The little girl’s belongings that tell the story of the Aberfan disaster

The Little Girl’s Belongings That Tell the Story of the Aberfan Disaster

In the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster, which claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults, families have preserved personal items to honor those lost. Among them is a school exercise book belonging to Marylyn Minett, who once wrote about the 1960s’ events—such as a rocket launch, a volcanic eruption, and a visit to Merthyr Tydfil with her auntie Pam. Her teacher, however, remarked in the margin: “This is not news.” Weeks later, Marylyn’s life would be rewritten by the tragedy that unfolded on 21 October 1966.

As the 60th anniversary approaches, Marylyn’s family has donated her schoolbooks to Amgueddfa Cymru, Wales’s national museum. These artifacts join other items in the collection, offering a glimpse into the lives of victims. Gaynor Madgwick, Marylyn’s sister, emphasized their significance: “Each of these things shows who they were.” The donation includes Carl’s football and the belt he wore with his jeans, items that reflect the boy’s personality. Gaynor also shared a recently discovered dress, believed to be Marylyn’s, found in 2025 tucked inside the kitchen wall of their old home.

“They weren’t just names in a list, they were children with personalities, with lives, with things they loved.”

The dress, wrapped in paper, was buried during the construction of their new bungalow by their father, Cliff Minett, who sought to “preserve Marylyn, wanting something to last forever.” Gaynor explained this act as a way to keep her memory alive. “It’s the same as these [school] books, Carl’s belt, the football. They will be preserved forever. His wish is granted.”

Meanwhile, another poignant item comes from the Bunford family. A Welsh language Bible, once part of Cliff Bunford’s father’s collection, survived the disaster. The couple, who lived in Cardiff, had rented a home in Moy Road, Aberfan, where a young mother and baby were killed. When Cliff entered the ruins, he found the Bible intact at the top of the slurry heap. “Other things were broken up… but the Bible was whole,” Anne Bunford recalled. Her husband, who had read from it every Sunday, expressed: “Dad had the last word.”

“It sounds sentimental, but he said: ‘dad had the last word’.”

For years, the Bible remained in the family’s music room in Cardiff, seldom displayed. Anne, now 92, said she avoided highlighting it because it stirred painful memories. After Cliff’s passing in 2018, she donated it to the museum, ensuring it would serve as a memory of the tragedy for others. Ceri Thompson, a curator at Amgueddfa Cymru, noted the collection’s growth: “Up until five or six years ago, there wasn’t anything 3D. We had the reports and the paperwork, but actual items from the disaster simply weren’t there.” These objects now help bring the story to life, allowing people to connect through touch and reflection.