ITV 9 p.m. tonight (Wed) ABERFAN 21 Oct 1966 - 9.15 on the last day of term 116 children at school and 28 adults killed. For 50 years NCB dumped waste on porous sandstone where there were numerous natural springs - heavy rain and the whole tip came down. Lord Robens (NCB Chairman) didn't attend until the following day -- Refused to fund the safe-making of adjacent tips. £150,000 taken from relief fund for families to do this. The Coroner said the cause of Death was asphyxia and multiple injuries. 'No' said a bereaved father 'My child was buried alive, - murdered by the Coal Board.'
Aberfan will never be forgotten by people in our area of a certain age. http://bbs.barnsleyfc.org.uk/showth...n-this-day-49-years-ago&p=1744803#post1744803
Watched it and totally broke my heart My wife is from that Valley and not too far away too. she was ten years old at the time , her two sisters were 8 and 2 years old at the time.... her Dad was in the mines rescue and was sent to the disaster.... My wife Ann tells me her Dad was not quite the same after that. I went to play in a golf match near Aberfan at the Merthyr Tydfil course I was playing for the St Athan Golf Club (near to Cardiff and Barry)... I was in a pairs game ... one of the local lads who we were playing eventually asked me where in Yorkshire was I from... I replied that as he had Identified my Yorkshire twang that he might take a punt... Huddersfield area he tried .... close I said have another go... Barnsley he ventured... nail on the head mate I said... he then grasped my hand and shook it firmly, any of your family been in the pits he asked.... most of them I replied, my Dad .. my Grandad , uncles and cousins... he then said ... keep your hand in your pocket when we get in the clubhouse... beers are on me.... your lads from Yorkshire came down and helped us tremendously when the Aberfan disaster happened..... and he was filling up too when he said that... Peronally I was 11 when it happened but its etched in my mind, and especially so since I married into a wonderful Welsh family from the mining valleys. I have since been to the cemetery in Aberfan where the victims lie.... and yes it tore my heart out. OH and I did buy a round too BTW.
I remember first hearing about the tragedy in school, it might have been an anniversary, 15 years or so. It's hard to take in at that age, but I think such events from mining communities have a shared, universal sense of grief that transcends time and place. My Mam has spoke about it several times over the years. Her and my dad had just got there first telly that week. Tonight's programme was a welcome and interesting story, that of the Mothers, many of whom were no more than children themselves. Unbearably sad, but was interrupted by crass adverts, as is the ITV way.. This BBC doc is from 10 years ago. [video=youtube;vw40FKNaDVw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw40FKNaDVw[/video]
come down the Valleys fella The Rhondda, the Rhymney, the Ogmore.... let them know you are a Lad from the mining community of Yorkshire... I guarantee you a totally great welcome and great night if you happen to be in a pub too.
I was 10 At Highgate Junior School near Goldthorpe and I remember being at grandma's in Thurnscoe and watching the news. My gran was crying and I remember thinking that it could happen in our area. Fortunately there were no tips near my school.
Re: I was 10 On behalf of Dustani... [video=youtube;WC4DtPt1Q2Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC4DtPt1Q2Y[/video]
most of the tips in our area were not on mountain tops or on steep sided valley's like in Wales.... The dreadful thing about Aberfan is that The coal board were warned of its unstable condition but did **** all about it..... and then the insult was that they paid a mere £500 compensation for each childs life..... a world wide fund saw thousands of pounds coming in from well wishers around the planet.... the victims family got a further £5,000 because of this.... I am a bit puzzled why an investigation on the scale of Hillborough has not been taken up and people brought to buck over it all.... £500 from the coal board was a complete and total insult in my book.
Re: most of the tips in our area were not on mountain tops The cost of removing the remaining two slag tips (£150,000) came out of the money donated to Aberfan - it was not paid for by the NCB. What was so striking about last night's programme was the immense dignity shown by the women of Aberfan.
Re: most of the tips in our area were not on mountain tops just imagine what the kids fathers went through when they were told to get out of the pit and dig their kids out...dunt bare thinking about.