Heworth Colliery (closed 1963)

A colliery in Heworth opened in c.1710, or possiby earlier. Over the years there were Ada, Fanny, an John Pits. At it's peak level of employment, in 1921 there were 2,012 working at the colliery (1,567 working below ground and 445 on the surface). Heworth Colliery closed on the 29th of June 1963.

Coal is worked at the Heworth colliery, which is believed, judging from plans of workings in the High Main seam in 1762, to have been sunk about the middle of the last century. It is situated about three miles south east from Gateshead, and the royalties are leased under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The present winding pit was sunk in 1819 to the Hutton seam, and to the Beaumont in 1876. A new shaft has lately been sunk near the winding pit, which will greatly facilitate the working. The seams met with in this royalty are the High Main, 5 feet 8 inches ; Yard Coal, 3 feet 3 inches ; Bensham, 4 feet 8 inches ; Five Quarter, 3 feet ; Hutton, 5 feet 2 inches ; and the Beaumont, 3 feet 7 inches. The respective depths are 81 fathoms to the High Main, 107 to the Yard Coal, 118 to the Bensham, 128 to the Five Quarter, 138 to the Hutton, and 161 to the Beaumont. There are 1000 men and boys employed at this colliery, which puts out 1100 tons per day, which are shipped at the colliery's staithes on the Tyneside at Pelaw.

William Whellan's 1894 Directory of County Durham