Enduring Trauma of a Famed Photographer from the Aberfan Tragedy
The Aberfan disaster, a horrifying event that claimed the lives of 144 individuals, 116 of them children, continues to cast a long shadow over the life of the man who captured its most iconic image. This photographer, who was just an 18-year-old apprentice at the time, now admits that he is still tormented by the powerful image he took on that fateful day.
Unexpected Turmoil in a Peaceful Village
The quiet village of Aberfan in South Wales was struck by an unimaginable catastrophe when a loose slag heap from a nearby coal mine slid down the hillside. This calamity engulfed part of the local Pantglas Junior School and a number of residential properties, causing massive destruction and loss of life. The world press referred to this disaster as a "tsunami of sludge."
Unforgettable Image of Despair and Rescue
The young photographer, en route through Aberfan when the disaster occurred, rushed to the scene to document the unfolding tragedy. The most enduring image he captured that day was of a police constable, PC Victor Jones, carrying an eight-year-old girl, Susan Maybank, to safety. The haunting photograph shows the limp child in the officer's arms, with her distraught aunt looking on, all against a backdrop of a community in the throes of a rescue operation.
Though the image later won him the British News Photographer of the Year award in 1966, the photographer confesses that he is still haunted by it. "It’s a tragedy and unfortunately I ended up gaining from it," he admits, adding, "I wish I’d never taken it."
Personal Loss Amidst the Wider Tragedy
As the days passed and the rescue efforts continued, the photographer - who had family ties to Aberfan - discovered that two of his cousins were among the victims. The magnitude of the disaster, combined with the personal loss, weighed heavily on him. In the early 1970s, he decided to abandon his career as a press photographer.
Other Witnesses to the Disaster
Our photographer was not the only one who documented the Aberfan tragedy. Other notable photographers were also present, including a well-known Welsh photojournalist and a member of the Magnum Photos collective, as well as an American photojournalist who was on assignment for a popular magazine. This American photojournalist later included the images he captured in Aberfan in a published book titled "Aberfan: The Days After."
A Commemoration Six Decades On
As the sixtieth anniversary of the Aberfan disaster draws near, plans are underway to commemorate the event with a series of exhibitions at several museums. These exhibitions will feature the poignant images captured during the disaster, including the award-winning photograph by our tormented photographer. More information on these commemorative exhibitions will be made available in due course.
Thus, in spite of his ongoing torment, the photographer's iconic image continues to serve as a stark reminder of that tragic day in Aberfan, preserving the memory of the victims and ensuring that the disaster is not forgotten.
The Aberfan disaster, a horrifying event that claimed the lives of 144 individuals, 116 of them children, continues to cast a long shadow over the life of the man who captured its most iconic image. This photographer, who was just an 18-year-old apprentice at the time, now admits that he is still tormented by the powerful image he took on that fateful day.
Unexpected Turmoil in a Peaceful Village
The quiet village of Aberfan in South Wales was struck by an unimaginable catastrophe when a loose slag heap from a nearby coal mine slid down the hillside. This calamity engulfed part of the local Pantglas Junior School and a number of residential properties, causing massive destruction and loss of life. The world press referred to this disaster as a "tsunami of sludge."
Unforgettable Image of Despair and Rescue
The young photographer, en route through Aberfan when the disaster occurred, rushed to the scene to document the unfolding tragedy. The most enduring image he captured that day was of a police constable, PC Victor Jones, carrying an eight-year-old girl, Susan Maybank, to safety. The haunting photograph shows the limp child in the officer's arms, with her distraught aunt looking on, all against a backdrop of a community in the throes of a rescue operation.
Though the image later won him the British News Photographer of the Year award in 1966, the photographer confesses that he is still haunted by it. "It’s a tragedy and unfortunately I ended up gaining from it," he admits, adding, "I wish I’d never taken it."
Personal Loss Amidst the Wider Tragedy
As the days passed and the rescue efforts continued, the photographer - who had family ties to Aberfan - discovered that two of his cousins were among the victims. The magnitude of the disaster, combined with the personal loss, weighed heavily on him. In the early 1970s, he decided to abandon his career as a press photographer.
Other Witnesses to the Disaster
Our photographer was not the only one who documented the Aberfan tragedy. Other notable photographers were also present, including a well-known Welsh photojournalist and a member of the Magnum Photos collective, as well as an American photojournalist who was on assignment for a popular magazine. This American photojournalist later included the images he captured in Aberfan in a published book titled "Aberfan: The Days After."
A Commemoration Six Decades On
As the sixtieth anniversary of the Aberfan disaster draws near, plans are underway to commemorate the event with a series of exhibitions at several museums. These exhibitions will feature the poignant images captured during the disaster, including the award-winning photograph by our tormented photographer. More information on these commemorative exhibitions will be made available in due course.
Thus, in spite of his ongoing torment, the photographer's iconic image continues to serve as a stark reminder of that tragic day in Aberfan, preserving the memory of the victims and ensuring that the disaster is not forgotten.