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Home » Articles » Gresford Colliery Disaster, 1934Gresford Colliery Disaster, 1934
Letters of condolence and letters offering gifts in kind received following the Gresford colliery disaster of 1934.
Letters of condolence and letters offering gifts in kind received following the Gresford colliery disaster of 1934.
On Saturday, 22 September 1934, an explosion occurred at the Gresford colliery, near Wrexham. Rescue workers worked tirelessly to reach the men trapped underground, but the dangers posed by further explosions resulted in a decision being taken to seal the pit. Two hundred and sixty-five men were killed, leaving behind over 500 widows, children and other dependants. As news of the disaster spread throughout the country, letters of condolence began arriving at the offices of the National Union of Mineworkers in north Wales. In addition, offers of financial assistance and gifts of clothing and food began pouring in and a relief fund was established by the Mayor of Wrexham. These letters arrived from all parts of the country and demonstrate the enormous response and measure of public sympathy for the mining families. Only a small selection of the correspondence received is shown here.
