A new sculpture commemorating those who lost their lives in the Universal Colliery Disaster of 1913 has been unveiled in Senghenydd.
Members of the Senghenydd community were joined on October 14 by visitors from far and wide for a special service to mark the 101st anniversary of disaster in Senghenydd that claimed the lives of 440 men and boys.
One of the most iconic photographs depicting that terrible day was of a young Agnes May Webber holding her baby sister Gwynedd as she looked out over the colliery.
Local sculptor Dai Edwards drew inspiration from the photograph to carve out the new sculpture from the trunk of a sycamore tree in the grounds of the National Memorial Garden.
Aber Valley Heritage Group’s Chair Jack Humphreys and Patron Roy Noble unveiled the new sculpture at the end of the service. The ceremony saw tributes from local schools including St Cenydd Comprehensive School, Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, Cwmaber Infant and Junior Schools, Ysgol Ifor Bach and Nant y Parc Primary School, while representatives from organisations across the county borough laid wreathes in the memorial garden.
Jack Humphreys, Chair of the Aber Valley Heritage Group, said: “Despite the weather, we’ve had a marvellous turnout once again in Senghenydd and the service was well conducted by Father Coombes. I’m pleased that we have been able to unveil this sculpture as an iconic memorial to all those who lost their lives in the Senghenydd explosion.”
Cllr Keith Reynolds, Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, said: “It was an honour to be able to join members of the local community to once again pay our tributes and respects to all those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy.
“The National Mining Memorial is a poignant way of ensuring that we never forget those who lost their lives at the Universal Colliery in 1913, as well as other mining disasters across Wales, and this new sculpture is a welcome addition to this special place of remembrance.”
