Gresford Disaster
Encyclopedia
The Gresford Disaster was one of Britain's worst coal mining
disasters and mining accident
s. It occurred on September 22, 1934 at Gresford
Colliery near Wrexham
, in north-east Wales
, when 266 men died. Only eleven bodies were ever recovered from the mine.
were sunk, the Dennis (named after the pit's owners, the industrialist Dennis family of Ruabon
) and the Martin, which were 50 yards (45.7 m) apart. Work was completed in 1911; the mine was one of the deepest in the Denbighshire
coalfield with the Dennis shaft reaching a depth of about 2264 feet (690.1 m) and the Martin shaft about 2252 feet (686.4 m).
By 1934, 2,200 coal miners were employed at the colliery, with 1,850 working underground and 350 on the surface.
Three seams were worked at Gresford, the Crank, Brassey, and Main seams. The accident would occur in the Dennis section of the Main seam. The Dennis section was itself divided into six "districts": the 20's, 61's, 109's, 14's and 29's districts, along with a very deep district known as "95's and 24's". All these districts were worked by the longwall
system. 20's and 61's, which were furthest from the shaft, were still worked by hand, while the remaining districts were mechanised.
Prior to the accident, it had been noted that ventilation in some districts was possibly inadequate: in particular, it was noted that 14's and 29's districts were poorly ventilated. It was also stated, in the report after the accident, that the main return airway for the 109's, 14's and 29's districts was far too small at 4 feet by 4 (according to one witness). Evidence was given that 95's and 24's district, at 2,600 feet deep, was uncomfortably hot. There were also numerous breaches of regulations regarding the firing of explosive charges in 14's district, taking of dust samples, and other matters. The colliery had made an operating loss in 1933, and the pit manager, William Bonsall, had been under pressure from the Dennis family to increase profitability. He had spent little time in the Dennis section of the pit in the months before the disaster, as he was overseeing the installation of new machinery in the mine's other section, the South-Eastern or Slant.
Subsequent to the accident a number of theories were advanced in the Report as to the explosion's exact cause: Sir Stafford Cripps
, the miners' legal representative, suggested that an explosion had been triggered in 95's by shotfiring (the firing of explosive charges) near a main airway. The miners' appointed assessor also surmised that a large quantity of gas had accumulated at the top of the face in 14's district, which was then ignited by an accident with a safety lamp
or by a spark from a coalcutter. The legal representatives of the pit's management, however, suggested that firedamp
had accumulated in the main Dennis haulage road beyond the Clutch (a junction on the main drift where the underground haulage machinery was located) and which was ignited at the Clutch when a telephone was used to warn miners of the influx of gas. This interpretation sought to deny that poor working practices were the ultimate cause of the disaster.
Six men from the Dennis section's 29's district had made a remarkable escape. They felt the explosion while sitting taking a break about 300 yards from the Clutch, and were advised by a colleague to leave the mine via the "wind road", the 29's air return drift. Around 30 men working in the 29's district gathered and were told to follow the initial party of six, who went ahead attempting to fan the air to mitigate the effects of the deadly afterdamp
; however, when looking back, the leading group soon realised that the rest of the men had not followed them. After a long and difficult escape up 1-in-3 gradients, several ladders, and past several rockfalls once rejoining the main drift, the six miners met up with Andrew Williams, the under-manager, who along with Bonsall had immediately descended the shaft on being notified of the explosion.
Within a few hours of the first explosion, large crowds of miners and relatives had gathered in silence at the pit head, waiting for news to come. Volunteer rescue teams from Gresford and Llay Main collieries tried to enter the mine, but were initially hindered by the ferocity of the fire and a lack of fire-fighting equipment and water. Three members of Llay No. 1 rescue team, the first to enter the mine after the explosion, were killed after being overcome by gas after being ordered to proceed up the mile-long return airway of the 20's district. The Llay team's leader, John Charles Williams, after finding the airway ahead of them narrowing to 3 feet by 3 feet and less, tried to save another member of the team by dragging him for over 40 yards towards safety before being overcome by gas himself. Williams was the only survivor from this team; he was said by his family to be the man who later wrote the anonymous broadside ballad "The Gresford Disaster", which was highly critical of the mine's management.
Large numbers of rescue workers and firemen were sent into the mine that day, along with ponies
to help clear debris. Throughout that evening and night, hopes were raised as the fire seemed to be being brought under control; it was announced that rescue teams hoped soon to reach the miners in 29's, the nearest district beyond the Clutch. However, by the following evening it was realised that given the extremely hazardous conditions in the mine, and several further explosions on the far side of the fire, it was impossible that anyone within the Dennis section could have survived, and it was announced that the shaft would be capped as it was too dangerous to try to recover further bodies.
Further explosions occurred during which one of the seals on the shaft blew out and a surface worker was killed by the flying debris.
Only eleven bodies were recovered from the mine. Inquests recorded the cause of death as carbon monoxide
poisoning. The Dennis section of the mine was never reopened and the bodies of the remaining 254 victims were not recovered.
In September of that year 1,100 Gresford miners signed on the unemployment
register. Relief funds were set up by the Mayor
of Wrexham, the Lord Lieutenant
of Denbighshire and the Lord Mayor of London
, raising a total of over £500,000 for the dependants of the victims.
An inquiry
opened on October 25, 1934 and highlighted management failures, a lack of safety measures, bad working practices and poor ventilation in the pit. The miners were represented at the inquiry by Sir Stafford Cripps; the mine owners, mindful of the fact they could face criminal charges, hired a formidable team of barristers including Hartley Shawcross. Recovery teams entered the sealed pit in 1935 in connection with the inquiry; however the company allowed only its own officials to enter the Dennis districts, citing dangerous conditions, and the victims' bodies remained sealed in the pit. It was widely perceived that these actions were a deliberate attempt by the mine's owners to cover up any remaining evidence of their culpability, as it meant that any theories as to the explosion's cause could not be conclusively proven. The colliery reopened six months after the disaster with coal production resuming from the South-East section in January 1936.
The inquiry, chaired by Sir Henry Walker, issued its findings early in 1937. The two assessors chosen by the miners and by the pit's management, and the barristers representing them, gave widely different suggestions as to the explosion's cause. In the absence of any proof, due to the Dennis section remaining sealed, Walker drew very cautious conclusions.
In a debate in the House of Commons in February 1937, subsequent to the issue of Walker's report, the politician David Grenfell
condemned the management of the colliery, stating the miners' testimonies had told:
Later in 1937, court proceedings were started in Wrexham against the pit manager, the under-manager and United & Westminster Collieries Limited, the owners of the mine. Aside from the evidence of poor working practices, it was discovered that Bonsall had after the accident instructed an assistant surveyor, William Cuffin, to falsify records of dust samples when none had actually been taken. The court however dismissed most of the charges, finding the mine's management guilty only of inadequate record-keeping, and Bonsall was fined £150 plus costs; the mine's owners were never called to give evidence. Bonsall, despite being calculatedly portrayed as a ruthless and cynical manager by Cripps and others, is likely to have been more of a "weak man driven beyond his capabilities" and who was reduced to a state of extreme exhaustion and stress by over 20 hours of examination at the inquiry. The under-manager, Williams, was singled out for praise in that, unlike other officials, he was found to have made a genuine attempt to improve working conditions for the miners since taking the job.
Cripps used the evidence given at the inquiry to call for nationalisation of the coal industry. This eventually occurred in 1947, when the pit, along with others in the country, was taken over the by the National Coal Board
. As part of the takeover agreement, nearly all the operating records and correspondence relating to Gresford Colliery were deliberately destroyed.
Gresford Colliery finally closed on economic grounds in November 1973 and the site was developed as an industrial estate. In 1982 a memorial to the victims of the disaster was erected nearby; it was constructed from the wheel from the old pit-head winding gear.
(Lyrics: "Anonymous")....
The song was issued as a broadsheet soon after the disaster. It has been recorded by The Hennessys
, Ewan MacColl
, Alex Campbell and the Albion Band
amongst others.
The disaster is the subject of the song "The Colliers" on Seth Lakeman
's 2006 album Freedom Fields
.
The disaster is also commemorated in the hymn tune
"Gresford", which is also known as "The Miners' Hymn", written by Robert Saint of Hebburn
, himself also a miner. This tune has been played regularly by many colliery brass band
s over the years and is found on a number of recordings, and is also played at the annual Miners Picnics around the North of England
, especially at the Durham Miners' Gala
.
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
disasters and mining accident
Mining accident
A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals.Thousands of miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the processes of coal mining and hard rock mining...
s. It occurred on September 22, 1934 at Gresford
Gresford
Gresford is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.According to the 2001 Census, the population of the community, which also includes the village of Marford, was 5,334....
Colliery near Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, in north-east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, when 266 men died. Only eleven bodies were ever recovered from the mine.
Background to the disaster
Work began sinking the pit at Gresford in 1908 by the United Westminster & Wrexham Collieries. Two shaftsShaft mining
Shaft mining or shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom....
were sunk, the Dennis (named after the pit's owners, the industrialist Dennis family of Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
) and the Martin, which were 50 yards (45.7 m) apart. Work was completed in 1911; the mine was one of the deepest in the Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
coalfield with the Dennis shaft reaching a depth of about 2264 feet (690.1 m) and the Martin shaft about 2252 feet (686.4 m).
By 1934, 2,200 coal miners were employed at the colliery, with 1,850 working underground and 350 on the surface.
Three seams were worked at Gresford, the Crank, Brassey, and Main seams. The accident would occur in the Dennis section of the Main seam. The Dennis section was itself divided into six "districts": the 20's, 61's, 109's, 14's and 29's districts, along with a very deep district known as "95's and 24's". All these districts were worked by the longwall
Longwall mining
Longwall mining is a form of underground coal mining where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice . The longwall panel is typically 3–4 km long and 250–400 m wide....
system. 20's and 61's, which were furthest from the shaft, were still worked by hand, while the remaining districts were mechanised.
Prior to the accident, it had been noted that ventilation in some districts was possibly inadequate: in particular, it was noted that 14's and 29's districts were poorly ventilated. It was also stated, in the report after the accident, that the main return airway for the 109's, 14's and 29's districts was far too small at 4 feet by 4 (according to one witness). Evidence was given that 95's and 24's district, at 2,600 feet deep, was uncomfortably hot. There were also numerous breaches of regulations regarding the firing of explosive charges in 14's district, taking of dust samples, and other matters. The colliery had made an operating loss in 1933, and the pit manager, William Bonsall, had been under pressure from the Dennis family to increase profitability. He had spent little time in the Dennis section of the pit in the months before the disaster, as he was overseeing the installation of new machinery in the mine's other section, the South-Eastern or Slant.
Subsequent to the accident a number of theories were advanced in the Report as to the explosion's exact cause: Sir Stafford Cripps
Stafford Cripps
Sir Richard Stafford Cripps was a British Labour politician of the first half of the 20th century. During World War II he served in a number of positions in the wartime coalition, including Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Minister of Aircraft Production...
, the miners' legal representative, suggested that an explosion had been triggered in 95's by shotfiring (the firing of explosive charges) near a main airway. The miners' appointed assessor also surmised that a large quantity of gas had accumulated at the top of the face in 14's district, which was then ignited by an accident with a safety lamp
Safety lamp
A safety lamp is any of several types of lamp, which are designed to be safe to use in coal mines. These lamps are designed to operate in air that may contain coal dust, methane, or firedamp, all of which are potentially flammable or explosive...
or by a spark from a coalcutter. The legal representatives of the pit's management, however, suggested that firedamp
Firedamp
Firedamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines. It is the name given to a number of flammable gases, especially methane. It is particularly commonly found in areas where the coal is bituminous...
had accumulated in the main Dennis haulage road beyond the Clutch (a junction on the main drift where the underground haulage machinery was located) and which was ignited at the Clutch when a telephone was used to warn miners of the influx of gas. This interpretation sought to deny that poor working practices were the ultimate cause of the disaster.
The explosion
On September 22 at 2:08 a.m. a violent explosion shook the Dennis section of the mine, over a mile from the bottom of the shaft, and a fire took hold. At the time a total of 500 men were working underground at the colliery on the night shift. The night overman, Fred Davies, who was on duty at the bottom of the shaft, telephoned the surface and Bonsall, the manager, immediately went into the mine to try to establish what had occurred. Workers in the mine's other section, the Slant, were called to the pit bottom and ordered out of the mine. It was quickly reported that parts of the main road from the Dennis section were on fire beyond the Clutch and that a large number of miners, up to half of those on the shift, could have been trapped in the affected districts.Six men from the Dennis section's 29's district had made a remarkable escape. They felt the explosion while sitting taking a break about 300 yards from the Clutch, and were advised by a colleague to leave the mine via the "wind road", the 29's air return drift. Around 30 men working in the 29's district gathered and were told to follow the initial party of six, who went ahead attempting to fan the air to mitigate the effects of the deadly afterdamp
Afterdamp
Afterdamp is the toxic mixture of gases left in a mine following an explosion caused by firedamp, which itself can initiate a much larger explosion of coal dust. It consists of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen. Hydrogen sulfide, another highly toxic gas, may also be present...
; however, when looking back, the leading group soon realised that the rest of the men had not followed them. After a long and difficult escape up 1-in-3 gradients, several ladders, and past several rockfalls once rejoining the main drift, the six miners met up with Andrew Williams, the under-manager, who along with Bonsall had immediately descended the shaft on being notified of the explosion.
Within a few hours of the first explosion, large crowds of miners and relatives had gathered in silence at the pit head, waiting for news to come. Volunteer rescue teams from Gresford and Llay Main collieries tried to enter the mine, but were initially hindered by the ferocity of the fire and a lack of fire-fighting equipment and water. Three members of Llay No. 1 rescue team, the first to enter the mine after the explosion, were killed after being overcome by gas after being ordered to proceed up the mile-long return airway of the 20's district. The Llay team's leader, John Charles Williams, after finding the airway ahead of them narrowing to 3 feet by 3 feet and less, tried to save another member of the team by dragging him for over 40 yards towards safety before being overcome by gas himself. Williams was the only survivor from this team; he was said by his family to be the man who later wrote the anonymous broadside ballad "The Gresford Disaster", which was highly critical of the mine's management.
Further rescue attempts
As the Llay team's attempt to gain access via the 20's return airway had proved fatal, and the previous escape route from 29's was found to be full of afterdamp, rescue efforts concentrated on trying to fight the fire in the main road. There was a large fire and rockfalls at the entrance to 29's, which prevented the escape of not only any men in that district, but in all the other districts. The miners in the most northerly districts, 20's and 61's, would have been over a mile on the wrong side of the fire.Large numbers of rescue workers and firemen were sent into the mine that day, along with ponies
Pit pony
A pit pony was a type of pony commonly used underground in coal mines from the mid 18th up until the mid 20th century.-History:Ponies began to be used underground, often replacing child or female labour, as distances from pit head to coal face became greater...
to help clear debris. Throughout that evening and night, hopes were raised as the fire seemed to be being brought under control; it was announced that rescue teams hoped soon to reach the miners in 29's, the nearest district beyond the Clutch. However, by the following evening it was realised that given the extremely hazardous conditions in the mine, and several further explosions on the far side of the fire, it was impossible that anyone within the Dennis section could have survived, and it was announced that the shaft would be capped as it was too dangerous to try to recover further bodies.
Further explosions occurred during which one of the seals on the shaft blew out and a surface worker was killed by the flying debris.
Events after the accident
The wage packets of the dead miners were docked quarter of a shift's pay for failure to complete the shift.Only eleven bodies were recovered from the mine. Inquests recorded the cause of death as carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
poisoning. The Dennis section of the mine was never reopened and the bodies of the remaining 254 victims were not recovered.
In September of that year 1,100 Gresford miners signed on the unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
register. Relief funds were set up by the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wrexham, the Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of Denbighshire and the Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
, raising a total of over £500,000 for the dependants of the victims.
An inquiry
Inquiry
An inquiry is any process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or solving a problem. A theory of inquiry is an account of the various types of inquiry and a treatment of the ways that each type of inquiry achieves its aim.-Deduction:...
opened on October 25, 1934 and highlighted management failures, a lack of safety measures, bad working practices and poor ventilation in the pit. The miners were represented at the inquiry by Sir Stafford Cripps; the mine owners, mindful of the fact they could face criminal charges, hired a formidable team of barristers including Hartley Shawcross. Recovery teams entered the sealed pit in 1935 in connection with the inquiry; however the company allowed only its own officials to enter the Dennis districts, citing dangerous conditions, and the victims' bodies remained sealed in the pit. It was widely perceived that these actions were a deliberate attempt by the mine's owners to cover up any remaining evidence of their culpability, as it meant that any theories as to the explosion's cause could not be conclusively proven. The colliery reopened six months after the disaster with coal production resuming from the South-East section in January 1936.
The inquiry, chaired by Sir Henry Walker, issued its findings early in 1937. The two assessors chosen by the miners and by the pit's management, and the barristers representing them, gave widely different suggestions as to the explosion's cause. In the absence of any proof, due to the Dennis section remaining sealed, Walker drew very cautious conclusions.
In a debate in the House of Commons in February 1937, subsequent to the issue of Walker's report, the politician David Grenfell
David Grenfell
David Rhys Grenfell PC, CBE, LlD was a British Member of Parliament. He represented the Gower constituency for the Labour Party from 1922 to 1959.-Early life:...
condemned the management of the colliery, stating the miners' testimonies had told:
...of lamps having been extinguished by gas, blowing the gas about with a banjackJackhammerA jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...
, of protests and quarrels about firing shots in the presence of gas. There is no language in which one can describe the inferno of 14's. There were men working almost stark naked, clogs with holes bored through the bottom to let the sweat run out, 100 shots a day fired on a face less than 200 yards wide, the air thick with fumes and dust from blasting, the banjack hissing to waft the gas out of the face into the unpacked waste, a space 200 yards long and 100 yards wide above the wind road full of inflammable gas and impenetrable for that reason.
Later in 1937, court proceedings were started in Wrexham against the pit manager, the under-manager and United & Westminster Collieries Limited, the owners of the mine. Aside from the evidence of poor working practices, it was discovered that Bonsall had after the accident instructed an assistant surveyor, William Cuffin, to falsify records of dust samples when none had actually been taken. The court however dismissed most of the charges, finding the mine's management guilty only of inadequate record-keeping, and Bonsall was fined £150 plus costs; the mine's owners were never called to give evidence. Bonsall, despite being calculatedly portrayed as a ruthless and cynical manager by Cripps and others, is likely to have been more of a "weak man driven beyond his capabilities" and who was reduced to a state of extreme exhaustion and stress by over 20 hours of examination at the inquiry. The under-manager, Williams, was singled out for praise in that, unlike other officials, he was found to have made a genuine attempt to improve working conditions for the miners since taking the job.
Cripps used the evidence given at the inquiry to call for nationalisation of the coal industry. This eventually occurred in 1947, when the pit, along with others in the country, was taken over the by the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
. As part of the takeover agreement, nearly all the operating records and correspondence relating to Gresford Colliery were deliberately destroyed.
Gresford Colliery finally closed on economic grounds in November 1973 and the site was developed as an industrial estate. In 1982 a memorial to the victims of the disaster was erected nearby; it was constructed from the wheel from the old pit-head winding gear.
The victims
| Surname | Forename | Address | Age | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amos | Max | Holydyke Road, Barton | 21 | Collier |
| Andrews | Alfred | Benjamin Road, Wrexham | 43 | Collier |
| Archibald | Joe | Finney Street, Rhosddu | 47 | Collier |
| Archibald | Thomas | Council Houses, Pandy | 42 | Collier |
| Byrne | Colin | Goxhill | 40 | Collier |
| Bateman | Maldwyn | Lorne Street, Rhosddu | 15 | Collier |
| Bather | Edward Wynn | Finney Street, Rhosddu | 36 | Collier |
| Beddows | Edward | The Woodlands, High Street, Gwersyllt | 63 | Collier |
| Bew | Arthur | Colliery Houses, Rhosddu | 45 | Collier |
| Bett | Duncan | St Denys Close, Killingholme | 12 | Collier |
| Bewley | Thomas | Park Street, Rhosddu | 58 | Collier |
| Bowen | Alfred | Langdale Avenue, Rhostyllen | 53 | Collier |
| Boycott | Henry | Offa Terrace, Wrexham | 38 | Packer |
| Brain | Herbert | Pentrefelin, Wrexham | 31 | Collier |
| Bramwell | George | Western Road, New Broughton | 30 | Collier |
| Brannan | John | Ffordd Edgeworth, Maesydre, Wrexham | 32 | Collier |
| Brown | George | Birkett Street, Rhostyllen | 59 | Surface worker |
| Brown | William Arthur | Hightown Road, Wrexham | 22 | Haulage |
| Bryan | John A.H. | Llewellyn Road, Coedpoeth | 20 | Collier |
| Buckley | A. | Windy Hill, Summerhill | 21 | Collier |
| Burns | Fred | Bennions Road, Huntroyde, Wrexham | 41 | Collier |
| Capper | John A. | Wrexham Road, Broughton | 35 | Collier |
| Cartwright | Albert Edward | Florence Street, Rhosddu | 24 | Collier |
| Cartwright | Charles | Florence Street, Rhosddu | 24 | Collier |
| Chadwick | Stephen | Kenyon Street, Wrexham | 21 | Collier |
| Chesters | Edwin | Beales Cottages, Bradley | 67 | Fireman |
| Clutton | Arthur | Lorne Street, Rhosddu | 29 | Collier |
| Clutton | George Albert | March Terrace, New Rhosrobin | 20 | Collier |
| Clutton | John T. | Council Houses, Pandy | 35 | Haulage |
| Collins | John | Council Houses, Pandy | 62 | Shot Firer |
| Cornwall | Thomas | Bennions Road, Wrexham | 30 | Collier |
| Crump | William | Council Houses, Bradley | 36 | Collier |
| Darlington | Thomas | Mountain Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 39 | Collier |
| Davies | Arthur | Havelock Square, Wrexham | 24 | Collier |
| Davies | Edward | Cyngorfa, Rhosllannerchrugog | 53 | Collier |
| Davies | George William | Farndon Street, Wrexham | 26 | Collier |
| Davies | Hugh T. | Holly Bush Terrace, Bradley | 26 | Collier |
| Davies | James | Williams Cottages, Moss | 31 | Collier |
| Davies | James | Boundary Terrace, Green, Brymbo | 37 | Collier |
| Davies | James Edward | Farndon Street, Wrexham | 21 | Collier |
| Davies | John | Meifod Place, Wrexham | 64 | Collier |
| Davies | John | Fernleigh, Rhosrobin Road, Wrexham | 45 | Collier |
| Davies | John E. | Bennions Road, Wrexham | 32 | Collier |
| Davies | John R. | Fernleigh, Rhosrobin | 69 | Collier |
| Davies | Matthias | Erw Las, Maesydre, Wrexham | Collier | |
| Davies | Peter | Newtown, Gresford | 50 | Collier |
| Davies | Peter | March Terrace, New Rhosrobin | 25 | Collier |
| Davies | Peter | Glanllyn, Bradley | 21 | Collier |
| Davies | Robert Thomas | Mountain View, Caego | 34 | Collier |
| Davies | Samuel | Woodland View, New Rhosrobin | 35 | Collier |
| Davies | Thomas | Erw Cottage, Caergwrle | 31 | Collier |
| Davies | William | Acton Terrace, Rhosnesni, Wrexham | 33 | Collier |
| Dodd | Thomas | Maeseinion, Rhosllannerchrugog | 39 | Collier |
| Duckett | Fred | Beech Terrace, Ruabon | 29 | Collier |
| Edge | John | Nelson Street, Hightown | 28 | Collier |
| Edge | Samuel | South Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 30 | Collier |
| Edwards | Albert | Nr Kings Head, Moss | 62 | Collier |
| Edwards | Ernest | Green Road, Brymbo | 16 | Collier |
| Edwards | E. Glyn | Woodland View, New Rhosrobin | 23 | Collier |
| Edwards | Ernest Thomas | Queen Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 53 | Collier |
| Edwards | Frank | Chestnut Ave, Acton, Wrexham | 23 | Collier |
| Edwards | James Sam | Top Road, Moss | 87 | Collier |
| Edwards | John Edward | Glanyrafon, Maesydre | 39 | Collier |
| Edwards | John C. | Coronation Cottages, New Road, Southsea | Collier | |
| Edwards | Thomas David | New Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 40 | Collier |
| Edwards | William | Church Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 32 | Collier |
| Edwardson | John | High Street, Gresford | 41 | Collier |
| Ellis | George | Council Houses, Pandy | 43 | Collier |
| Evans | Fred | Grange Road, Rhosddu | 50 | Collier |
| Evans | John | Ness Cottage, Park Wall, Gwersyllt | 32 | Collier |
| Evans | Norman | Grange Road, Rhosddu | 45 | Collier |
| Evans | Ralph | Pentre Lane, Llay | 34 | Collier |
| Fisher | Len | Maple Avenue, Acton | 44 | Collier |
| Foulkes | Irwin | Bryn Gardden, Rhosllannerchrugog | 21 | Collier |
| Gabriel | Richard George | Crispin Lane, Wrexham | 61 | Collier |
| Gittins | Johm Henry | Abenbury Street, Wrexham | 42 | Collier |
| Goodwin | John | Chapel Road, New Broughton | 51 | Collier |
| Griffiths | Edward | Brandie Cottages, Ruabon | 21 | Collier |
| Griffiths | Ellis | Cyngorfa, Rhosllannerchrugog | 50 | Collier |
| Griffiths | Emmanuel | High Street, Penycae | 53 | Collier |
| Griffiths | Charles | Gardd Estyn, Garden Village | 25 | Collier |
| Griffiths | Frank | Oxford Street, Wrexham | 57 | Collier |
| Griffiths | Walter | Victoria Road, Brynteg | 50 | Collier |
| Hall | Walter | Church Road, Brynteg | 49 | Collier |
| Hallam | T.W. | Railway Terrace, Gwersyllt | 32 | Collier |
| Hamlington | Arthur | Yew Tree Cottage, Summerhill | 62 | Collier |
| Hampson | Frank | Ruabon Road, Rhostyllen | 32 | Collier |
| Harrison | Arthur | Moss Hill, Moss | 21 | Collier |
| Harrison | Charles Edward | James Street, Wrexham | 15 | Collier |
| Hewitt | Phillip | Poplar Avenue, Rhosllannerchrugog | 56 | Collier |
| Higgins | William | Finney Street, Rhosddu | 27 | Collier |
| Holt | Alfred | Pentre Lane, Llay | 31 | Collier |
| Houlden | John Henry | Second Avenue, Llay | 21 | Collier |
| Hughes | Cecil | Tanygraig, Minera | 23 | Collier |
| Hughes | Daniel | First Avenue, Llay | 56 | Rescuer |
| Hughes | Francis O. | Acton Terrace, Rhosnesni | 60 | Collier |
| Hughes | Harry | Hill Crescent, Spring Lodge, Wrexham | 44 | Collier |
| Hughes | John | Percy Road, Wrexham | 58 | Collier |
| Hughes | Peter Joseph | Tanygraig, Minera | 27 | Collier |
| Hughes | Robert John | Lorne Street, Rhosddu | 29 | Collier |
| Hughes | Walter Ellis | Rosemary Crescent, Rhostyllen | 24 | Collier |
| Hughes | William | Long Row, Brymbo | 43 | Collier |
| Hughes | William | Jackson's Houses, New Rhosrobin | 54 | Rescuer |
| Humphreys | Ben | Vernon Street, Rhosddu | 34 | Collier |
| Humphreys | John | Edwards Road, Brynteg | 30 | Collier |
| Husbands | Thomas | Manley Road, Wrexham | 40 | Collier |
| Jarvis | Ernest | Ddol, Bersham | 41 | Collier |
| Jenkins | William | Heol Offa, Tanyfron | 25 | Collier |
| Johns | Percy | Ffordd Edgeworth, Maesydre | 27 | Collier |
| Jones | Albert Edward | Nelson Street, Wrexham | 31 | Collier |
| Jones | Azariah | Westminster Road, Moss | 37 | Collier |
| Jones | Cyril | Main Road, Rhosrobin | 26 | Collier |
| Jones | Daniel | Western Road, New Broughton | 33 | Collier |
| Jones | David L. | Colliery Road, Rhosddu | 36 | Collier |
| Jones | Edward | Woodland View, High Street, Gwersyllt | 64 | Collier |
| Jones | Edward | Queen Street, Cefn Mawr | 56 | Collier |
| Jones | Edward George | Ruabon Road, Wrexham | 23 | Collier |
| Jones | Eric | Rosemary Crescent, Rhostyllen | 23 | Collier |
| Jones | Ernest | Glan Garth, Maesydre | 36 | Collier |
| Jones | Bill | Glan Garth, Maesydre | 14 | Collier |
| Jones | Evan Hugh | Marion House, New Brighton, Minera | 55 | Collier |
| Jones | Fred | Woodland View, New Rhosrobin | 30 | Collier |
| Jones | Frederick H.C. | Bridge Street, Holt | 31 | Collier |
| Jones | Francis | Council Houses, Berse | 27 | Collier |
| Jones | George | Glan Garth, Maesydre | 47 | Collier |
| Jones | George Humphrey | Russell Street, Cefn Mawr | 22 | Collier |
| Jones | Gwilym | Glan Garth, Maesydre | 52 | Collier |
| Jones | Henry | Gordon Terrace, Rhosddu | 59 | Collier |
| Jones | Idris | Nant Road, Coedpoeth | 37 | Collier |
| Jones | Iorwerth | Bryn Dolwar, Rhosrobin Road, Wrexham | 52 | Collier |
| Jones | Jabez | Morgan Avenue, Rhosddu | 43 | Collier |
| Jones | John Dan | Williams Cottages, Moss | 42 | Collier |
| Jones | John Richard | Mostyn View, Coedpoeth | 33 | Collier |
| Jones | John Robert | Pentre Lane, Llay | Collier | |
| Jones | Llewellyn | Windsor Road, New Broughton | 49 | Collier |
| Jones | Llewellyn | Yew Tree Bungalow, Gresford | 40 | Collier |
| Jones | Llewellyn | Bersham Road, New Broughton | 38 | Collier |
| Jones | Neville | Ffordd Maelor, Maesydre, Wrexham | 30 | Collier |
| Jones | Richard Henry | Bryn Terrace, Ruabon | 21 | Collier |
| Jones | Richard J. | White House Lodge, Brymbo | 34 | Collier |
| Jones | Robert | Trefechan, Penycae | 57 | Deputy |
| Jones | Robert | Hillock Lane, Gresford | 49 | Collier |
| Jones | Thomas | Council Houses, Gresford | 55 | Collier |
| Jones | Thomas E. | Poolmouth Road, Moss | Collier | |
| Jones | Thomas John | Bryndedwydd, Marford Hill | 58 | Collier |
| Jones | Thomas O. | Penllyn, Trevor, Llangollen | 59 | Collier |
| Jones | William | Lorne Street, Rhosddu | 51 | Collier |
| Jones | William | Lloyd Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 21 | Collier |
| Kelsall | James | Florence Street, Wrexham | 30 | Collier |
| Kelsall | John | Rose Cottage, Common Wood, Holt | 37 | Collier |
| Lawrence | William | Nelson Street, Hightown, Wrexham | 43 | Collier |
| Lee | John Lee | Heol Offa, Coedpoeth | 30 | Collier |
| Lee | Thomas | Heol Offa, Coedpoeth | 16 | Collier |
| Lewis | David | Merlin Street, Johnstown | 44 | Collier |
| Lewis | David Thomas | Middle Road, Coedpoeth | 46 | Collier |
| Lewis | Jack | Cefn y Bedd | 48 | Rescuer |
| Lilly | Joel | Main Road, Rhosrobin | 41 | Collier |
| Lloyd | Thomas | Colliery Road, Rhosddu | 55 | Collier |
| Lloyd | William | Finney Street, Rhosddu | 59 | Collier |
| Lloyd | William Sidney | Pentre Lane, Llay | Collier | |
| Lucas | John | Council Houses, Gwersyllt | 59 | Collier |
| Maggs | Colin | Talwrn House, Talwrn | 17 | Collier |
| Mannion | Albert | Hill Crest, Spring Lodge, Wrexham | 29 | Collier |
| Manuel | Thomas A. | Meadows Lane, Spring Lodge, Wrexham | 33 | Collier |
| Martin | William Henry | Newtown, Gresford | 37 | Collier |
| Matthews | William V. | Hill Street, Penycae | 18 | Collier |
| Mathias | Samuel | Eagle's Place, Moss | 42 | Rescuer |
| McKean | John | Cheshire View, Spring Lodge, Wrexham | 30 | Collier |
| Meade | William | St. John's Road, Wrexham | 39 | Collier |
| Mitchell | George | James Street, Wrexham | 23 | Collier |
| Monks | Ernest | Glanrafon, Bwlchgwyn | 23 | Collier |
| Morley | Edward | Council Houses, Bradley | 57 | Collier |
| Morris | Alfred | High Street, Penycae | 20 | Collier |
| Nichols | Harry | Ashfield Road, Crispin Lane, Wrexham | 32 | Collier |
| Nichols | John | Beast Market, Wrexham | 29 | Collier |
| Nichols | William Henry | Farndon Street, Wrexham | 25 | Collier |
| Owens | Evan Henry | Cunliffe Walk, Garden Village, Wrexham | 54 | Collier |
| Palmer | Alex | Kingstown, Maesydre | 20 | Collier |
| Parry | Isaac | Western View, Wrexham Road, Brymbo | 40 | Collier |
| Parry | Joseph | Western View, Wrexham Road, Brymbo | 65 | Collier |
| Parry | John E. | Pisgah Hill, New Broughton | 31 | Collier |
| Parry | John Richard | Manley Road, Wrexham | 21 | Collier |
| Penny | Stephen | Stansty View, New Rhosrobin | 23 | Collier |
| Penny | William H. | Council Houses, Pandy | 32 | Collier |
| Perrin | Frank | Finney Street, Rhosddu | 23 | Collier |
| Peters | Henry | Pentre Lane, Llay | 38 | Collier |
| Phillips | George | Trevanna Way, Spring Lodge, Wrexham | 22 | Collier |
| Phillips | Herbert | Haig Road, Hightown, Wrexham | 30 | Collier |
| Phillips | John | Gardd Estyn, Garden Village, Wrexham | 40 | Collier |
| Pickering | J. | Sycamore Terrace, Old Rhosrobin | 22 | Collier |
| Powell | Charles | Dale Street, Wrexham | 57 | Railman |
| Price | Ernest | Moss Hill, Moss | 27 | Collier |
| Price | Samuel | Oakfield Terrace, Gresford | 37 | Collier |
| Pridding | James | Oxford Street, Wrexham | 32 | Collier |
| Prince | Mark | Manley Road, Wrexham | 59 | Collier |
| Prince | William | Meadow Lea, Spring Lodge, Wrexham | 30 | Collier |
| Pritchard | Isiah | Woodland View, New Rhosrobin | 54 | Collier |
| Pugh | Ernest | Quarry Rd, Brynteg | 49 | Collier |
| Pugh | Thomas | Vernon Street, Wrexham | 54 | Collier |
| Ralphs | John | Market Street, Wrexham | 53 | Collier |
| Rance | Thomas | High Street, Pentre Broughton | 21 | Collier |
| Rees | Albert | Gatewen Road, New Broughton | 56 | Collier |
| Reid | Lloyd | Bryn Gardden, Rhosllannerchrugog | 20 | Collier |
| Roberts | Arthur A. | Wire Mill Cottage, Bradley | 63 | Collier |
| Roberts | Edward | Bryn Estyn Cottage, Rhosnesni | 35 | Collier |
| Roberts | Edward C. | Council Houses, Gresford | 42 | Collier |
| Roberts | Ernest | Little Penybryn, Abenbury | 26 | Collier |
| Roberts | Frank | Bury Street, Wrexham | 26 | Collier |
| Roberts | George | Glanrafon, Maesydre, Wrexham | 28 | Repairer |
| Roberts | H. | Patison Road, Coedpoeth | Collier | |
| Roberts | Idris | Pumphouse, Highfield, Stansty | 16 | Collier |
| Roberts | John David | Lorne Street, Rhosddu | 47 | Collier |
| Roberts | John H. | Patison Row, Coedpoeth | 33 | Collier |
| Roberts | Olwyn | Hill Street, Penycae | 24 | Collier |
| Roberts | Percy | Bungalow, Llidiart Fanny, Coedpoeth | 26 | Collier |
| Roberts | Robert | off Brook Street, Rhosllannerchrugog | 33 | Collier |
| Roberts | Robert John | Market Street, Wrexham | Collier | |
| Roberts | Robert Thomas | Crispin Lane, Wrexham | 57 | Collier |
| Roberts | Robert William | Forge Row, Southsea | 38 | Collier |
| Roberts | Thomas James | Kendrick Place, Beast Market, Wrexham | 19 | Collier |
| Roberts | William | Princes Street, Wrexham | 45 | Collier |
| Roberts | William T. | Pentre Lane, Llay | 40 | Collier |
| Robertson | William | Spring Road, Rhosddu | 41 | Collier |
| Rogers | Edward Llewellyn | New Houses Lane, Llay | 20 | Collier |
| Rogers | Grenville | Wheatsheaf Lane, Gwersyllt | 29 | Collier |
| Ross | Harry | Nelson Street, Wrexham | 34 | Collier |
| Rowlands | John | Holt Road, Wrexham | 36 | Collier |
| Rowland | John David | Old Cross Foxes, Minera | 17 | Collier |
| Salisbury | William | Victoria Road, Brynteg | 48 | Collier |
| Shaw | George | Ashwood, Wrexham Road, Brynteg | 63 | Collier |
| Shone | John | Gresford | 34 | Collier |
| Shone | Richard | High Street, Gresford | 49 | Collier |
| Slawson | Arthur | Crescent Road, Wrexham | 22 | Collier |
| Smith | Leonard | Bennions Road, Huntroyde, Wrexham | 20 | Collier |
| Stevens | Richard T. | Pisgah Hill, Pentre Broughton | 22 | Collier |
| Strange | Albert | Nelson Street, Wrexham | 25 | Collier |
| Statford | Stanley | Ninth Avenue, Llay | 39 | Collier |
| Tarran | John | Liverpool Road, Buckley | 59 | Collier |
| Taylor | William Henry | Church Street, Holt | 53 | Collier |
| Thomas | Berwyn | Kent Road, Lodge, Brymbo | 26 | Collier |
| Thomas | John Elias | Queen's Terrace, Gwersyllt | 29 | Collier |
| Thomas | Robert | Pant Hill, Rhosllannerchrugog | 32 | Collier |
| Thomas | Tec | Council Houses, Pandy | 26 | Collier |
| Thornton | John | Coronation Cottages, New Broughton | 24 | Collier |
| Tittle | Edward | Smithy Lane, Acton | 44 | Collier |
| Trowe | Ernest | Huntroyde Avenue, Wrexham | 41 | Collier |
| Valentine | Fred | Glan Dwr, Acrefair | 24 | Collier |
| Vaughan | John Edward | Alford Street, Wrexham | 28 | Collier |
| White | John | Chapel Cottages, Gresford | 38 | Collier |
| Williams | George | Gardden Terrace, Summerhill | 31 | Collier |
| Williams | Harold | Osborne Terrace, Claypit Lane, Gresford | 37 | Collier |
| Williams | Hugh Llewellyn | Park Street, Rhosddu | 43 | Collier |
| Williams | John | Cheetham's Lodging Houses, Wrexham | 62 | Collier |
| Williams | John | Dale Street, Wrexham | 44 | Collier |
| Williams | John | Council Houses, Brynteg | 66 | Collier |
| Williams | John D. | Vulcan Cottage, New Road, Southsea | 29 | Collier |
| Williams | John Thomas | Brynffynnon, Brymbo | 33 | Collier |
| Williams | Morris | Pentre Lane, Llay | 24 | Electrician |
| Williams | Reg | Old Rhosrobin | 29 | Electrician |
| Williams | Thomas | Park View Stores, Bradley | 57 | Collier |
| Williams | William A. | Gatewen Road, Pentre Broughton | 29 | Collier |
| Wilson | John Walter | Victoria Terrace, Coedpoeth | 32 | Collier |
| Witter | Henry | The Mount, Gresford | 56 | Collier |
| Wynn | Edward | Bradley Road, Wrexham | 68 | Collier |
| Winyard | J. | New Inn, Cefnybedd | 47 | Collier |
| Yemm | Morgan James | Seventh Avenue, Llay | 28 | Collier |
Popular culture
The Gresford Disaster(Lyrics: "Anonymous")....
- You've heard of the Gresford Disaster,
- Of the terrible price that was paid;
- Two hundred and sixty-four colliers were lost,
- And three men of the rescue brigade.
- It occurred in the month of September
- At three in the morning the pit
- Was racked by a violent explosion
- In the Dennis where gas lay so thick.
- Now the gas in the Dennis deep section
- Was packed there like snow in a drift,
- And many a man had to leave the coal-face
- Before he had worked out his shift.
- Now a fortnight before the explosion,
- To the shotfirer Tomlinson cried,
- "If you fire that shot we'll be all blown to hell!"
- And no one can say that he lied.
- Now the fireman's reports they are missing
- The records of forty-two days;
- The collier manager had them destroyed
- To cover his criminal ways.
- Down there in the dark they are lying.
- They died for nine shillings a day;
- They have worked out their shift and now they must lie
- In the darkness until Judgement Day.
- Now the Lord Mayor of London's collecting
- To help out the children and wives;
- The owners have sent some white lilies
- To pay for the poor colliers' lives.
- Farewell, all our dear wives and our children
- Farewell, all our comrades as well,
- Don't send your sons down the dark dreary mine
- They'll be doomed like the sinners in hell.
The song was issued as a broadsheet soon after the disaster. It has been recorded by The Hennessys
The Hennessys
The Hennessys are one of Wales' foremost traditional folk music groups.In 1966 Frank Hennessy and Dave Burns , both from Cardiff's Irish community, won a talent competition organised by Cardiff City Council which persuaded them to take up music professionally shortly afterwards, adding Paul Powell ...
, Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl was an English folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He was married to theatre director Joan Littlewood, and later to American folksinger Peggy Seeger. He collaborated with Littlewood in the theatre and with Seeger in folk music...
, Alex Campbell and the Albion Band
Albion Country Band
The Albion Band, also known as The Albion Country Band and The Albion Dance Band, were an English electric folk band, brought together and led by musician Ashley Hutchings...
amongst others.
The disaster is the subject of the song "The Colliers" on Seth Lakeman
Seth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo...
's 2006 album Freedom Fields
Freedom Fields
Freedom Fields is a music album by Seth Lakeman published twice in 2006. It is his third album as a principal performer. It is named for a park in Plymouth, England, where the Sabbath Day Fight is commemorated.-First edition:...
.
The disaster is also commemorated in the hymn tune
Hymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
"Gresford", which is also known as "The Miners' Hymn", written by Robert Saint of Hebburn
Hebburn
Hebburn is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Bill Quay...
, himself also a miner. This tune has been played regularly by many colliery brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s over the years and is found on a number of recordings, and is also played at the annual Miners Picnics around the North of England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
, especially at the Durham Miners' Gala
Durham Miners' Gala
The Durham Miners' Gala is a large annual gathering held on the second Saturday in July in the city of Durham, England. It is associated with the coal mining heritage of the Durham Coalfield, which stretched throughout the traditional County of Durham. It is also locally called "The Big Meeting"...
.