South Garesfield Colliery 1892. Source: Beamish Museum Jack Uren Collection.
Opened in 1875, South Garesfield Colliery was a deep pit with both shafts and drifts, owned by the South Garesfield Colliery Company from 1887 through to nationalisation in 1947.
Group of staff, including deupties, at South Garesfield Colliery 1892. Source: Jack Uren Collection - Beamish Museum.
(Source: 'The Industrial Railways and Locomotives of County Durham' Colin E. Mountford & Dave Holroyde)
Lintz Colliery had been opened in 1855 by McLean and Prior. In 1869 the colliery comprised of an area of 660 acres and was estimated to contain 1825 acres of unworked coal. This together with the colliery plant, agents' and workmen's houses, stables, fire-brick works, 158 coke ovens and all other erections and buildings was put up for auction in December that year - liquidators' announcement below:
Source: Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
The colliery was also referred to as North Lintz Colliery as this had been the former name of the pit when it was taken over by the South Garesfield Colliery Company.
c. 1902 - the above photo shows the top, endless rope haulage taking tubs from the Tilley drift to South Garesfield Colliery visible in the distance. Tubs were clipped to a constantly moving rope. (Source: 'The Industrial Railways and Locomotives of County Durham' Colin E. Mountford & Dave Holroyde)
Amongst locals South Garesfield Colliery was, and still is, known as 'Friarside' due to the fact it was situated at Low Friarside, and this colliery was one of, and certainly in earliest times, 'the' main source of employment for the men and lads who lived in the Bottoms.
Workers at South Garesfield 'Friarside' Colliery 1908.
Up until the early 1930s workers' accommodation had also existed at Middle Friarside and Low Friarside itself where there had been some thirty three wooden houses arranged around a square. (Source of the 3 photos shown above: "Around Burnopfield" - John Uren )
Wooden house at Low Friarside
Pit Manager's House at South Garesfield Colliery
Whilst production and employment at Friarside peaked around 1914, in 1930 it still counted some 348 men/boys in its employ; with 309 working underground and 59 at bank.
Children of families living at Low Friarside. Source: Jack Uren Collection - Beamish Museum.
There were five drift mines at the colliery: the Beaumont, Busty, Towneley, Water Level and Yew Tree and the following seams were worked over the years until its closure in February 1960:
1894 - Brockwell, Busty, Three Quarter 1914 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Three Quarter, Tilley, Towneley, Victoria 1921 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Three Quarter, Tilley, Victoria 1930 - Beaumont, Big Hutton, Brockwell, Busty, Little Hutton, Main, Three Quarter, Tilley, Towneley, Victoria 1935 - Beaumont, Big Hutton, Brockwell, Busty, Little Hutton, Main, Three Quarter, Tilley, Towneley, Victoria 1940 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Main Coal, Three Quarter, Towneley, Victoria 1950 - Big Hutton, Brockwell, Busty, Little Hutton, Three Quarter, Tilley, Towneley, Victoria 1955 - Brockwell, Busty, Hutton, Tilley, Towneley, Victoria 1960 - Tilley, Towneley
Some 478 men were employed at the colliery at the height of its activity in 1914, with 421 men/boys working underground.More details of employment figures are available on the Durham Mining Museum web site.
Thought to have been taken in the summer of 1947, in the above photo residents from the Gill Bottoms take part in a parade possibly celebrating the nationalisation of Britain's coal mines (January 1947). The placard displayed by the little boy dressed as a miner reads: "WHY WORRY ABOUT OUR FUTURE MINING INDUSTRIES. N. C. B;" A group of men can be seen gathered to the rear of the photo in front of the Vale Social Club.. (Photo: Heather Woods)
The above photo shows "a pit pony called Spider only 40" high who was used to get the water infusion tub into South Garesfield Colliery. He was so small he couldn't pull the tub. The men were so fond of him that they used to push it for him". (Source: Beamish Museum - People's Collection)
Following the closure of South Garesfield pit, many men transfered to nearby Barcus Close which operated up until 1965/6..