Aberfan- Fifty year anniversary

Fifty years ago today at 9:15am a massive spoil tip slid down the mountain behind Pantglas Junior School, engulfing it completely. 116 children and 28 adults were killed. It’s difficult to find words to properly express the anger and sorrow of this completely avoidable tragedy, however on the 70^th day of the tribunal, Desmond Ackner QC, representing the people of Aberfan completed his closing argument to the undivided attention of all present:

 “Those who died in this disaster lost their lives not because of the occupational hazards which are ever present in these mining valleys, there was no sudden collapse of an underground working, no unforeseeable or unforeseen explosion. This was a slow growing, manmade menace, fed by the indifference of those who should have never had permitted its existence. That, is the horror of this disaster. There can be no more bitter reminder of the truth and wisdom of Bernard Shaw’s condemnation. "The worst sin toward our fellow’s is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: for that is the essence of inhumanity."

Today at 9.15am, we observe a one minute silence to remember those who lost their lives. 

ANDERSON, Carol, 9

JONES, Glenys Gabriel, 46

ANDERSON, Linda, 10

JONES, Janet, 9

ANDREW, Kelvin David, 10

JONES, John Islwyn, 10

ANDREW, Malcolm, 8

JONES, Kevin Thomas, 9

ARSCOTT, Dennis, 8

JONES, Lewis, 46

BARNARD, Merrill, 11

JONES, Michael, 13

BARRETT, Royston, 10

JONES, Richard, 48

BARTLETT, Edwina, 9

JONES, Robert Garfield, 9

BATES, Margareta, 35

JONES, Robert Orville, 8

BEYNON, David, 47

JONES, Susan, 9

BOWNS, Kay, 10

JONES, Paul, 9

BREEZE, Robert, 10

KING, John Anthony, 9

BROWN, Jeannette Lynne, 10

LAUNCHBURY, Jean, 10

CARPENTER, Carol Ann, 9

LEE, Ann Catherine, 8

CARPENTER, Desmond, 10

LEWIS, Sharon, 9

CARSTON, Evan George, 64

LEYSHON, Sandra, 9

CARSTON, Margaret Jayne, 61

MEREDITH, Susan Lewis, 8½

COFFEY, Robert, 14

MINETT, Carl, 7

COLLINS, Gwyneth, 34

MINETT, Maralyn, 10

COLLINS, Michael, 10

MINNEY, Barbara Eileen, 9

COLLINS, Peter, 10

MINNEY, Robert George, 10

COLLINS, Raymond John, 14

MORTIMER, Cheryl, 8

CROTTY, Susan Mary, 10

MUMFORD, Edward Clive, 11

DAVIES, Brian, 8

MUMFORD, Norma, 10

DAVIES, David Gareth, 10

MUMFORD, Phillip, 9

DAVIES, David Morgan, 9

MYTTON, Albert, 64

DAVIES, David Trevor, 10

MYTTON, Lucy May

DAVIES, Edwin, 8

NEEDS, Jeffrey, 9½

DAVIES, Michael, 21

O’BRIEN, Arthur, 8

DAVIES, Paul, 8

O’BRIEN, Karen, 8

DAVIES, Royston Carl, 9

OWEN, Valmai Mary, 8

DAVIES, Terence Malcolm, 10

PARFITT, Jill Elizabeth, 9

DONOVAN, Sandra Pauline, 10

PARFITT, Vincent Clark, 12  

DOUGALL, Ian, 9

POWELL, Jacqueline, 8

DRAGE, Yvonne, 11

PROBERT, Patricia, 12

ENGLAND, Anthony Wayne, 8

PROBERT, Susan

EVANS, Gareth, 3 months

PROBERT, Thomas, 7

EVANS, Howell Lloyd, 7

PROSSER, Christine, 9

EVANS, Jean Winifred, 10

PROSSER, Howard David, 9

EVANS, John Morgan, 65

PRYCE, Julie, 8

EVANS, Katherine Elizabeth, 3

REAKES, Corwyn Thomas, 10

EVANS, Marjorie Christine, 26

REAKES, Layton Kerrie, 9

EVANS, Maureen Mary, 8

REES, Andrew, 14

EVANS, Patricia, 32

REES, Marjorie Ann, 22

FITZPATRICK, Michael, 7

REGAN, Julie Jeannine, 9

FITZPATRICK, Sheila, 13

RICHARDS, Lorraine Rosa Isabel, 10

FUDGE, Daphne May, 8

RICHARDS, Sylvia Francis, 9

GEORGE, Christine, 10

ROBBINS, Megan Owen, 10

GOLDSWORTHY, Richard Philip, 10

ROBERTS, Paul David, 10

GOUGH, Brian Michael, 9

RUSSELL, Graham, 26

GOUGH, Gillian, 8

RUSSELL, Sidney, 53

GRAY, Trevor Timothy, 9

SHORT, Martine Anne, 9

GRIFFITHS, Dwynwen, 9

SMITH, Annette, 9

HAINES, Jennifer, 8

SULLIVAN, Anthony John, 10

HANSON, Frederick, 78

SULLIVAN, Avis Elizabeth, 9

HARDING, Lynn, 9

SUMMERS, Roger Colin, 7

HARRIS, Brian, 24

SYMONDS, Victoria Marie, 10

HAYES, Roger Dyfrig, 9

TAYLOR, Tydfil Jane, 73

HEAMAN, Pamela, 10

THOMAS, Charles, 60

HILL, Anthony David, 8

THOMAS, Myrtle Irene, 54

HODGKINSON, Linda, 8

TUDOR, Randolph, 10

HODGKINSON, Royston, 9

WATKINS, Anthony Joseph, 10

HOPKINS, Angela Vaughan, 7

WAYNE, Anthony, 8

HOPKINS, Stephen Vaughan, 10

WILKSHIRE, Joseph, 8

HOWELLS, Maralyn Carol, 9

WILLIAMS, Angela, 8

HUGHES, Annette, 9

WILLIAMS, Carol, 8

JAMES, Mecia, 9

WILLIAMS, David William, 8

JENNINGS, Ann,

WILLIAMS, Graham, 8

JONES, Catherine, 75

WILLIAMS, June Margaret, 10

JONES, Eryl Mai, 10

WILLIAMS, Keith, 9

JONES, Evelyn Mary, 61

WILLIAMS, Nancy, 44

JONES, Gillian Irene, 11

WILLIAMS, Peter, 10