THE TAPESTRY, THE DISASTER AND THE MYSTERY OF PETER JONES

A little more than one hundred and twenty years ago, on Wednesday 13th March 1889 a terrible explosion took place at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon in the Pendwll Pit, Bryn Mally. There were about 120 men in the workings at that time.Before long many people had gathered waiting for news, and the overlooker of the pit, Robert Parry and others had formed an exploring party and had gone down to search for any who may have survived. Amongst others who gave assistance were Mr T H Clayton, son of the proprietor, Mr Hutchings, son of the manager, Mr J Powell, manager of Vron colliery, Mr Millington, Frwdd Colliery and Mr Ellis Evans of the Westminster Colliery. The men who had managed to reach safety were very soon brought up; they had been working in various parts of the pit and were mostly unharmed.

It was found that the explosion had taken place at the very deepest part of the mine in what was known as the Queen Coal seam and in that particular spot only four men were working, they were killed instantly. The men working a little further away were killed by firedamp gas before they could manage to make their way to a safer place. By 9pm eleven bodies had been recovered and placed in a shed awaiting identification. Nine were identified easily but two could not be named, these were found at the scene of the explosion. A little later two more bodies were brought up and it was about 11.15 pm before the last of dead had been brought up making a total of twenty men in all. Before the bodies were removed from the colliery premises the clothing was searched, with the result that pipes, tobacco, matches and even keys for unlocking the lamps were found in the pockets of several men.

The inquest was opened at the Harp Inn, when the Coroner said it was `the greatest calamity that had happened in the County for thirty years` The bodies were viewed by the jury and formal evidence of identification was given. The jury adjourned until the following Wednesday.The widows and children of those who were killed were provided for by the North Wales Permanent Relief Fund. Mr William Bradshaw, the local agent went round to the various residences of the deceased and left an instalment of money with relatives, as they required.

At the close of the inquest a verdict of `accidental death` was given. The conclusion of the Commissioner was that it was clear that the action of one or two men that were killed had caused the explosion. However there seemed to be a certain amount of laxity on the part of the management in enforcing the rules, and this together with overconfidence felt in the men in their safety, due to no gas having been found in that seam prior to that explosion caused them to have lighted lamps, unlocked and unscrewed in a return airway. The Commissioner stated that there should be far more rigid inspection of the men to compel them to only have their lamps lit at the lamp stations and that the appointment of charter masters to fire shots and permission for them to use lamp keys was a very dangerous practice and should be abolished at Pendwll Pit. He did not however recommend the prosecution of anyone.

The names of the men missing were published in the Times as :-Peter Jones a boy, Cerney, Bye - man age 15.Charles Hughes a boy, Moss, Waggoner age 14.Henry Garston married, Windy Hill, Charter Master age 50.Thomas Williams married, Frith, Collier age 33.Hugh Jones married, Mount Pleasant, Broughton. Bye-man age 48.Thomas Jarvis a boy, Pentre, Filler age 20.

Peter Griffiths, a young man, Cerney, Filler age 22James Davies, a boy, Halcock. Waggoner age 14.Evan Williams, married, Cerney, Collier age 53.Edward W Edwards, a boy, Brymbo. Waggoner age 14.William Kendrick, a young man, Cerney.Thomas Edwards, a married man (who leaves a large family) Cerney. Charter Master age 40Thomas Davies, a boy, Pentre. Pony driver age 16.Harry Tudor (Henry) a single man, Cae Penty. Jigger age 17.Samuel Millington, a boy, Moss Filler age 18.Robert Thomas Edwards son of Thomas Edwards, Filler age 17Arthur Thomas, a boy, Cerney, Filler age 17Thomas Jones, a man, Cerney, Collier age 42.Edward Rowland, a boy, Halcock Hooker -on age 14.Joseph Williams a boy, Cerney. Pony driver age 15.

Three men were brought up alive.John Davies, Charter master, Halcock.Sam Mathias, a boy, Green, Brymbo.Henry Griffiths, a boy, Ffrith

In 2008 a Tapestry was found in a bag of clothes that had been donated in Bromborough to Claire House Children’s Hospice. It was embroidered with the story of a Peter Jones, who had been killed in a Colliery Disaster in 1889. At the time an appeal was made to try to find out about this event, and more importantly = who was Peter Jones?

It was quite easy to find which Colliery it was as the date was embroidered on the tapestry, but tracing Peter Jones proved a little more difficult.

A search of Parish Registers for a burial was unsuccessful, but eventually I found that a Peter Jones had been buried at Brake Chapel at the right time and he had lived at Cross’s Row.

In 1881 I found no Peter Jones in Broughton that looked likely to be the right one, but did find a family in Mold living at Victoria Terrace. The father was Peter Jones a tailor aged 51, who was born Mold, his wife was Sarah aged 44, who was born in Burton. They had eight children who were all born in Mold. John aged 20, a tin worker, Elizabeth aged 15, Robert aged 12, Daniel aged 9, Peter aged 6.Ann Jane aged 3 and little Rebecca who was 1.

By 1891 this family had moved to Castle Town, Broughton. Peter Jones was still a tailor aged 60 b Mold, Sarah 54 b Burton. John, Elizabeth and Robert were was not living at home anymore, but Daniel, now a collier aged 18, Ann Jane 13 and Rebecca aged 11 were still with their parents. By now there was another son, Samuel aged 7 born Mold, so it would seem that the Jones family had not been in the area for very long But where was Peter?

In 1901 I found Peter now 70, now a tailor of his own account, Sarah, and their son Samuel aged 17, a tin worker had moved back to Mold, where they were living at Wesley Place.

There was nothing in the Brake Burial Register to confirm that Peter was the son of Peter and Sarah and a phone call to the Wrexham register office didn’t help either. The problem being that as there had been an inquest then the informant would have been the coroner. A search in the Wrexham Advertiser found nothing either, so we are only left to guess that young Peter was indeed killed in Pendwll Colliery. He was the right age, lived in the same area, so could

that have been the reason that his parents moved back to Mold after living in Broughton for only a period of about seven years at the most.

In November 2008 the tapestry was handed over to Wrexham Museum after £100 was paid to Claire House Children’s Hospice on the Wirral. It is on display in a Coal Mining Exhibition at Bersham Heritage Centre until October 31st 2009.I visited the Centre and copied the poem as it was embroidered.

In Luving Memory of Peter JonesWho lost his life at Wrexham explosion March 13 1889Goodbye Mother goodbye FatherThose were the words poor Peter saidAs he left his home one morning To go and earn his daily breadNow he is starting for the Pit mouthWelcome both by great and smallSome are saying Come on PeterYou are welcome by us all

Yes my friends you are welcomedCrowned with your sincerest loveNow before we go down brothersWe will raise the one above.Little did he think that morningAs he started from his homeHe should have had so short a warningThat his time on earth was done

Peter said the brave boys masterYou can finish if you likeThis was an hour before the disasterWhich took away the brave boys lifeNo said Peter I would ratherStop and help if I canI wont go home while you are in dangerRemember Viture makes the man

As he with his friends was workingThere was heard a dreadful soundIt was said by those above himTis an explosion undergroundIn a moment he was takenFrom the friends he dearly lovedNot a moment for to offerA prayer the one above

On the Sabeth before the explosionHe to worship God had beenIt mattered not on what occasion

Peter Jones in Church was seenWhat a feeling filled his parentsWhen the dreadful news spread aroundThey were saying to their kind friendsOh my Peter is undergroundFather Mother Sister BrotherDo not grieve because he has goneI hope youll say like poor PeterGod in Heaven thy will be done.

Annette Edwards.