1966 Aberfan disaster

The location and near by town
Aberfan (Welsh pronunciation: [ˌabɛrˈvan]) is a former coal mining village in South Wales, 4 miles (6 km) south of Merthyr Tydfil Town. The Taff Trail (locally known as the "Canal Bank" or just "the bank") runs through Aberfan from Troed-y-rhiw, to Treharris. The River Taff also flows through Aberfan.

On 21 October 1966, it became known for the Aberfan disaster, when a colliery spoil heap collapsed into homes and a school, killing 116 children and 28 adults.

Aberfan Memorial
After the disaster the Mayor of Merthyr immediately launched a Disaster Fund to aid the village and the bereaved. The fund’s final sum totalled approximately £1,750,000. In 1997 this represented approximately £17.5 million in donations. The concerns of the village and donors grew about how the money in the fund would be used, with the community split between compensating the bereaved, whilst others felt it should benefit the wider community. The funds paid for the memorial garden and cemetery along with other facilities to aid the regeneration of Aberfan both physically and emotionally.

Aberfan Memorial Garden and Cemetery
The Memorial Garden and cemetery is where many of the victims are buried. The original Portland and Nabresina Stone memorials erected shortly after the disaster began to deteriorate and in 2007 the Aberfan Memorial Charity refurbished the Memorial Garden area including all of the archways and memorials. The weathered masonry was replaced with polished pearl white granite, all inscriptions were re-engraved and additional archways were erected.

Aberfan Park Memorial
The Coventry Playground was built in 1972 on the site of the old Merthyr Vale School, with the monies collected by the people of Coventry. The playground was officially opened by the mayor of Coventry.

A playground was opened on the site of Pantglas Primary school, which was destroyed during the disaster, the park was partly opened by the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh on her visit to Aberfan in 1974.

The Aberfan Memorial Charity was founded in 1989 and is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the cemetery and memorial garden.

Also see

 * 1) Neftegorsk (Sakhalin Oblast) May 28, 1995, Earthquake
 * 2) Disasters
 * 3) Mineral mining, smelting and shipping videos
 * 4) Ebbw Vale Steelworks
 * 5) Energy and resources
 * 6) Energy industry
 * 7) Mining
 * 8) Cambrian Colliery
 * 9) Lofthouse Colliery disaster
 * 10) Knockshinnoch Disaster

Outside sources

 * 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberfan
 * 2) https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Aberfan_disaster
 * 3) http://www.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/politics/aberfan/chap1.htm