Boldon Colliery

Boldon Colliery, possibly associated with the adjacent brickworks (HER 2569). It was adjacent to and served by the Pontop and South Shields Branch of the North Eastern Railway (HER 2290). Opened 1862, closed 24 June 1982. It was opened by the Harton Coal Company, and owned by the National Coal Board from 1947. Whellan, 1894, reports that this was "a parish of miners". The colliery worked the Bensham and Hutton seams. It had two powerful winding engines. 1600 men and boys worked here in 1894. The associated colliery village including over 500 miners' cottages, several shops, chapels for the Wesleyans, Primitives, Free Church and Lay Church. The nearest station was Brockley Whins. The miners hall was at the south end of the village. It was brick-built was stone dressings. Built in 1892, it cost £2000. It included a large lecture hall and several smaller rooms. The institute and reading room held about 300 volumes, a bagatelle and recreation room. The institute moved into the former Wesleyan Chapel when a new chapel was built.