• Replies 2 replies
  • Subscribers 5 subscribers
  • Views 41 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Portraits from Aberfan - one man's amazing tribute [contains distressing material]

Marianne72

This 11 minute documentary tells an extraordinary story of human kindness, after a catastrophy. Older members of the community will remember the disaster at Aberfan, October 21st, 1966, when Pantglas Primary School was buried by the slippage of a colliery spoil tip. There were 144 victims, including 116 children. Portrait artis,t William Richardson, decided to use his talent to paint portraits of deceased children, free of charge, as lasting memorials for the families. This moving documentary illustrates some of these images and what this gave to grieving families.

This is a sad story, but indicative of many ways people come forward to help, after the most awful circumstances. This  is a salutary reminder of the best of human spirit, that no matter how difficult it is to undergo suffering, the aftermath can bring out the best in ourselves as well as other people - campaigns, positive change, resilience, fortitude, kindness, community spirit.

Parents

  • My ex-artner (we were together for 17 years) was a journalist sent to Aberfan to report on the disaster. All I know of his experience was that he dug through the mud, like everyone else, and then let the people tell him their grief. Apart from that, he was so badly scarred by the experience that he could never talk about it, despite becoming a war reporter. Anyone who could help those families in any way did something lovely in this world, and bore the scars for it.

Reply

  • My ex-artner (we were together for 17 years) was a journalist sent to Aberfan to report on the disaster. All I know of his experience was that he dug through the mud, like everyone else, and then let the people tell him their grief. Apart from that, he was so badly scarred by the experience that he could never talk about it, despite becoming a war reporter. Anyone who could help those families in any way did something lovely in this world, and bore the scars for it.

Children
No Data