Letter 14 | December 2 2001

My mother, Evelyn Glen, was born in 1915 and raised in Blaina (more specifically, Bourneville) Monmothshire from the age of 2, when her parents moved there from Bristol. My maternal grandmother's name was Clara Reef. My mom is the youngest of a large family and is now the sole survivor of her brothers and sisters (Elsie, Edie, Roy and Percy).

As a child, she suffered a great trauma when her best friend was killed in an accident in the mine. I don't know which mine. As much as my mom can recall, her friend didn't want to go to school that fateful day and wanted my mom to go with her to play in the mine. Fearing the wrath of Clara, my mom said she had best go to school.

To this day my mother cannot recall the girl's name, as the shock of what happened caused my mom to lose all memory of the event. It was only through hearing her mother recount the story to a friend that she knows anything of what happened.

Her friend had gone to play in the mine, had climbed inside the big fan used for ventilation, and tragically, the fan had been switched on while she was inside. I would be very interested to know if there are any newspaper articles or anyone out there that can fill the gaps of this tragic story.

A relative of my mom's stepfather (Clara married three times) moved to Pennsylvania, I guess in the 30's, to work in the mines. All I know of him is that his surname was Gay. My mom's stepfather was George Gay. I'd be happy to hear from anyone who has some connection with either my mom, the area she lived in, or that tragic accident.

Wendy Brookes
email ukfan1@blueyonder.co.uk

 

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