Aberfan Disaster 1966

Photographs, letters, committee papers and other archival materials have been digitised and compiled into an online resource for people to explore and better understand what happened in the days, months, and years following the Aberfan Disaster in 1966.

Through archival collections, this project – funded by Welsh Government – tells the story of the Aberfan Disaster and how the community responded to such a tragedy. Items were selected from Glamorgan Archives and the National Library of Wales, including collections such as the Aberfan Disaster Fund, Aberfan Parents and Residents Association, and Erastus Jones Papers. 

On October 21st, 1966, at around 9am on the final day of term at Pantglas Junior School, tip no. 7 at Merthyr Vale Colliery collapsed after starting to move earlier in the morning due to the destabilisation from the underground spring. This resulted in the coal waste slipping into the village below, liquifying in the process. Moving at high speed, the slip destroyed several houses and collided into the side of Pantglas Junior School. 144 people died, of which 116 were children. A massive rescue effort was undertaken by the local community and people across Wales to save those trapped under the debris. While many were saved, no survivors were found after 11am. 

You can view the resources on the National Library of Wales’s Aberfan Disaster 1966 webpage:

https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/archives/aberfan-disaster-1966