Vane Tempest Colliery

23/01/2022

Item title reads - King of Spain in a coal mine! Royal visitor dons overalls and descends into the Londonderry Pit. Seaham Harbour Colliery. Ireland. M/S ...

27/11/2021

Seaham Coastline. Starting at Noses Point along to Seaham Marina and towards East Shore Village.

09/08/2020

Paul & John at the Colliery Wheel

Another posting of the County Durham Flag from our grand day out. Here my mates Paul and John are at the Colliery Wheel at Seaham, County Durham.
Seaham Colliery was a coal mine near Seaham in County Durham. Sinking of the first pit began on 13th April 1849 for the and by the third Marquis of Londonderry. In the late 19th century, the colliery was producing between 2,500 and 2,800 tons of coal per day, which were shipped at Seaham Harbour and Sunderland Docks.
The mine suffered an underground explosion on the 8th September, 1880, which resulted in the deaths of 164 men and boys (Only 5 survived at the level of the explosion). At it height, in 1914, the colliery employed 2,574 people below ground and 520 above ground. The mine was nationalised in 1947 and in 1988 was merged with Vane Tempest Colliery, and was closed by 1993.
Many thanks to my Shildon Co Durham mates Johnny Peacock and Paul Strophair for this great posting, cheers buds. It was a cracking day.

10/04/2020

We have just been informed an ex Vane Tempest Miner died today Russell Turton

Can anyone remember Russell? He was from Houghton.

15/03/2020

Brothers in Arms.
The six Maitland Brothers of Seaham Colliery all enlisted in the Tyneside Scottish. Four of them survived. A seventh brother David had an eye condition and did not serve.
Photo Credit - Maitland brothers at Alnwick Camp from John Sequin - John Seguin Thomas Maitland with the X, George to the right (we think) and again to the right another Maitland brother, not sure which one and possibly a couple more above them. (Alnwick).

05/11/2019

05/10/2019

We have another new request from
Barbara Russell Ne Foulds

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Does anyone locally have access to the archives and could find out when my late father started work in vane tempest pit?

It would probably be the late 1940's maybe 47/48? It would be very helpful if I could find out any information.

His name was William Foulds DOB 5/12/2016 and his address would have been

52/53 Wynyard street later to be changed to 5 Azalea terrace south if you could help with any information that would be great.
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05/10/2019

A Message from Ron Muir
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Hello Vane Tempest Colliery page followers. My mane is Ron Muir.
Just found the site by accident. My sister lived in Souter Drive but has just moved to Sunderland. I am 70 now started when I was 15. I would imagine if I am 70 most people will have passed on now or at least not have access to this new "online technology" .

I started as an Apprentice Electrician 1965. Worked with many fine men. Left in Dec 1971 to go to Zambia Copper mines. with People like Denis Walker, Kenny Wear, Jimmy Swan. All started by Billy Vernon in the Maudlin Sub station when He showed the advert in the news paper.

After working in Zambia. returned to Silksworth Colliery1974 Jobs were hard to find I worked in several jobs. The Magic of the N.C.B say you were X-NCB and the job was yours. Work was very unstable so in 1981 I moved to South Africa in the coal mines. Many x-coalboard people there.

I can remember a story about my grandfather George Lister I think he worked at Ryhope Colliery but not sure it may have been Silksworth Colliery. He had to bath every shift at home in a bath tub in front of the fire. He was badly injured and broke his back. They lived in the last house in Summerset Street near what was the post office, before moving to 4 The Crescent in Newport. My uncle George Jordan worked underground at Wearmouth Colliery

By all means share this and lets reconnect with some memories..

Ron
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Admin Note:- Can anyone remember Ron? Bare with him as he has just started using FB to link up with anyone he may of known from the past.

How many are left from this ear?

06/09/2019

Originally broadcast 12 January 1972 This film depicts various scenes, interviews and references to the Durham coal mines and lives of the miners and their f...

19/08/2019

This candid, observational Tyne Tees TV news feature powerfully communicates the raw experience of a pitmans shift at Dawdon Colliery in 1967 the heat, dirt, cramped tunnels and deafening noise of coal-cutting machines and conveyors. Without commentary, this film recalls a vanished era of courage and camaraderie for the miners working in hellish conditions two miles out and 1,000 feet below the North Sea, off the Durham coastline.

Grit, grime and graft fathoms beneath the North Sea for coal miners at Dawdon Colliery.