Last Generation of Coalminers

(Download evaluation report)

(Kings of the Underground / Last Voices of the Rhondda)

Last Generation of Coalminers is was a community based heritage project that captured oral histories and full 3D portraits of the Last Generation of Welsh Coal Miners. 

Miners photographed as part of the Last Generation of Coalminers project. ©Tiz/Vision Fountain

The project partnered with Rhondda Heritage Park and National Waterfront Museum (Amgueddfa Cymru / Museum of Wales) and had two exhibitions.  The project involved gaming/heritage workshops with young learners and created unique audio and visual heritage that was shared with younger members of the community, then stored and managed by South Wales Miners Library  (Swansea University).

Children from the Afan Valley and Rhondda Valley at workshops from the Last Generation of Coalminers Project. ©Vision Fountain
Portraits of ex-miners and a dock worker created by schools and youth groups.
Kings of the Underground exhibit, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. ©Vision Fountain
Visitors at the Kings of the Underground exhibit opening 07th November, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. ©Tiz/Vision Fountain

This project was vital at this juncture in Wales’ heritage, as the numbers of surviving Welsh ex-miners is diminishing, and their heritage and memories, are being lost foreever.  

The project uses some of the latest audio-visual techniques available with an emphasis on gaming tech.

 We created high quality 3D portraits of Welsh miners and some relatives using a portable photogrammetry (3D) studio. 

Photogrammetry is the process of converting 2D images into 3D models.

The project produced two exhibitions; “Last Voices of Rhondda” at The Rhondda Heritage Park  (Feb 2022 until July 2022) and “Kings of the Underground” at the The National Waterfront Museum (Oct 2022 – March 2023 ).

The project includes portraits  of miners from the across the South Wales Coalfield.

Below is the “Last Voices of the Rhondda audio-visual installation.

Last Voices of The Rhondda – immersive Installation

Primary schools in the Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr (Hafod, Parc & Maerdy)  and  four schools from the Afan Valley Schools Federation , as well as youth group, ACE Cardiff, were involved in heritage-based workshops. The workshops introduced some of the techniques used, including 3D model-making,  voice recordings and heritage-based arts.  

The young learners created one-meter square collages of the miners inspired by the stories that the miners told of their lives.

A portrait of ex miner Gerald Jenkins, 80. This portrait was created by Parc Primary School. Gerald Jenkins worked in several mines in the Rhondda valley. The portraits are part of a mixed-media audio-visual exhibition “The Last Voices of the Rhondda” where school children have created their own interpretation of the portraits after listening to the stories of the miners.. ©Vision Fountain
A portrait of ex miner John Evans, 70. John Evans father and grandfather died from coal dust. The portraits are part of a mixed-media audio-visual exhibition “The Last Voices of the Rhondda” where school children have created their own interpretation of the portraits after listening to the stories of the miners. ©Vision Fountain
Kings of the Underground exhibit opening 07th November, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. ©Tiz/Vision Fountain

Download more information PDF here

Project Stakeholders

Vision Fountain cic – project lead 

National Lottery Heritage Fund  – primary funder

Rhondda Heritage Park – exhibition, workshop and portrait venue &  community contact

National Waterfront Museum – exhibition, workshop and portrait venue &  community contact

Big Pit – Consultation

Rhondda Valley Primary Schools (Hafod, Cwm-parc,  Maerdy) – 3d and arts and heritage workshops

Afan Valley Schools Federation (4 x primary schools) – 3d and arts and heritage workshop

ACE Cardiff – heritage / 3d and arts workshops for young people & community contacts

Big Pit (Nat Museum) – community contacts and outreach

South Wales Miners Library (Swansea University) – archive storage

  • ends

——————