Gresford - The Miners' Hymn

Today's blip is not about the photograph but about the story behind it. Although I have lived 10 miles from Gresford for many years I knew nothing of the mine disaster that had occurred there on 22 September 1934 until Friday last week when I heard a piece about it on the Radio 4 Today programme.

266 miners were killed when there was an explosion in the pit. Only 11 bodies were recovered and the section of the pit where the explosion had occurred was sealed. The pit had been unprofitable the previous year and the manager was under pressure from the owners to improve the situation.

The subsequent inquiry in 1935 highlighted management failures, a lack of safety measures, bad working practices and a build up of gas but the findings were cautious due to the lack of proof as to the cause of the explosion.

The mine owners would only allow their own officials back into the sealed up areas citing dangerous conditions. It is widely believed that these actions were a deliberate attempt by the owners to cover up any culpability on their part, as the cause of the explosion could never be proven.

The manager later faced criminal charges but was only found guilty of poor record keeping this despite the fact that there was evidence of mis-management and that he had told an assistant surveyor to falsify records of dust samples when none had been taken. He was fined £150 plus costs.

Other sections of the mine re-opened six months after the disaster.

1100 miners had to sign on the unemployment register in Sept after the disaster.

The victims had their final wages deducted by 25% as they had not completed their shift when the explosion happened.

The disaster is commemorated in the hymn tune "Gresford" - The Miners' Hymn written by Robert Saint and played by many colliery brass bands.

The memorial in the photograph was erected in 1982.

Some more images from Gresford.