade.... .... and seeing the headline in the Star. Later on seeing the emotion on the face of Cliff Michelmore on the BBC as he told of the disaster. I went that night to watch Barnsley boys as they were playing on Oakwell and a friend of mine was playing. There was a minute's silence for the victims. Sticks in my mind as the boys were playing in an all white strip. They didn't stand around the centre-circle, but in their positions on the field for the silence. Funny how things like that stick in your memory.