Buried Futures

Fifty-five years ago, a black tide swept away 109 young lives

Aerial photo showing the collapsed waste heap and path of the landslide (607776-public_domain-wikimeida_commons))

It was a quarter past nine on the morning of 21st October 1966, the staff and pupils of Pantglas Junior School in the village of Aberfan were just beginning the day. On the other side of the country, in Hull, my eight-year-old self was doing the same at Southcoates Lane Junior School. A long way away, but I doubt the rituals varied…