AN exhibition will be taking place in Blaenau Gwent for people to learn all about the infamous riots through its towns almost 100 years ago.

Nantyglo and Blaina Town Council Chambers will be hosting the exhibition titled 1930’s Blaina Riots between Monday, March 23 and Friday, March 27.

It will display a history of the riots that took place in Blaina on March 21, 1935 – in which 7,000 people took to the streets in protest of the rising levels of poverty, unemployment and hunger.

It was a poor time for the valleys in Blaenau Gwent – with demand for coal dropping severely, leaving many men out of jobs.

In 1933, unemployment in Abertillery alone was 85 per cent, and this included a third of unemployed coal miners across what was then the Monmouthshire county.

An introduction of a benefits system at the time also left families poorer than they were before and resentment towards the benefits system and Public Assistance Committee responsible for it. On February 1, 1935, 30,000 people took part in a rally in Abertillery – following on from similar protests the following month in Merthyr and Pontypridd.

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The protest began according to plan, although there had been threats from the police to ban the event. The people of Abertillery congregated at Unity Hall in Queen Street before making their way towards Blaina, where there was to be a meeting at the PAC offices at 6pm.

South Wales Argus:

They were met by two lines of police at the top of Gladstone Street. There, they split into groups to continue to Blaina after being given dispersal orders.

On the way, they were then joined by groups from Nantyglo and Brynmawr.

On reaching Blaina is where stories begin to differ. The group were reportedly met by two lines of police coming out of a local inn where they had been drinking, but it was said they were not drunk.

The following confrontation, which followed what is said to be the last reading of the Riot Act in mainland Britain, left hundreds injured and 18 men in the docks – but accounts of what really happened differ.

The ensuing fight only lasted for a few minutes and the people of Blaina and Nantyglo came to the aid of their fellow people.

The Daily Worker reported that during the incident “women and children were injured and many of them were discovered stretched on the road.”

Of the 18 men who were charged, 11 were convicted. The charge read: “On 21st day of March 1935, at Blaina in the parish of Aberystruth, together with the divers other persons unknown to the number if 5,000 or more, unlawfully and riotously did assemble to disturb the public peace and then did make a great riot, and disturbance to the terror and alarm of His Majesty’s subjects.”

NHS founder Aneurin Bevan was among the hundreds of people giving well-wishes to the protestors.

You can find out more information about the riots by visiting the exhibition.