Aired a year or so before I was even born, getting to see documentaries like this, which after 40 years are a cultural artefact by themselves is the best part of KZfaq.

I was 4 when this aired. I still live locally in one of the towns featured and to be honest I did not realise that life was this hard for my parents way back in 1980.

I've been fortunate to spend thousands of hours underground, both working and exploring mines and quarries. The slate mines and quarries of North wales hold a a special place in my heart, never having had the opportunity to work in the slate industry, but still understanding the hard work and scence of community, having worked at South Crofty. God bless

Thank you for uploading this Christopher. I have been trying to get hold of a copy for years, as the gentleman featured in the opening scenes is my Great Uncle, Owen Humphreys, known as 'Now'. Lovely to hear his voice again after 40 years and also his wife Kate accompany his singing on the piano. My brother and I enjoyed many happy vists to Talysarn during the 1970's and played on the slag heaps and old mine buildings.

The documentary really captures the back breaking labour required to quarry the slate. The scale of the working is amazing, particularly the panning shot of the ladders going down the face at the start. Having poked around the Llanberis quarries you can almost hear the hammers still working. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks for uploading this excellent documentary. I remember watching it 40 years ago, it really stuck in my mind.

I am the one who is talking last on this film, I remember them coming to make it.

I have just returned from a couple of days spent walking around the Dinorwig quarry, in rain and a howling gale. The overwhelming sense of melancholy and loss that pervades the site underlines what these hard working men said. Thank you for putting this documentary online and letting the voices of those who worked the quarries ring out once more.

Beautiful documentary about very good people with not much choices for long time, but having to take a very hard trade in order to survive in that beautiful land. Somewhat reminds me of the old movie "How green was my valley". Best regards from Santiago, Chile, in lockdown already 3 months because of the damned corona virus...

My ancestors were miners at Penrhyn, and came to the US following to mine slate in Granville, NY. Wonderful documentary!!

Simply a wonderful documentary .... I’m familiar with slate; also the indentured servitude enterprise under capitalism that robbed so many thousands of sheer boys of their youth and their lungs. I appreciate the few geological facts too, as a former student of the subject. Thank you for posting this valuable history. Miss Jenny

Excellent documentary capturing the culture so well, and highlighting (if that’s the right term), the awful cruelty these brave people endured under greedy and totally uncaring ‘management’. The treatment these people, and those in other mining disciplines were subjected to is erring towards the unbelievable at times. Wonderful but tragic story.

Thx for posting.

Powerful capture of a moment in time

Fascinating and intensely moving documentary. However, I always find it difficult to square the contradiction of the poor pay and conditions the quarrymen / miners endured, against and sadness and anger felt at the terminal decline of those heavy industries.

Just come to this vid by accident. I have Abso-fucking-lutley no idea what this vid is about but I love the way you can find all sorts of stuff on YT that lovely people find interesting. So even though I've no idea what this is about I'm gonna give it a big friendly, happy Thumbs Up Like 😀

This is amazing , I produce unique rock art and I’m going to capture this place on a visit , Thanks for sharing

Heartbreaking

christopher, another great film from you, thanks so much. i'm interested in the profile of the Horizon strand, since i understood it was notionally a science series, but clearly it had a very broad understanding of that, considering this and your excellent wittgenstein film were included?

Beautiful

Many thanks😊❤️👍

Did the waste play a part in the decline❓There does seem to be a lot.

Fahrgescheftekirmes

Slate is proof that god exists.

The north welsh love a moan jeez....😂

My home town ..as a young boy.born n bread .x3 members of my family on this vid. One vincent! Start of bleanaue. Testimonials Part .large bar splitting slate.last two couple clips in father's brother slate splitter blue overalls sitting down hammer .! Merion Owen jonelwyn elwyn orange hat on head x2 others were i interviewd.against of few @ front walking out bok miners had 2 nd man .also brass band horn player.his father in law.my aunts hubby was also in penryn choir & royal Welsh .my father also was slate rock man .drilling and dynamite And his father my grandfather .pictures in the history minors book in bleanaue .museum.grandfather went on to be porter @ hospital.and old ambulance station in mid 60s & late 70s. One guy i knew in film as a boy .in cabin . Kevin cavanagh. Tho I guess he won't remember me .tho he knows my cuss Yvonne evans. Thank you so much for Putting this film up .tho it breaks my heart.it's my home and Deffntly land of my fathers! Cymru.am.byth. Kind regards.

They are master for the young generation good job god bless