REMEMBERING GRESFORD | COFIO GRESFFORDD
MUSIC
EXHIBITIONS
CEREMONIES
Sunday 22nd September 2024 marked 90 years since the fateful disaster at the Gresford Colliery, one of the worst mining disasters in British history. The disaster still holds a resonance and significance to this day, not just for the people of Wrexham, but for former mining communities across Wales and the UK.
As NEW Sinfonia Co-Artistic Director, I led a team of Creatives and Organisations from across Wrexham to curate Remembering Gresford, a month long series of events with the mission of ensuring the history of the disaster and the memory of those who lost their lives that tragic day is never forgotten.
8 CONCERTS
4 EXHIBITIONS
4 CEREMONIES
10 WORKSHOPS
It all began with a simple idea, to make sure that living memory of Gresford would be guaranteed for the next 90 years.
What snowballed from that single thought was quite simply an unbelievable collective achievement brought about by the uplifting community spirit of Wrexham, its people and its artists.
I and NEW Sinfonia had recognised prior to the anniversary that there were many different organisations planning their own Gresford event and felt it would be a missed opportunity to not present these collectively as a coherent city-wide programme for our communities and visitors to engage with as a whole.
Several groups including the North Wales Miners Association Trust, Miners Rescue Project, Wrexham University, Wrexham Football Club, Tŷ Pawb, St Giles Church and The Drawing Board, presented an event during September as part of Remembering Gresford.
MUSIC
Gresford:
Up From Underground
My brand new Community Opera with a libretto by Grahame Davies was co-commissioned by NEW Sinfonia and the North Wales International Music Festival.
The premiere performances featured soloists; Khrystyna Makar (Gwyneth), Kathy Macaulay (Doreen), Morgana Warren-Jones (Catrin), Rhys Meilyr (Jac), Sam Snowden (John) and James Holt (Robert), with NEW Voices forming the chorus all Directed by Ruth Evans. NEW Sinfonia were conducted by Robert Guy and joined for each performance by NEW Academi young musicians from each of the music services of North Wales.
Wrexham Miners Project:
Gresford Community Concert
A concert that raised funds to support the renovation of the Miners Rescue Station on Maesgwyn Road, Wrexham. The MRS is the place where the Rescue Workers who tried to save the miners who were trapped in the Gresford Disaster, trained to do their dangerous job.
The concert featured Llay Welfare Brass Band, who trace their heritage back to the Gresford Colliery Band and who have played a significant part in the Gresford Commemorations every year since the disaster. They were joined by Voices of The Valley, the Fron Male Voice Choir, City of Wrexham Brass Band and local high school, Ysgol Clywedog Steel Pans.
DENNIS:
Folk Rock & Colliery Brass Pop
An evening of live music that featured bands from mining communities from Wrexham and Durham at Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham’s award winning, cultural community resource.
The headline act were DENNIS; Folk Rock & Colliery Brass Pop Band from the pit town of Hetton (County Durham) whose ethos, songs and lyrics are native to a working class and cultural heritage.
The free night of music was presented in the food court of Tŷ Pawb and also featured Andy Hickie, a Wrexham-based bilingual folk singer-songwriter.
CEREMONIES
Services of Remembrance
An Annual Service of Remembrance has taken place on the 22nd September at 11am to commemorate those who died for many years. Tradition has it that no-one receives an invitation to this service, a note to how many of the families were not invited to dedication of the monument when it was erected.
As on the 60th, 70th, and 80th anniversaries, a service of remembrance was also held at All Saints Church, Gresford. The event was organised by the Friends of the Gresford Colliery Disaster Memorial with support from the North Wales Miners Association Trust and Miners Rescue Project.
Wrexham Miners Project:
Candle Lighting Vigil
At 6pm on the 21st September 1934 the miners of Gresford descended into the pit to begin their fateful shift underground. To mark the anniversary the Wrexham Miners Project lit 266 candles, each shaped like a Davy Lamp, in memory of each life lost.
At 2:08am on the 22nd each candle was extinguished, marking the time the explosion extinguished the lives of so many local people.
St Giles’ Church:
Doves Installation
Situated in the heart of Wrexham City Centre, St Giles’ Church has long been a focal point for worship, sanctuary and remembrance for the people of Wrexham.
To commemorate the lives of those who tragically lost their lives in the Gresford Disaster, the church created 266 flying doves, imprinted with the names of each mine worker, installed in the tower of the church to dramatically cascade down whilst being under lit to project their shadows skywards.
EXHIBITIONS
Wrexham University:
School Engagement Project
Wrexham University Civic Mission Team worked with local primary schools across Wrexham to deliver a workshop on the Gresford Colliery Disaster, to support the engagement of young people with local history. Pupils learnt about the disaster, the lives lost, and the impact on the wider Wrexham community. They produced a piece of artwork based on the disaster, using materials such as charcoal and copies of newspapers from the time, and displayed them at an exhibition in Tŷ Pawb.
Wrexham Miners Project:
Historical Exhibition
At 6pm on the 21st September 1934 the miners of Gresford descended into the pit to begin their fateful shift underground. To mark the anniversary the Wrexham Miners Project lit 266 candles, each shaped like a Davy Lamp, in memory of each life lost.
At 2:08am on the 22nd each candle was extinguished, marking the time the explosion extinguished the lives of so many local people.
Drawing Board:
Gresford Exhibition
Drawing Board is a unique and independentt Community Art Gallery situated in the heart of Wrexham City Centre on Lord Street.
Their team of local artists created a stunning array of art and crafts to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Mining Disaster. The gallery also played host to Voicebox Wxm, who presented an array of spoken word performances by local poets.