TODAY marks the 91st anniversary of the Gresford Colliery Disaster.
It was one of the worst mining disasters in history. An unimaginable 262 miners and four rescuers lost their lives, making 166 local women widows and 241 children fatherless. Of those who were killed only 11 bodies were recovered.
The impact of this tragedy still has deep impact today, with family histories bound together by tales from the past.
Here, Allan Buckley, 69, from Wrexham, describes his own personal connection with the colliery...
"My grandfather Albert Buckley was one of the victims of this tragic disaster. He was aged 21, though the records show I believe 22, due to perhaps the result of the inquest date.
"Born in Salford, Manchester, he was the only surviving son of the Buckley family.
"It appears his father and two brothers were killed in the First World War in the Manchester Pals battalion. I believe his mother, my great grandmother, died during his birth. He had two older sisters who subsequently brought him up.
"My last contact with my grandfather's sisters was when I visited them in the early 1960s in Manchester with my mum and dad. My recall was they were two elderly ladies who lived together, I believe they never married. My great aunties passed away in the 1960s and recall my dad attended their funerals, which I sadly remember was not a long time apart from each other.
"My grandfather came to Wrexham from Manchester at 16 or 17 looking for work. He started working at Gresford Colliery soon after, working as a haulage worker underground.
"He also met my grandmother, Lily Jones, and they got married. My nana was born in Wrexham and her father, brothers and uncles worked in the mining industry at Llay colliery.
"At the time of the disaster my nana and grandfather lived in Windy Hill, Summer Hill, Wrexham. My dad was two-years-old at the time of the disaster and he had an older sister, my auntie Margaret. She later in life married an American serviceman during the Second World War and subsequently moved to the US, residing in North Carolina. My Nana passed away in the early 1970s but used to tell me stories of my grandfather.
"My grandfather's son, my dad, married my mum in the 1950s and I am the oldest of five children, my mum and dad have since passed away.
"In 1971 I started my electrical apprenticeship at Gresford Colliery, at the tender age of 15 years and two weeks. My employment with the National Coal Board at Gresford Colliery was unusual at that age, as you would normally start an apprenticeship after a further year in school or at a local technical collage.
"In April 1971 I had an interview at 14 years of age at Gresford Colliery. The interview process was quite an experience for a 14-year-old boy. I recall it was a lovely bright early spring day at the Gresford Colliery offices adjacent to Rose Cottage. There was quite a number of applicants to be interviewed who I ascertained were older than I and perhaps better qualified than me for potential apprenticeships in electrical and mechanical engineering. The interviews held at Gresford were to select apprenticeships for Gresford and Bersham collieries.
Very daunting time
"After some time waiting around and being the last candidate to be interviewed, my turn had finally arrived. I was led through the door and up the stairs to a large room with a large oak table. There was about 10 people around table who were going to carry out the interview, this was very daunting at the time.
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"I do remember the dark curtains were drawn due to the strong sun light, however there was a gap in the curtains and a beam of light shone through, I could see what seamed like small pieces of fibre floating around in the sun light, I thought well this is it try your best and remain hopeful.
"The interview began with introductions around the table, the group of people consisted of personnel from both Gresford Colliery and Bersham Colliery. The persons were from departments of engineering, training, personnel and National Union of Mine workers union (NUM) representing both collieries.
Come back in a year...
"The formal interview started by asking question on basic engineering and to ascertain my academic capability. The interview consequently then went onto personal life, interests and any family members working in the mining industry. I had a number of uncles working at Gresford Colliery and my mum's father, worked at Gresford Colliery but was now retired.
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"The interview then started to wind up with feedback and advice to me that I had done very well but should stay on in school or attend local college for a further year. This advice suggested to me was to come back to attend an interview again next year where my age would be more favourable for an apprenticeship. The lead interviewer then asked if anyone had any further questions for me, one of the NUM representative said he did.
He said: 'You have said your uncles are working in the mining industry but you haven't mentioned your father's employment.' I thought he was quite stern in his approach. However, my reply was that my dad had worked at Brymbo Steelworks from school and went onto his National Service and after completing this, worked in Shotton Steelworks.
A surprise result
"The union representative then questioned me asking why did he not work in the mining industry? My reply was 'because my nana would not allow him to', he then said in a much sterner tone 'why not?'. My answer to him explained because his dad had been killed in Gresford Colliery disaster of September 1934.
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"After my answer there was what seamed a straightening up in their seats with a short silence. The lead interviewer then asking me my grandfather's name and details. They then thanked me for attending the interview and saying we shall get back in touch with you with a result of their decision. At this point I was somewhat disappointed and thought that I would not get an opportunity to be offered an apprenticeship.
"To my surprise and delight I was subsequently asked in a letter I received two weeks later to attend a medical at NCB Astley Green Lancashire offices. I subsequently passed my medical and was offered an apprenticeship in electrical engineering a week later by letter with a start date in August 1971 at Gresford Colliery.
Poignant moments and a final visit
"Upon reflection, I believed that I would not have been able to have started my apprenticeship at such a young age, it may not have been possibly to have been offered my job without my grandfather's sad and unfortunate passing. I was also great full to the NUM representative for asking me the question during my interview ,as this I believed this was also a major turning point.
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"I was extremely pleased to have been offered my apprenticeship at Gresford Colliery and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The first year of my apprenticeship was at NCB training school in Haydock Lancashire, with one day attendance at St Helens Technical College. After the first year the North West area intake of apprentices went onto their allocated collieries throughout the NCB North West area. This was to complete their training and college day release for the completion of the four years of the apprenticeships.
"The only sad part of this experience was the closure of Gresford Colliery during my apprenticeship, which was quite a concern at this time. When I started working at Gresford Colliery after my first year of my apprenticeship, I spent six months working at the surface of the mine after which my time was spent underground.
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"Once I started working underground at Gresford Colliery I had the opportunity to visit a part of the mine with a sealed roadway in the vicinity of the disaster area. At the point there was a simple plaque on the sealed road way depicting this. I visited this point on a number of occasions as time would allow, whist there I would have a few private moments. My final visit was at the completion of the salvaging of that particular area of mine, when after this time this particular area would be sealed and it would not be possible to gain access to area again, this was a poignant moment.
"I worked at Gresford Colliery until its closure and beyond salvaging for a further year after the colliery closure. I was then transferred to Bersham Colliery after Gresford Colliery underground salvage had been completed.
"Due to the sad demise of mining industry I moved to other employment but am eternally grateful for my opportunity to have worked at Gresford and Bersham Collieries. I especially wanted to get as close to my grandfather whom I had never met but had great fondness considering his difficult start in life and stories of him that my nana shared with me. I had a compelling desire to work at Gresford Colliery. Also during my time working in the mining industry I worked with some of the best work colleagues and friend's you could wish to meet, though it is well documented by others my experience was that the camaraderie was outstanding.
Paying respects
"I continued on in my employment after the mining industry and worked in two piece can manufacturing, oil exploration rigs in the North Sea and then back into manufacturing facilities on shore.
"The last 31 years of my working life was with the same company, of which 21 years of this was based in Manchester commuting from Wrexham, hence as a family member felt I was going in a full circle. I am now approaching my three score and 10 years of life but will always reflect of my time in the mining industry.
"I was very grateful for an opportunity to work at Gresford Colliery which allowed me to pay my respects to my grandfather in my own small way.
"This I feel was in a strange way a privilege, as this opportunity was not possible for many other families who lost their loved ones in the Gresford Colliery disaster of 1934."
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