Wales Mining Disaster Queen

As chronicled in the horrifying episode the 1966 aberfan mining disaster killed 144 people most of them children and became a moment of public reckoning for the queen.

Wales mining disaster queen. It was one of the united kingdom s worst tragedies and it was a man made disaster. The aberfan disaster was the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip in wales on 21 october 1966. Meilan solly is smithsonian magazine s assistant. The crown season 3 tells the story of the tragedy and queen elizabeth ii s visit eight days later.

The tip had been created on a mountain slope above the village of aberfan near merthyr tydfil and overlaid a natural spring a period of heavy rain led to a build up of water within the tip which caused it to suddenly slide downhill as a slurry killing 116 children and 28 adults as it. The crown season 3 tells the story of the tragedy and queen elizabeth ii s visit eight days later. At around quarter past nine on the morning of friday 21 october 1966 disaster struck the coal mining village of aberfan in south wales. On october 21 1966 a mining accident occurred in the south wales village of aberfan.

On october 21 1966 a mining accident occurred in the south wales village of aberfan. In 1966 300 000 cubic yards of coal sludge buried a welsh primary school and 19 houses in aberfan wales. The queen lays a wreath to commemorate the victims of the aberfan disaster of 1966. Season three of the crown portrays a mining town disaster where 116 children and 28 adults were killed.

The aberfan disaster killed 144 people including 116 children. The queen finally decided to visit to aberfan eight days after the disaster. Wales had become famous for coal mining during the industrial. Photo by pa images via getty images about the author.