As an ex miner we never spoke of this disaster or sengenydd when we were down underground we knew our turn could come next god bless all the gressford miners and sengenydd
I saw an under manager run past me one day on a big vein drivage the pit was renowned for out bursts of methane obviousley i was right behind him false alarm thoigh
My father, Harry Hughes, worked at the PoA colliery from about 1950 to 1970. His job was to drill for methane gas and pipe it up to the surface. The purpose was twofold : safety and commercial; i.e. primarily to make the underground working areas safe for miners and secondly to supply the N.Wales Gas Grid. The work required the installation of heavy machinery in cramped noisy dangerous conditions in order to drill out geological core samples using diamond crown bits and tap into seams of coal and methane under the Dee estuary. The machinery had to be constantly relocated to explore new areas of coal and gas deposits in the furthest parts of the mine. This method of underground drilling was in its infancy then and required a good deal of pioneering spirit and resourcefulness. It was extremely dangerous work and I remember visiting my father in hospital after he almost died in attempting to rescue two deputies who had been overcome by gas during their routine inspection of workings; I believe only one of them survived. To me and my brothers our Dad was a hero. RIP Harry Hughes (1910 - 2002).
I started work in 1975 at Cortonwood Colliery, Everyone got a copy, obviously lost mine many moons ago, brought back good memories and had a sing along with Max. Anyone know where I can get a copy.?
I use to come up to Wrexham from Horsham and stay with my Granny. Emily Etches - loved going shopping with her - she knew everyone - we would go to all the indoor markets and she did her shopping as I looked at Teapots and loads china - we would have some Meat pie at a cafe called May's- Great Days
Thank you for uploading this. Brings back many memories of my childhood. I was born in 1974 so some of this stuff is before my time but a lot of the places I remember playing as a kid in the 80's.
Hi Graham, very nice video. My family were the last residents of Acton House, which was the name given to the rear portion of Plas Acton. It was partitoned in the early 1930s. My Great Grandfather bought Plas Acton and the adjoining farm land soon after. My Grandfather Thomas Evans farmed during WW2. I was born in 1965 and lived in the hiuse until it was demolished to make way for the upgraded A483. The Eames family owned the front half of the house. As you can see it was the more 'grand' half of the house! Although we had the walled garden, woodland, fields and all the farm buildings attached to our bit! I have colour photographs taken from 'our half' around 1968 if anyone is interested.
Super presentation and nice music. They will realise the folly of ripping these lines up as the roads get more and more congested. The A483 can't cope at times now towards Oswestry.
Good lord what happened in 1956 ( apart from my birth ! ) with all these démolitions ? did no one ever stop to consider the heritage loss or was it all about avoiding taxes for landowners ,,, today you can Just about demolish your garden shed ,,, I cant bear to think of the hundreds of tons of salvage that must have flooded the market then ,,,,,, so sad ,,, I have read a lot on the subect and know that at one point there was a house lost each day and thousands have gone. Ireland also has lost an incredible number and there are still hundreds lying empty or in complete disrepair ,,,, In a village near where I grew up there was a wonderful Georgian house that I played in empty but partiially furnished , it was pillaged and robbed and the elements have doe the rest, but I knew it as perfect ,,,, sad sad sad ,,,
Thank you for this! Love Tony Benn. I went to see the film about his life Last Will and Testament at Durham Cathedral. When it started with this, I admit the tears flowed. I wasn't the only one. Looking forward to this years Gala. Missed it last year sadly. Roll on July.
hi an intresting film i can remember the shafts that were on site so deep when it was aj phillips pipe depot my dad worked there and me being a young lad had plenty to explore keep up the good work mate
hi an intresting film i can remember the shafts that were on site so deep when it was aj phillips pipe depot my dad worked there and me being a young lad had plenty to explore keep up the good work mate
1:32 I used to love the Hippodrome, saw ET and Return of the Jedi there when I was a kid. Does anyone remember the old Odeon? It was down the arcade by St. Giles. I was a kid in the 80's in Wrexham, and I remember going there to watch films too. When I ask everyone else about it, nobody seems to have known about it, and I get are blank looks...
Great video, I was only 10 when the Vegatable Market was demolished and I have never been able to find any pictures of the interior until now. This takes me back to my childhood and it looks exactly as I remember it. It should never have been demolished. RIP Vegetable Market
This Shows! the effort put into this project, to show the village of Rhosllanerchrugog their past, it was well attended in the time it was run up to the 16 of November, perhaps a repeat next year, with schools coming along as well as villager's to see their proud past. with a big thank you to Eileen Williams and Graham Lloyd and his video.
How sad that these once beautiful proud old buildings weren't better maintained and had to be demolished. A great loss for the town and entire area that a piece of their history is now lost forever.
Marty933 Before the 1970s property boom, most houses like this were considered a financial liability. Plas Acton required constant attention due to it's size. My Father and Grandfather had to regularly point those huge brick chimney stacks and the frost was always attacking the lower brickwork.
Great video, goodness me that brings back memmories. I knew every single place. I remember as a young lad playing in the dissused buildings near to the Parish Church.
A long-shot I know, but would anyone have information on Ernie Powell who played as 14 year old for the Wales Schoolboys Football team in 1922 in goal against England (March 25) and Scotland (May 27)? I am looking to find the school he would have attended in Rhos. Thanks, Ceri. (ceristennett@gmail.com)
My mother, Ada Griffiths, Chapel Street, Ponciau, was, before her marriage, a leading light on the music scene in the 1920s. She starred in such productions as 'Flora Dora', 'The Magic Ruby',(the title could have been 'The Ruby of Rajapur'). I don't know what the name of the group was. Does anyone know of such societies in the 1920s? Audrey Parry
Hi, I have just found your group and wonder whether you could help with some research I am doing. I have a friend who is very keen to find any images of the railway stop (halt) at Ponciau which functioned up until 1915. Do you know of any? I would be very pleased to hear from you. Please email me at paul_h_jones@yahoo.co.uk. Regards, Paul Jones
Well that's something I never knew! I had no idea there used to be a hotel above waterstones. Are these pictures taken on the top floor, I'm guessing they must be as u show the loft hatch. Such a shame the beautiful entrance has disappeared too. Thanks for doing this :)
many thanks for this great post Graham, do you have anymore, especially relating to Hightown over the last one hundred and fifty years?. Once again thank youl
