Special ceremony to mark 90th anniversary of Gresford Mining Disaster

A special ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Mining Disaster will take place this month.

At approximately 2am on 22 September 1934 an explosion ripped through the Dennis section of the Gresford Colliery – tragically taking the lives of 266 local men and boys.

The explosions and the intense fires caused devastation beyond imagination – roofs and roadways collapsed, with heavy coal tubs thrown about as though they were weightless.

On September 22 a special ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the mining disaster will take place at the Gresford Colliery, in Pandy at 11am.

Except for a few men working at pit bottom, the miners working that night were trapped underground.

There was a far higher turnout than usual working the night shift as many men worked double shifts to reach a weekend quota of coal.

Others swapped shifts with colleagues to go to the football match – Wrexham FC versus Tranmere Rovers.

Members of the Gresford Silver Band swapped so as to play in the Carnival the Wednesday before.

They were also intended to play at half time at the Racecourse – but sadly that was never meant to be.

Just six men were able to make their escape by clambering over falls and bodies, squeezing through narrow gaps using the old 14s return airway road.

166 women lost their husbands, 241 children lost their fathers and and many families lost their partners, loved ones and friends.

One of the six, John Samuels, was awarded the Edward Medal, the highest honour bestowed upon a miner for showing exceptional leadership qualities during the escape.

261 men died that night in the aftermath of the disaster, 253 of whom remain entombed to this day.

Three rescue team members later died in a failed rescue bid.

Of the 11 funerals taking place in the days that followed, included was that of surface worker George Brown, killed when part of the seal blew off during another explosion a few days later.

The badly burned bodies of the eight miners and two rescue men were found to have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The remains of the third Rescue Team member was not recovered until May 1935 during recovery operations.

The last man to die three weeks after the disaster was the brother of one of those left entombed. He collapsed at a memorial service and died later in hospital, of shock it was said.

The service of remembrance will take place at the Gresford Colliery in Pandy at 11am on September 22. All are welcome to attend and pay their respects.