On December 6th. 1875, there was a massive explosion in the Lan Drift Mine, Gwaelod y Garth. Listed as the most serious mine explosion of the year, it had been largely forgotten in this village once devastated by the impact of the disaster. 16 men and boys were killed or seriously injured; few families escaped the ensuing poverty. There is now a movement to rectify this omission.
A 2012 Memorial Event, attended by The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Derrick Morgan, former First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, Tyrone O'Sullivan, Miners' Leader, joined with residents to unveil a plaque in the Village Hall. In a moving ceremony, resident Ann Gray, whose great uncle, Abraham Phillips, was the Overman killed in the disaster, unveiled the plaque while the Headmaster of the school, Iwan Ellis, read out the names of the dead and injured. In a silent hall, with standing room only, oldest resident of the village, Dyrig Davies, put his wreath of rosemary under the plaque, followed by young boys with rosemary wreaths, in respect of children of their age who had died in the explosion.
In combination with CEMEX, CADW , GWAT and Cardiff County Council, a residents' group is now working towards the creation of a Memorial Woodland around the archaeological remains of the old Drift Mine. Residents are all invited to participate in the creation of this Memorial, to the men and boys who gave so much in the winning of coal.
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This page will give notes on meetings, progress and events.
May 19th. 10.00am. Residents are invited to the Lan site to help with Forest Clearance. Community Forest Ranger Richard Roberts will be leading the group and providing all the tools and equipment needed to undertake small scale vegetation
(Google lan clearance (4) for utube video of clearance).
May 20th. Cemex has just received confirmation from Nicola Hutchinson at CCC that they can start the project on Monday. Cemex will be securing the entrance, removing the saplings from the top of the entrance and then removing the temporary supports. Alan Walters from Cemex writes,"Let's hope we can continue doing bits and pieces until the big push after the nesting season has finished. Nicola as asked for some insurance documents and risk assessments. I will draw-up some and send them to her later today and she can add them to the project files".
June 20th -July 7 th. Children from Gwaelod y Garth School, working with Jan Bailey of the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust, explore and map the Lan and its remains. They have been provided with digital cameras to record what they see, will spend time with a graphic artist creating their own impressions of the site. Arthur Welsbsy will go on site with them on 27th June to explore with them, and share his memories of childhood playing at the Lan. The children will plan and create mock-up information boards which will subsesquently be made into a suitable form to help visitors to the site. The children's final work will be displayed on Thursday, July 7th.
March, 2012: The Committee has now met with CCC and are meeting with Cemex on May 2nd. 2012, to plan a start to the project. There may be delays until after bird-nesting.
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