Memories of Wrexham’s rich history in the coal and mining industry are being kept alive in the building originally built for the purpose of training rescue teams.

The Miner’s Rescue Station on Maesgwyn Road, Wrexham, is capturing the stories and memories of those with loved ones in the mining industry.

Built in 1913 to train the coal mining rescue teams, the station is most noted for its involvement in the Gresford Colliery Disaster, being the place the rescue miners came from to try and help those caught in the disaster.

On the anniversary in September this year, a wall was unveiled commemorating the 266 lives lost in 1934 disaster.

The building was later used by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service where all firefighters in the region were trained.

Parts of the rescue station are currently in disrepair and a project is currently underway to try to save it and have seen people coming forward to tell their stories of their connections to the building’s history.

The Leader: A part of the building where there is no solid roof A part of the building where there is no solid roof (Image: Newsquest)

George Powell, who owns the building, said: “It’s about capturing the history of the building, so all the stories of the miners and the miners’ families and the firemen. Ex-firemen are bringing lots of stuff in and stories about people.

“It's all about saving the building but also capturing the history of the building at the same time.”

It is thought that saving the building altogether may cost over £1 million, and the damage is so extensive that parts of the building do not have a roof, and the project, which is 100 per cent volunteer-led, is fighting against water damage.

The Leader: Water damage Water damage (Image: Newsquest)

Part of the building has been converted into a museum which is not just remembering Gresford or direct history to the building, but the mining history of Wrexham in general.

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George said: “The one thing I’ve learned since getting involved in it is there’s a lot more to it than Gresford. The amount of people who come in just because their dads, their grandads were miners, nothing to do with Gresford but they were in Bersham, they were in Llay, and they come back.

“And we get lots of miners coming in, and they're getting quite old now, but they want somewhere to come to (to remember).

“So, we’re allowing families to record history of their family and we're going to put them over the walls.”

George says that Wrexham was “built on coal” and it is important to remember that history so they want to make the building “personal to the people of Wrexham”.

There is an opportunity to buy a brick, like the ones commemorating the 266 victims of the Gresford Disaster, to remember any loved ones, and help support the project.

Families are also encouraged to tell their stories and bring in any items to remember loved ones.

George added: “If you’ve got stories, if you want to remember your loved ones bring the stuff in, but work with us. Write it up and we’ll get it up on the walls.”

The rescue station is open daily and has an onsite café.