Aberfan: A Story of Survival, Love and Community in One of Britain's Worst Disasters

by Gaynor Madgwick

On October 21, 1966, thousands of tons of coal mining waste slid down a mountainside and devastated the mining village of Aberfan. The black mass crashed through the local school. 144 people were killed, of which 116 were schoolchildren. Gaynor Madgwick was there, and severely injured at eight years old. Here, Gaynor tells her own story and interviews people affected by that day, to tell their stories of survival and healing.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Biography

280 pages, Paperback

Published February 9, 2017

Reviews

[Rob Twinem · Rating 5 out of 5]

A recent visit to Big Pit national coal museum in Blaenavon South Wales had such an impact on me that I decided to read Aberfan a story of a community and how it survived one of the worst mining disasters in history. 144 people lost their lives of which 116 were children when tons of coal tip waste slipped down a mountainside destroying and burying everything in its path. Gaynor Madgwick was one of the survivors and as the 50th anniversary for the tragedy approached she decided to put to print not only her thoughts but those of many friends and families torn apart. Gaynor herself lost a brother and sister and so the writing of Aberfan could be viewed as a form of atonement, as painful memories were revisited. Through all the pain and suffering that unfolded in this essential book two facts stood out; The first being the inability of both the government and the National Coal Board (NCP) to accept responsibility for the disaster and the NCP's attempt to use 150,000 pounds from the money donated to the survivors and families to clean up coal tip waste. The second fact more probably an image were young soldiers recruited to help with uncovering bodies from the deluge and waste. They washed the bodies of young children and laid them peacefully side by side for grieving families to identify. The young men who did this never forgot or recovered from such a sad undertaking.

My visit to Big Pit was made more poignant when I realized that those people involved in the tour and introducing us to the tough unforgiving dangerous lives of miners, were none other than ex miners themselves. Due to the fact that coal nowadays is cheaper to import from abroad the last 30 years has seen the mining industry in the UK virtually disappear and once proud miners left adrift with little hope of future employment. Each one of those ex miners told me that irrespective of the dangers and the poor and sometimes brutal working conditions, they would all happily return underground to their old way of life. I was astounded to hear this...why I asked? why work in such dangerous unforgiving conditions? The comradeship they said, they were a band of brothers and would happily live and die for eachother. I came away extremely humbled knowing that those in governments who choose to destroy the mines and therefore the livelihoods of these proud men did not realize that by doing so they destroyed communities and the heart of the noble Welsh men, women and children that lived therein. Aberfan is a tough read but it is a story that should be understood and the memories of those who lost their lives and the families that still grieve should never be forgotten.

[Judith Ring · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult to find the right words in praise of Gaynor for writing this book. I remember this tragedy as I was 10 years old when it happened. It is a book of trauma, distress, anger, heartbreak, caring, passion, love and hope. In today's society it is much more common for people to tell their stories; you need to read the book to understand why this is such a different story.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I admit that I didn't know about this particular disaster- the Aberfan disaster (21st October, 1966) until I watched Crown episode on it. As a teacher, it struck home because the brunt of the avalanche fell on the village's school where the teachers had next to no warning and no possibility to save anyone. Gaynor Madgwick's book is an oral history of the disaster from her standpoint as a child survivor and as someone who lived in the community for decades after. It gives a unique look into the life of a community changed by disaster.

The book starts with Madgwick's own experience of survival in the school where so many of her friends were killed, even in her own classroom. Her account is simple and horrifying, conveying a child's view of the disaster and the aftermath. She, then, gives the accounts of other classmates, teachers, rescue workers, government officials as they reacted to the disaster. Her account continues into aftermath in this community which lost whole age groups of their children and what that did to people's mental and physical health. She also examines, again, from eye-witnesses the appalling lack of accountability of the Coal Board as well as the atrociously paternalistic attitude of the government to the bereaved. It is a splendid oral history and gives a vivid view.

This book is an excellent witness to these events, but not really a deep analysis. The author writes simply, but is sometimes over-awed by some of her interview subjects. She positively gushes meeting the Earl of Snowden, who had been the first of the Royal Family to be on the scene. But the witness is what makes this book so deserving to be read.

[Lynne Williams]

There is no way to read this other than with a box of tissues by your side. The author is in no way looking for sympathy- the writing is factual often to the point and blunt, but it is heartfelt, you cannot imagine how anyone can live through this and still get up every morning and face life. But it is that exact steely gut that is written about and it gladdens the heart to know that these brave people did carry on and found happiness, although never forgetting. I cried during and after reading this, especially when reading how this could have been prevented. A must read for anyone who wants to know what/ to who/ why Aberfan will never be forgotten.

[Lynne Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me through so many emotions reading it.
Sadness, horror but mainly anger.
A community left in shock to not only face their losses but to battle the NCB, Government and the Charity Commission.

[teleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Gaynor, there are a lot of memories that we don't want to talk about. That's nothing to be ashamed of. They are just too graphic and they will remain buried."

I wouldn't say this book was amazing, it was nothing more than good. I really did feel it dragged on slightly but it was a saddening and emotional read. I was nearly tearing up when she was talking about her father dying, that whole chapter got to me. I know a little bit about the Aberfan disaster and this really didn't widen my knowledge on the subject, which was a shame because that was the main reason I read the book. It's not as much factual as it is personal, which although may interest some, didn't really hold my attention. I will give credit to the author, as she was great at describing the events, and it felt like the disaster felt more real reading it from an actual victim's perception, but it also bored me with the large amount of family talk she did. I enjoyed hearing about how it affected her parents and siblings but near the end she described how it affected her kids and grandkids, and I know that the grief she lives with wouldn't stop after she had children but it jut seemed to try and pull on your heartstrings when she added how her kids/grandkids felt.

[Ketti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began aware of Aberfan while watching ‘The Crown’. As I did a bit of research on this disaster I found this book. Gaylor was 8 years old when she was sitting in her school and the coal tip slid into their village. Gaylor tells the heartbreaking and tragic story of herself, her family. She shares the thoughts and feeling from the many interviews with people that were affected by that one day.
Quotes –
“How can inches between us, as we sat in class, be a position of life and death? For me it was a miracle, a miracle that meant life for me.”
“As I met the people on my journey, I think they understood that my life had been one of struggle since Aberfan. That the anxiety caused by that day is still very much present today, that it can grab hold of me and halt me in my tracks when I least expect it. I know there is no sense in feeling bitter as it does not allow you ever to move on…..”
“I only wish there was two of me, as then I could make a comparison of the life I might have lived differently.”

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having grown up in the South Wales valleys and still living in the area, the Aberfan disaster is still very much a part of life here as the anniversary is still commemorated and the ripple effects of the events that day still spread outwards through the generations, culture, and landscape. While I wasn't expecting to learn much in the way of factual details, I was hoping for more in the way of eye witness accounts from Gaynor, which we sort of get, and those she spoke to. We sort of get this but in a round about, chatty way, which just doesn't seem to do justice to the disaster, not quite down playing it but also not allowing the full force of people's experiences to come through. This is probably because Gaynor isn't an author and is very much involved in the events, but it feels like so much was still left unsaid, not to mention swayed by Gaynor's own views particularly in Lord Snowden's case. An interesting read none the less.

[Lewis Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding read. I only learned about the Aberfan disaster on the 50th anniversary and was shocked that I was never taught about it through my many years of education, so I stuck this on my wish list and my Nan got it for me for Christmas. This is a hugely emotional story about Gaynor Madgwick's life following the disaster, the guilt she felt after surviving a tragedy that took the lives of so many of her friends and her journey to find closure. It's so shocking to learn that such a terrible tragedy happened on British shores and I'm so glad I took the time to read this as the Aberfan disaster doesn't deserve to be forgotten.

[Adam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaynor was 8 years old when a huge mass of colliery spoil brought devastation to the village of Aberfan, killing 116 children and 28 adults in and around Pantglas Junior School. Over 50 years later, the disaster is still well-remembered in south Wales, and as an Englishman who's crossed the border, I wanted to discover more about the background to the annual acts of remembrance. I learnt a lot from this book - and most of all, I understood more of the sense of tragedy and grief, and the feelings of anger and injustice, which are still keenly felt by many.

The author supplements her own personal reflections with interviews she conducted with various others connected with the disaster - survivors, family members, rescuers, nurses, Lord Snowdon, and more. It's both a personal journey, as Gaynor seeks some sense of closure for herself, and an educational journey, as she wants others to understand more of what happened and the impact it has had on survivors and the local community.

This approach leads to some repetition, and also some superfluous personal information and photos. But it also gives a raw and helpful insight into the reality of what happened. She describes the questions survivors and their families have wrestled with - why did they survive when the child next to them died? What if this had happened a day later, when it would have been half-term? Or even just a few hours before?

She also highlights the factors contributing to an ongoing sense of injustice: the warnings that were ignored beforehand, the use of donated money to move the tips afterwards, the National Coal Board concealing facts from the tribunal, the way eligibility for compensation was determined by asking people if they had been close to their dead child, the lack of closure or prosecution.

There are probably better written, better edited and more detailed books on Aberfan. But Gaynor gives a highly personal, eye-opening and heartbreaking account of that fateful day. And when 21st October comes, I'll understand more of why we remember, and must remember Aberfan.

[Geoffrey Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I did read a paperback edition). This is a hard book to give a rating to, because by her own admission Gaynor Madgwick is not an accomplished writer. But she does have an extraordinary story to tell. On October 21, 1966, she was eight years old and sitting in her classroom when disaster struck. A mountain of coal tailings gave way, and the landslide crushed her elementary school. Five teachers and 109 children died that morning at Pantglas Junior School, forming the bulk of the 144 victims that day. Gaynor was trapped in the debris, and was rescued by her grandfather. She later learned that a brother and sister were killed that morning.
Fifty years later, in a sort of therapeutic mission, Madgwick set out to gather the stories of the survivors and other people involved in the tragedy. For a long time, people were reluctant to open up and deal with the loss, the bereavement, and the survivors’ guilt. Starting with her own parents, the author tracks down the rescuers, police officers, doctors and nurses and other survivors to share their stories. The result is a very raw and gritty account of the emotions that still surface, fifty years after the fact. There is guilt, there is anger at the Coal Board and government, and there are sadness and loss as people visit the graves on a hillside in town. This is a poignant and honest account of a terrible event. It was also the subject of an effective episode of Season Three of “ The Crown”.

[John Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is probably the most moving book I have ever read. So many emotional stories from survivors and people involved in the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster. It is also a very intimate book concerning Gaynor's own emotional journey through life. Although the subject matter of this book is horrific, what shines through is the human spirit of love, compassion and a desire for justice. After reading this book, I almost feel I am intimately connected with Gaynor and her family, even though I have never met any of them. Gaynor's poems, together with one from her grandson, Ross, and a story told to the child survivors by the Reverend Irving Penberthy make the Appendix of this book something that should not be missed - truly beautiful poems and a wonderful story that must surely have helped the children survivors in the face of such tragic losses.
I remember the Aberfan disaster being on the News. I was 11 years old at the time. I recommend this book to everyone, but especially those who are old enough, like me, to remember those horrific images that filled our television screens back in 1966. Gaynor, thank-you for writing not only your story but that of so many others too.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire the author for taking upon herself the daunting task of recording so many people's perspectives on the Aberfan mine disaster. It would have taken years of time and sacrifice to complete this project to the level she did. My kudos to her.

The first half of this book was really interesting. I enjoyed the different perspectives from all the different survivors. Then about half way through the book it started to feel like the same story over and over again...oh wait it was. I understand why the author did this. She wanted everyone's voice to be heard. But as someone who is not emotionally attached to the events it made the story drag.

I loved the pictures at the end. I loved her poems she wrote as a child. I loved her willingness to be real and share so many details of a major traumatic life event.

[Alyson Edenborough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book won’t win any literary awards but it’s important and it’s heartfelt and that outweighs the writing. I was born 8 years after the Aberfan disaster and grew up less than a mile away. My family weren’t involved but I know people who were and I know people featured in the book - the two GPs interviewed were my GPs, I know every location mentioned, I was born in the hospital to which the author was taken. It was the GPs’ comments that gave me the most insight about the place that I grew up, a new realisation of the impact of the disaster on those who witnessed it. It affected everybody, it still does.
I’m full of admiration for Gaynor Madgwick for putting herself through the challenging ordeal of writing this book. A lot of time and effort appears to have gone into tracing and interviewing people. I pray the experience brought her healing.

[Pam Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartbreaking collection of primary and secondary sources combining interviews and perspectives from survivors, witnesses and families. It is so sad that this sort of disaster affects both the people alive at the time and the generations afterwards. Gaynor is a survivor of the disaster and to read how an event when she was 8 years old is still affecting her 50+ years on is terrible. My heart is heavy for her and her fellow survivors who once lived in the shadow of the pit heap and spend their days living in the shadow of its collapse.

[Mart Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a few weeks away from my tenth birthday when this happened. Though I followed the news, I don't remember this event. I learned about it on "The Crown" and wanted to know more: how could this happen? This book is a memoir. The writing is not the draw. Ms. Madgwick gets four stars for having the courage to tell her story and that of many others who were affected for life by this senseless tragedy. You do get the sense of what it was like to be there, from the moment the muck hit the school through the fight for justice for the families.

[Angela C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated the fact that the author interviewed people with numerous different roles to play in the disaster: surviving children, grieving parents, teachers, first responders, community members, etc. It helped to capture events more fully, and reading how they overcame and carried on was heartbreaking and inspiring. I gave it four stars because I did find that sometimes the author rambled a little bit or kind of jumped around topics/events a bit. But that did not take away from the book, and I would definitely recommend it.

[Martha Highfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt memoir from a survivor very much in her own voice and in the voices of others who were there. Include excerpts pf oral histories from her contacts just as they were spoken, and closes with poetry by the author, a grandchild, and other key players. Of special interest to me (as a nurse) were the nurses, who did what they could in the face of this tragedy.

The author's efforts to put into words what cannot be expressed in words is her gift to her family, her community, and survivors from around the world.

[Becky Galambos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A survivors-eye view of the disaster in Aberfan, Wales. I put this book on my to read list after watching the episode of the crown - even as a history major, I had never heard of it before that. I like to chase rabbit holes like that, and this book was a great memoir which also gave the facts of the disaster without letting us forget the real people involved and the impact on them, in the way that other historical accounts sometimes do.

[Cathy Hartke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is incredible and heartbreaking. It took a lot of courage for Gaynor Madgwick to relive her memories and search out so many others who lived through this tragedy. Encouraged by her overall positive outlook.
Only 3 stars as it was a bit all over the place and sometimes hard to follow her train of thought. Definitely more like a personal journal. Still, recommend.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting account of the events of the Aberfan disaster.
I was too young to remember this happening but remember my parents talking about and various programmes about it but reading this book has really opened my eyes as to what really happened.
Shocking, upsetting, unbelievable in some parts - will stay with me for a long time
I really need to start reading more cheerful books!

[Emma Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly honest and raw account of such a tragedy. Harrowing, heart breaking and gives detail you didnt think possible. Gives such a full and devastating picture. Memory and resilience are strong themes. I send my best wishes to anyone from Aberfan and anyone affected.

[Mark Beer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did struggle a bit with the text, but the story alone was enough to keep me going. One day that has had such a profound impact on many lives, for many years. And another example of the injustices that we suffer at the hands of our government.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Aberfan Disaster was one of the most tragic events I have ever studied. It was an experience to read Ms. Madgwick's telling of how her childhood and the rest of her life was impacted by such a terrible fate.

[Umme Aaribqah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very emotional. Worth a deep read. Once again the government and ppl in power let the common man be sacrificed for a few pennies. A community grieving and one girls life forever effected by the disaster that struck her little Welsh village.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't sure how objective a book about Aberfan written by one of the survivors would read but it was very moving. I hadn't thought that of course there were far more victims than just the people that died, the whole town suffered and some still do. Recommended.

[Carolyn Seggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aberfan

I have this book in paperback and Kindle . It is heartfelt tale from a survivor of that dreadful tragedy

[BlaBlaBla albalbalb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried. The whole village lost their children. It was so touching and so sad.

[Lisa Bodner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sad story. But a good read, the author was 8 years old when the Aberfan disaster happened. She lost a brother and sister that day.

[Tina Bartlett-Game]

Amazingly moving book and tells the history of this tragedy in the right way.