Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall visit Senghenydd

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall paid tribute to Wales’ coal mining past during a visit to Senghenydd this morning as part of their tour of Wales.

The Royal couple laid a wreath at the foot of the Welsh National Mining Memorial, before they took a tour of the Aber Valley Heritage Centre, located within Senghenydd Community Centre.

Unveiling a plaque to commemorate his visit Prince Charles said: “My wife and I have so enjoyed this opportunity to meet you all and if I may say so to have a chance to pay our respects at the memorial.

“We just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who’ve been involved in ensuring such a marvellous memorial is there in memory of all those many people who died so tragically, not only in 1913, but in 1901.

“And in the fact you are commemorating so many other mining disasters which have afflicted so many other communities in this remarkable part of South Wales.

“I think we owe such an enormous debt of gratitude, respect and appreciation to those people – so many from the same families – who went underground and were courageous and determined enough to do so.

“Both of us are enormously proud to have this opportunity to be here.”

The Aber Valley Heritage Museum, located within Senghenydd Community Centre, is largely devoted to commemorating mining disasters as well a documenting the wider history of the Welsh Valleys.

The Wales National Mining Memorial is dedicated to all miners who lost their lives in mining disasters across the country and was officially unveiled last year on the 100th anniversary of the Universal Colliery Disaster.

The 1913 explosion was, and remains, Britain’s worst mining disaster. The final death toll was 439 miners and one rescuer.

Jack Humphreys, Chair of the Aber Valley Heritage Group, said the Prince and the Duchess were surprised at the ages of those who lost their lives in the 1913 disaster.

He said: “It’s been an excellent day. I think it is important that we realise the sacrifice that miners made and hopefully the memorial depicts that.”

School children cheered as the Royal helicopter flew overhead before landing at the playing fields near Ysgol Ifor Bach. The Prince and Duchess then took a short car journey to the National Memorial where they were welcomed by hundreds of people who had lined the streets.

The couple meet dignitaries and spoke to various members of the community who helped to create the memorial.

Fittingly, Prince Charles also spoke to relatives of those who lost their lives in the 1913 explosion.

Catherine White, 53, lost her great-grandfather and her great uncle in the explosion and recalled how she grew up listening to her grandmother, who was aged ten in 1913, telling her about the family tragedy.

She said: “It is amazing he has come here today and taken the time to visit.

“My great grandfather, David John Jones, come to Senghenydd with his family from Troedyrhiw.

“The Universal Colliery was supposed to be safer and he moved his family here for a better life, and you can understand that today with our own economic climate.”

Senghenydd resident Penri Evans, 93, also spoke to the Prince and found time to share a joke with him.

He told Caerphilly Observer: “He saw my military badge and he wanted to know where I had served. I told him in 1943 I went to Palestine and he asked if I’d ever been back. I said it was safer here with him in charge and he replied thank you very much.

“I also explained I was in the RAF and that my arms were aching – he laughed at that.”

Sonia Stretch, who owns Sonia’s Plaice Fish and Chip Shop in Senghenydd, offered the Duchess of Cornwall some fish and chips, to which she reportedly replied: “We’d love some fish and chips, but we’re not allowed.”