Press Releases

Out of the Coal House

Visitors to Big Pit and the National Waterfront Museum will have a unique opportunity later this month to find out what last year's Coal House families think about the experiences this year's families.

Over the weekend of 25 & 26 October the Griffiths, Phillips and Cartwright families from the hugely successful 2007 series will be commentating in front of a live audience on this year's series - Coal House at War. Even though life has moved on by 17 years, many of the living and working conditions will be similar to 1927, when the original series was set, and this year the families will have the added pressure of rationing, fear of air raids and blackouts, as well as being urged to dig for victory and welcoming evacuees and Bevin Boys into their community.

Ceri Thompson, Coal Curator, National Museum Wales, said: "The families from last year were obviously taken aback by how demanding and tough life was for families in 1927 coalmining communities. The husbands and elder sons had a difficult time coming to terms with how strenuous working underground was, and the wives coped with their ‘back to basics' lifestyle in different ways.

"These events will give the families from last year a chance to empathise with the demands of living in these conditions and to give a further insight into what life was really like inside Coal House." The compere for the events will be leading BBC journalist Sara Edwards, and the public will be given opportunity to have their questions answered by the families.

The events take place at Big Pit on Saturday 25 October at 2.30pm, and at the National Waterfront Museum Swansea on Sunday 26 October at 2.30pm.

Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront museum, Swansea.

Entry to each museum is free thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.