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Dolaucothi, Carmarthenshire

Dolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s

National Trust

Project comprises:

National Trust Wales logo

  • Large format interpretation panels

  • Oral history telephones

  • Period radio giving news bulletins of the time

  • Machine sounds triggered automatically and by the visitors

  • Industrial audio players

  • Bi-lingual: English & Welsh

The Oral History Telephones

Monty Funk sourced a number of telephones that would have been in the mines during the 1930s. These were restored and new electronics added so that visitor could dial a number and hear one of the miners (originally recorded in the 1980s oral history project) telling their own real story of life in the mines.

Oral history telephone designed by Monty Funk for the National Trust
Oral history telephone adapted by Monty Funk for the National Trust
External, solar-powered oral history telephone designed by Monty Funk for the National Trust
Listen to the Miners oral history telephone directory produced by Monty Funk for the National Trust

A selection of some of the miners' oral histories you can dial up on the old telephones...

Bar, J - Working UndergroundDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 00:36
Jones, D - accident 2Dolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 00:52
Jones, D - accidentsDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 00:32
Job, R - Roman LadderDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 00:40
Hudson - TramwayDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 01:03
Dicks, D - Bell SignalsDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 00:30

The Interpretation Panels

The bi-lingual panels (Welsh & English) were extensively researched with collaboration industrial historians.

The Audio Players

The bi-lingual audio players (Welsh & English) were built from industrial parts.

Oral history industrial playback device by Monty Funk for the National Trust
CompressorsDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 01:36
Air TanksDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 01:38
Startup MachinesDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 02:01
Gantry CraneDolaucothi Goldmines: 1930s
00:00 / 01:32
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