The Gresford Pit Disaster
Contributors
Fieldworkers
Date
1953
Track ID
7944
Part 1
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1953.241.A1
Original Tape ID
Summary
Ewan MacColl introduces a song about a mining disaster that occurred on 22 September 1934 at Gresford Colliery (near Wrexham, in north-east Wales).
The singer says that people will know of the Gresford Disaster when 245 miners and rescuers died. The Dennis deep mine was full of gas, and warnings were given against blasting in the mine. Reports of the blasting are missing, and the owners' response of sending white lilies was inadequate.
Item Notes
8 verses. A bitter and sometimes ironic song. Collected from Dennis Ford. Recorded at the 3rd People's Festival Ceilidh in Edinburgh in 1953.
Recording Location
County - Midlothian
Parish - Edinburgh
Village/Place - Edinburgh
Language
English
Genre
Collection
Classification
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Fair