Items recovered from 1966 Aberfan go on display to mark anniversary

Items from the Aberfan tragedy have gone on display at St Fagan's National Museum of Wales in Cardiff to mark the fifty sixth anniversary of the tragedy.

Amongst the objects are a chest of drawers from Pantglas Junior School, a miner’s lamp found in tip waste and football programmes collected by the parents of Gareth Jones who was a six-year-old survivor.

A written account by survivor Gaynor Madgwick, who was pulled from the rubble of the school as an eight-year-old, is also included.

They are all now part of a wider exhibition telling the story of the disaster, which happened 56 years ago today.

They join the famous clock which stopped at 9:13am, the exact moment the disaster struck on 21st October 1966.

One hundred and forty four people, including 116 children, died when 150,000 tonnes of coal waste slid down the hillside, engulfing the local junior school and several neighbouring houses.

Pupils and teachers had been waiting for the first lesson to start, with just one day left until the half term holiday.

It was one of the worst industrial disasters in British history.

Sioned Williams, Principal Curator of Modern History at St Fagans NationalMuseum of History, said:

“The Aberfan disaster is a significant part of Welsh history, and we are pleasedthat the story is represented in the museum. We are actively adding to the Aberfancollection to ensure this story is never forgotten.”