New home for mine disaster papers

Historic documents about the 1934 Gresford Colliery disaster, found 70 years on, have been donated to Wrexham Museum.

An old file which included an official report on the tragedy presented to Parliament in 1937, were discovered last year in a solicitors' vault.

In all, 266 men died when an explosion rocked the mine near Wrexham, a tragedy that sparked a controversial inquiry.

The museum said it was "very pleased" to receive the documents.

They were found by solicitor Glen Murphy in a safe at Cyril Jones and Co in Wrexham.

The firm's founder, Cyril Jones, represented the families of many of the dead miners during an inquiry which followed.

It is thought he may have placed the documents in the vault, where they lay undiscovered for 70 years.

Among them was a copy of the official report presented to Parliament, detailed plans of the mine and an order of service for the third annual memorial service at Parciau, Wrexham.

The papers have been given to the A N Palmer Centre for Local Studies and Archives at Wrexham Museum.

Mr Murphy said: "I am very pleased to hand this over after all this time - they've found a good home now and are where they should be."

He added: "I also hope that it will encourage others to make similar donations and loans to the museum which is a very important resource for the town and the area."

Archivist Esther Williams said: "This was a tragic event in Wrexham's history and we are very pleased to have these records.

"They will form an important part of our resources for the Gresford Disaster."

The likely cause of the explosion was a build-up of gas, mainly methane, which was ignited in the Dennis Shaft.

The subsequent inquiry and court case only found the mine's management guilty of inadequate record-keeping.