Dear Editor,

Many thanks for including our photo in Warren Wilkins' wonderful article about the anniversary of the East Wheal Rose Mine disaster.

We are the Collier family from Wigan, and our connection to the disaster is through our ancestor, Joselyn Lanyon, who lost two of his brothers, Reuben Lanyon and Josiah Lanyon, in the East Wheal Rose mining disaster.

Our family attended the commemorations together. There was myself, Patricia Collier, my husband Paul, our son Andrew Collier and our daughter Jane Collier and her husband Edward Ashton, our granddaughters Liliana and Francesca.

We have spent many years researching our family history, and attending the anniversary was the culmination of a journey to better understand our Cornish roots.

Our family line is through my mother, Lilian Lanyon, who was born in Wigan. Her father was Joseph Lanyon, also born in Wigan, whose father Alfred Lanyon was born in Bodmin after the family had left Cornwall. Alfred's father was Joselyn Lanyon, who remained in Cornwall as a young man and tragically lost his two brothers, Reuben and Josiah, in the disaster.

We believe Joselyn may himself have been working at the mine surface at the time.

For many years we had wondered about our ancestors and our Cornish heritage, so travelling from Wigan to Cornwall for this anniversary was an incredibly emotional experience. Visiting East Wheal Rose Mine, the churches in St Newlyn East and St. Allen allowed us to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and gain a far deeper appreciation of their lives.

Being in the church to hear the bells toll 39 times in memory of the miners was deeply moving. Seeing the 39 slate memorials, each bearing the name and age of one of the men who died, brought home the enormity of the tragedy in a way that words alone never could. Knowing that two of those names belonged to our own family made the experience especially poignant and unforgettable.

We also had the pleasure of finally meeting the Cornish historian Barry West, without whose dedication to researching and writing about the disaster would have left the tragedy largely forgotten. The disaster now has the public awareness it deserves.

His work has helped descendants like ourselves understand our family history and appreciate the lives of those who were lost and feel a strong connection to our Cornish roots.

The memorial event that evening was another unforgettable experience.

We were so grateful to see the anniversary receive such thoughtful coverage. Stories like this ensure that the sacrifices of the miners and the devastating impact on their families and the local community are never forgotten.

Thank you once again for helping to bring this significant story to the public's attention. The article beautifully captured the spirit of the commemorations, and we are very grateful for your support in ensuring that the memory of those who lost their lives continues to be honoured.

With kind regards,

Patricia Collier and family

Wigan