Gresford colliery disaster

Bluelass · September 22, 2009

75 years ago today my great uncle Henry was killed in the Gresford colliery explosion that killed 266 men and boys who were working on the night shift.
The conditions they worked in were appalling and their bodies have never been recovered.

The death toll was higher because a lot of men had swopped shifts so they could get to the Wrexham FC match against Tranmere Rovers. A terrible tragedy for the local area and one which is often forgotten.

RIP those men and boys.

Goat · September 22, 2009

RIP to all.

Rugby Toffee · September 22, 2009

With the bodies never recovered , there cannot be any closure.
Thoughts to the remaining families. 75 years is a long time but the victims shouldn't be forgotten

R.I.P.

Whitebootman · September 22, 2009

I just read up on this and looked at the names and ages of the men who lost their lives. The part that touched me most was that 800 children lost a parent. So, so sad.

R.I.P. and sincere condolances and respect to families who still remember.

trebilcock66 · September 22, 2009

As SAF said at Sir Bobby Robson's memorial yesterday, these boys who went down into the bowels of the earth to hack out a living were real men - loyal, community-spirited and ready to help others.

I worked in Wrexham many years ago and got the bus past Gresford colliery everyday. The original headgear was left there after the mine closed as a memorial to those who died underground.

May they all rest in peace.

Bluelass · September 23, 2009

trebilcock66 said:
As SAF said at Sir Bobby Robson's memorial yesterday, these boys who went down into the bowels of the earth to hack out a living were real men - loyal, community-spirited and ready to help others.

I worked in Wrexham many years ago and got the bus past Gresford colliery everyday. The original headgear was left there after the mine closed as a memorial to those who died underground.

May they all rest in peace.

all that's left now is the winding wheel that's located just away from the original site, it was moved to make way for the Wrexham bypass.

So, you used to catch the Crosville buses then?

chicoazul · September 23, 2009

Thats horrendous that. RIP.

trebilcock66 · September 23, 2009

Bluelass said:
all that's left now is the winding wheel that's located just away from the original site, it was moved to make way for the Wrexham bypass.

So, you used to catch the Crosville buses then?

Yeah. Late seventies...lived in Chester, ran a shoe shop in Wrexham.

My first real job and boy, was I crap at it...I was so underwhelmed by the job that I regularly missed the bus and had to get a taxi so that I could open the shop on time...got the push in the end for being consistently late and rude to customers. Crikey - you weren't one of them were you, Bluelass? I'm so sorry.... :unsure:

AdamTheGreatOneB · September 23, 2009

I never knew about this. Truly awful. RIP.

efcforever1878 · September 23, 2009

rip to your great uncle harry and all those who lost their lives.

aberfan was another that i remember and i hope them days are behind us now.

Bluelass · September 23, 2009

trebilcock66 said:
Yeah. Late seventies...lived in Chester, ran a shoe shop in Wrexham.

My first real job and boy, was I crap at it...I was so underwhelmed by the job that I regularly missed the bus and had to get a taxi so that I could open the shop on time...got the push in the end for being consistently late and rude to customers. Crikey - you weren't one of them were you, Bluelass? I'm so sorry....

err, probably not a customer but I did occasionally drive between Chester and Wrexham on the D1 - you might have been one of my passengers!

Bluelass · September 23, 2009

efcforever1878 said:
rip to your great uncle harry and all those who lost their lives.

aberfan was another that i remember and i hope them days are behind us now.

Aberfan was a terrible tragedy, so many children lost their lives.

a2b chris · September 23, 2009

in my ignorance i had never heard of the gresford colliery disaster.

just read up. horrific

R.I.P

kev101 · September 24, 2009

My grandad, Stephen Penny was one of those killed, he was from Scotty road originally. I've been to the memorial a few times & have a small lump of the original works here.
Also got a overhead pic of the mine from a newspaper, you can see the families standing at the fences, waiting for news. Underneath is a pic of my mums dad, washing off the coal dust in a tin bath. It's all in a frame, with thick old glass, apparently all the families where presented with one at the time, not sure though.
RIP