Aberfan Disaster Arhcive, Dowlais Collection

Tribunal of Inquiry into the Aberfan Disaster
Transcripts of Evidence - Volume Details


Day 1
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 1-50

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 20, 28, 24, 26, 27

Annotations on front cover:
AG's opening, p.17 MBC 'responsible as they were for the safety of their burgesses' p.36 Doubtful if tip a 'structure' within s 86 M of Q Act 1954. No Act etc governs tips. P.36. p.37 HM Insp of Mines has no staff competent to judge stability of tips

Attorney General's opening statement


Day 2
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 51-117

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 53, 62, 63, 65, 66, 69, 79, 83, 85, 88, 89, 90, 93, 95, 96, 97, 98

Annotations on front cover:
AG's opening concluded // Chief Constable // Thomas Davies - 13 years // Howard Rees - 14 years // Gareth Groves - 13 years // p.62 Develop plan approved by Minister // p.63 Tipping in fact never went into extended area (with minor exception) cf.DAY 60 p.341 //. pp.68-69 AG refers to Article 4 w/o mentioning compensation. Ref. discontinuance order he says compensation payable but does not refer to purchase notice. p.83 MTBC did warn PD of NCB, but why didnt they inspect ? Why not press complaints higher in Board ? // Why not use planning powers ? // Why not seek injunction ? // p.85 Questions. (7 in all) // N.6. WHAT EFFECTIVE ACTION BY AUTHORITIES BODIES + PERSONS OTHER THAN NCB WAS TAKEN, COULD HV BN TAKEN, + OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN W REG. TOT/TIPS AT ABERFAN + IN PARTIC TO TIP 7 ? // NO. 7. WHAT STATY POWERS + DUTIES EXIST RE SAFE TIPPING = ARE THEY ADED ? // PW's STATEMENT pp87-91 // p.90. No employee foresaw. MT did noit foresee - if foresaw had powers to stop tipping

Annotations on back cover: DA's Questions // No.11 (The main - perhaps not the only - one affecting MTBC) Page 93 // DID T CORPN. EXSE ITS POWERS AND COMPLY WITH ITS DUTIES WITH SUFFICIENT VIGOUR ? // B Gibbens 'A local fault' - ignoring well know rules. // G Howe No statutory or other obligations re tips - p97 // Officials had no training re tips - p98

Statements by: Alun Talfan Davies; Philip Wein; Desmond Ackner; E. Brian Gibbens; Geoffrey Howe;


Day 3
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 118 - 184

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 132, 146, 152,


Day 4
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 185 - 246

Statement concerning stability of tip 7


Day 5
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 247 - 278

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 272, 274, 275,


Day 6
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 279 - 335

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 335


Day 7
Pages: 336 - 366
Day 8
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 367 - 431

Day 9
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 432 - 483

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 475, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481,


Day 10
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 484 - 513

NB day 10 index in day 11 volume


Day 11
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 514 - 566
Day 12
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 567 - 633
Day 13
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 634 - 700
Day 14
Pages: 701 - 725
Day 15
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 726 - 791
Day 16
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 792 - 854

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 815


Day 17
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 855 - 920

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 888, 906, 913, 914, 915, 916,


Day 18
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 921 - 988

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 926, 927,

Annotations on front cover:
17.918 The slide of No 7 = No 4


Day 19
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 989 - 1019

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1010


Day 20
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 1020 - 1085

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1047, 1048, 1050,

Annotations on front cover:
R. V. THOMAS Coal Coll Mech // J. S. WATERS Under Manager // TREVOR EVANS Dep Mech Eng // A. WAY: Coll. Surveyor


Day 21
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 1086 - 1144

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1086, 1088, 1115, 1116, 1118,

Annotations on front cover:
A. WAY Surveyor on col 1086-1099 // R. N. Lewis 1101-1114 Group Man No4 xd TW 1114-1139 Ack 1139-1144


Day 22
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 1145 - 1209

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1161, 1162, 1163, 1164, 1206, 1207,

Annotations on front cover:
R. N. Lewis 1145-1183 // A.D. Laidlaw. 1183-1200 // D. D. Davies 1200-1209


Day 23
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 1210 - 1270
Day 24
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 1271 -1299

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1271, 1272, 1273, 1274, 1275, 1276, 1283,

Annotations on front cover:
T. J. Wynne xd by T.W 1271 Ack 1289


Day 25
Pages: 1300 - 1365

NB photocopy


Day 26
Pages: 1366 - 1429

NB photocopy


Day 27
Pages: 1430 - 1485

Annotations on NB photocopy


Day 28
Pages: 1486 - 1552

NB photocopy


Day 29
Pages: 1553 - 1582

NB photocopy


Day 30
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 1583 - 1656
Day 31
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 1657 - 1714
Day 32
Pages: 1715 - 1767

NB photocopy


Day 33
Pages: 1768 - 1775

NB photocopy


Day 34
Pages: 1825 - 1853

NB photocopy


Day 35
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 1854 - 1923
Day 36
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 1924 - 1988

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 1924, 1925

Annotations on front cover:
D. L. Roberts 1925 Rex. Wien // Gwynlais JAMES 1930-1938 // R. E. Exley 1938-1951 //xd. T.W. 1951-1983 // xd. Ack 1983-1988


Day 37
Name on cover: The Recorder
Pages: 1989 - 2051

Annotations on front cover:
R. E. Exley Cont 1989-2005 // xd Ack cont 1989-1998 // xd Howe 1998-2003 // H.E. Young 2005-2021 // D.P. Davies 2021 - // xd ATD 2046


Day 38
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 2052 - 2115

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2074, 2080, 2081, 2082, 2083,

Annotations on front cover:
D. P. Davies xd How 2053 // W.D. LLEWELYN Area Est. M. 2060-2077 // xd ATD 2072 // N.W. MACINNES Planning Eng 2077-2115 // Ex. Wien 2077-2092 // xd T.W 2092-2112


Day 39
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 2116 - 2147

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2121, 2130,

Annotations on front cover:
N. W. MACINNES Cont 2116-2137 // xd. ATD 2116-2134 // J.J.D. BOWEN. 2137-2147


Day 40
Name on cover: Town Clerk ?
Pages: 2148 - 2214
Day 41
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 2215 - 2281
Day 42
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 2282 - 2349

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2282, 2293, 2294, 2295, 2296, 2297, 2302, 2306, 2309, 2318, 2319, 2320, 2321, 2337

Annotations on front cover:
PM Grant (ctd) // T. Wright AGM // 2320 Doubtful list // Grant // pp2292-99 xx ATD re Ty mawr - relu bet Ppdd UDC + NCB // NB p2296 Only after dangerous incident at Ty mawr did NCB take any real steps // NB p2297 Chairman 'Highly qualified men regularly inspect tips' untrue? (Press report) // p2203. ATD dates the press report as being between 29 March & 10 April 65. // Wright // p2306 B1/202 NCB awaiting further correspce fr MTBC (stiles' memo - doesnt look right) // p.2309. If I had known of Cilfynydd I wd hv handled it myself // Of 13 public bodies 12 write to AGM & only one to subordinates // p2317. McGinty & Tudor at lurely at Black Lion Aberdare 18 Nov 1963 - no mention of tip stability. Visit of Lord Robens 28 Nov 1963 to Merthyr BC offices. Never saw 26 Nov. Consult cttee minute SEE OVER

Annotations on back cover:
p2319 McInnes had no authy. to promise terracing // p2320 Category of M.V. // 2322 NCB proposals - L22 // 2337 Various types of meeting - some daily


Day 43
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 2350 - 2420
Day 44
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 2421 - 2444
Day 45
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 2445 - 2516

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2509

Annotations on front cover:
CLIFFORD JONES Divisonal Mech ENG 2446-2501 // EX 2446-24522 // X.TW. 2452-2477 // X Ack. 2477 - 2492 // MHR Hill: Area Secretary 2501 // Gareth Jones. Dw Civil Engineer 2503


Day 46
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 2517 - 2581

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2563

Annotations on front cover:
G.A. Jones (cont.) // Ex. B.R. 2517-2528 // X. Ackner. 2528-2549 // X Howe 2549 // B.T. EVANS 2564-2581 // EX 2564-2575 // X B.R. 2575 - 2577-2578 // X ATD 2578-2581


Day 47
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 2582 - 2636

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2602, 2610, 2611, 2612, 2613,

Annotations on front cover:
D J Div Eng // Ex 2610 // X.T.W 2636


Day 48
Pages: 2637 - 2696

NB photocopy


Day 49
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 2697 - 2722

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2698, 2703, 2704, 2722


Day 50
Pages: 2723 - 2788

NB photocopy


Day 51
Pages: 2789 - 2862

NB photocopy


Day 52
Pages: 2863 - 2931

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2865, 2866, 2868, 2869, 2870, 2871, 2872, 2873, 2874, 2875, 2876, 2877, 2878, 2882, 2884, 2889, 2891, 2892, 2893, 2894, 2895, 2896, 2898, 2899, 2900, 2901, 2903, 2904, 2905, 2906, 2907, 2908, 2909, 2910, 2911, 2912, 2913, 2914, 2915, 2919, 2918, 2917, 2920, 2921, 2922, 2925, 2926, 2927, 2929, 2930

Annotations on front cover:
C. Leigh 2864 - 2887 // Selwyn Jones 2888 - 2900 // PAGES to be Cited 2868 2874

NB pages 2923-2924 missing


Day 53
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 2932 - 2988

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 2938, 2939, 2940, 2941, 2942, 2944, 2945, 2946, 2949, 2950, 2951, 2959, 2960, 2961, 2962, 2963, 2965, 2966, 2967, 2968, 2969, 2972, 2973, 2975, 2976, 2983, 2985, 2987

Annotations on front cover:
TOWN CLERK ctd // fr xx TW 2932 Ext. tpg area // 'Site' p2938. cttee were advissed there was no answer to NCB's contention. // pp.2930-40 TW's argument ignores the words, in s12, of n GDO XIX (3) about whether or no superficial area extended.) // p2940. (SJ puts the above point very clearly) // p2942. 'Designates' - quite wrong, see TC PA S12 (3) // 2949 TW's contention that plg permn. was required, even in reln to the 42 acres (!!) // 2950 TW relates Art 4. to prs to stop tipping // 2951 Min of health (L37) circular re burning tips advises LA's to go to colliery mgr or AGM. (So much for going higher ?) // 2959 AM: 'wd v regard it as the primary duty of LA to take steps so as to protect the lives & safeguard the health of the residents of the community ?) - We are not driven to rhetoric to ascertain the duties of Las - they are set out by statute // SJ: Art 4. wd not hv affected existing tips. // 2960; s28. EPL - AM drops like hot brick 'outside indept advice' - boreholes? on active tip? Over NCB's dead body. //2960 & 2962. Ascertaining the expertise of those who gave assurances' How do you do it ? Set them an exam ? // 2962 'Everything looking back wd strike you as good sense' // 2966.Possible colliery closure has ? my mind but nobody has ment. it to me. // Rx ATD 2968-2977 // 2972 - Cwm // Chairman Ie MT not alone? In perspective

Annotations on back cover:
[why not petition the Queen ? Why not organize a strike?] [[crossed out]] // JF Bradley // 2979 Floods continue // 2983 No refce to fatality in correspce // 2985 Speed of slips in my prev. expce wd hv alld people to get away


Day 54
Pages: 2989 - 3017

NB photocopy


Day 55
Pages: 3018 - 3080

NB photocopy


Day 56
Pages: 3081 - 3147
Day 57
Name on cover: Town Clerk
Pages: 3148 - 3228
Day 58
Pages: 3229 - 3286
Day 59
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3287 - 3354

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 3288, 3289, 3290, 3291, 3293, 3294, 3308, 3344

Annotations on front cover:
SO Davies MP x ATD 3287 // MV Closure xx TW 3291 // 3291 I was never asked by ? to intervene re tip' // xxPW 3298 // xx DA 3307 // xx PLWO 3309 // 3293-4 'Youll close the pit' // JW Seddon xx TME 3311 // xx TW 3319 // xx NF 3324 //xx DA 3325 // xx ATD 3326 // xx PLWO 3327 // S O Davies MP recalled xx BG 3331 // xx ATD 3340 // 3344 Chairman: ??? things staring one ? the // JHR Morse CC Aqueduct Foreman since 1960 x TME 3345 // xx BR 3347 // xx PW 3349 // FJ Rees retired aqueduct foreman in 1960 x TME 3351 // xx PW 3353


Day 60
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 3355 - 3428
Day 61
Name on cover: Alun Talfan Davies
Pages: 3429 - 3491
Day 62
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3492 - 3543

Annotations on front cover:
Proctor Photogrammetry // Farmer o/survey // Bevan O/survey // Lyndon James NUM in chief 3541

Statement by Tasker Williams concerning expert evidence


Day 63
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3544 - 3576

Annotations on front cover:
Lyndon James NUM (resumed) 3544 // xx TW 3554 // xx PW 3563 // xx DA 3566 // xx CP front cover: 3568 // K Wardell residents Mining Engineer x DA 3571


Day 64
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3577 - 3638

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 3595,

Annotations on front cover:
K Wardell Ltd. (Largely concerned with the proposed responsibility for ensuring the safety of tips. matters relating to local authorities are aminly on p3595 & pp3609-3610.) // WE Raybold // Samples taken from tip were not tailings but a breakdown product of washery shale // RJ Piggott


Day 65
Pages: 3639 - 3699

NB photocopy


Day 66
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert ?
Pages: 3700 - 3759

Annotations on front cover:
GMJ Williams cont // Prof. Moore // Prof. Nash


Day 67 Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert Pages: 3760 - 3796

Annotations on Prof. Nash // Dr woodland // Dr Evans


Day 68
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3797 - 3858

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 3832

Annotations on front cover:
Prof. Bishop x TW 3797 // x PW 3817 // x DA 3827 // x ATD 3831 // x BG 3832 // x HW 3833 // x TW 3837 // Speech, DA 3839

Closing statement by Ackner


Day 69
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3859 - 3903

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 3859, 3871, 3887,

Annotations on front cover:
DA on MTBC 3899-3903

Closing statement by Ackner continued


Day 70
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3904 - 3968

Annotations on front cover:
DA ctd // Lord Robens interposed x PW 3914 // xx TW 3916 // xx DA 3919 // xx BG 3929 // xx PW 3932 // DA concludes 3932 // TME 3943 // PO 3947 // BG starts 3961

Closing statement by Ackner continued. Closing statements by Michael Evans, Philip Owen, Brian Gibbens


Day 71
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 3969 - 4017

Annotations on front cover:
BG concludes // ATD 4001

Closing statement by Brian Gibbens continued. Closing statement by Alun Talfan Davies


Day 72
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 4018 - 4040

Annotations & underlinings on pages: 4023

Annotations on front cover:
ATD continues

Closing statement by Alun Talfan Davies continued


Day 73
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 4041 - 4106 Annotations & underlinings on pages: 4060, 4062

Annotations on front cover:
ATD concluded 4041 // GH begins 4071

Closing statement by Alun Talfan Davies concluded. Closing statement by Geoffrey Howe begins


Day 74
Name on cover: Hywel ap Robert
Pages: 4107 - 4174

Closing statements by Geoffrey Howe & Philip Wien


Day 75
None Pages: 4175 - 4218

Closing statement by Philip Wein continued. Application for costs by Hugh Williams, Closing statement


Day 76
Pages: 4219 - 4236

Closing statement by Tasker Watkins continued. Concluding remarks by the Chairman


Return to Dowlais Collection Introduction Page