Cilybebyll accident a sad reminder of south Wales mining history
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GLEISION MINERS: Garry Jenkins, Phillip Hill, Dai Powell and Charlie Breslin.
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By EIFION WILLIAMS
“All who love Wales will shed a tear for the miners. This will revive in its people, wherever we live, a sad sense of community,” said British author Jan Morris, writing about the Gleision mine accident in The Guardian on September 16.
Mine disasters invariably attract world-wide attention. People everywhere recognize the dangers faced by those who earn their living in an alien environment where options are limited in the event of an accident.
As former South Wales Miners’ leader Dai Dan Evans said on one occasion, “Men do not with impunity tear the guts out of the earth.”
Like other South Wales mining valleys, the Swansea Valley has seen its share of coal mine accidents. The deaths of the four miners in the Gleision mine last month were the latest in an industry that has over the years been both a boon and a curse for the Valleys.
I grew up in a mining village about five miles from the Gleision mine, which is located at Cilybebyll, near Pontardawe. There were no major disasters in my time but I was always aware of the dangers faced daily by the men who worked in the local mines, including my father.
When even a single individual lost his life in a mine as a result of a roof collapse, flash flood, methane gas or other calamity, the community drew together as a family, grieved together and provided help and comfort to the deceased’s family.
The people of Cilybebyll, Rhos and Pontardawe came together to deal with the latest loss of life in the same way that mining communities always have. The deaths of Charles Breslin, Phillip Hill, Garry Jenkins and David Powell also drew sympathy from people in many other parts of the world who shared the same sequence of emotions as the local communities – shock, suspense, hope, despair, and, ultimately, grief.
All the major coal mines in the Swansea Valley are now closed. Only a few small privately-owned mines like the Gleision mine are still operating, their owners hoping to profit from the demand for “Welsh gold,” the anthracite coal that boosted the UK economy for over 200 years.
Neath Member of Parliament Peter Hain has established the Swansea Valley Miners Appeal Fund, which within a few days had collected in excess of £200,000, to be distributed to the families of the dead miners. The UK Government has promised to add 25 percent to the total collected.
Among the Fund’s patrons are Prince Charles, First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones, and the Archbishop of Wales, Dr. Barry Morgan.
A minute of silence was held at sporting events throughout Wales on the weekend following the accident and Premier League Swansea City players wore black arm bands in their match against West Bromwich Albion on September 17.
As a gesture of solidarity, the Chelsea Football Club organized a raffle and turnstile collection on behalf of the miners’ families during their match against Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on September 24.
Although the total is not yet confirmed, the Chelsea management indicated it would be a five-figure sum.
In launching the appeal, Peter Hain said, “The death of four miners at the Gleision Colliery was the worst mining accident Wales has seen for generations. The tragedy was a stab through the heart of the community.”
The Welsh Society of Vancouver has donated £100 pounds to the appeal fund. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund can do so by accessing www.minersappealfund.org. |
