Oakwellgate Colliery

Overview

Thomas Easton's colliery in the heart of Gateshead, won in 1842 to the ringing of St Mary's bells and lost to an inrush of water in 1858; a confectionery works was later built over the shaft.

History

Oakwellgate Colliery lay in the centre of Gateshead, between Oakwellgate Lane and Easton Place, its shaft and surface works near the street that gave it its name. It was the venture of Thomas Easton, who also designed the Friars Goose pumping engine, and was won on 29 May 1842, when the bells of St Mary's were rung to celebrate. In the 1850s it was the property of Messrs. Easton and Company, and its coal was shipped at its own staith, Oakwellgate staith, on the Tyne.

Its life was short. A hewer, William Carter, was killed by a fall of stone from the roof in 1855, and a man was crushed by machinery in 1851. The Low Main seam was abandoned in 1858, and shortly afterwards water burst into the workings in a volume the pumping machinery of the day could not overcome, so the pit was closed for good. Warehouses, and later Carr's confectionery works, were built over the shaft. During the fuel shortage of 1919 there were proposals to reopen it, but nothing came of them.

Geology

The Low Main seam.

Workings

A single shaft in the town, with a staith on the Tyne for shipping.

Closure

Closed in 1858 after the Low Main was abandoned and an inrush of water overwhelmed the pumps.

What remains

Built over: warehouses and later Carr's confectionery works stood on the shaft.

Related mines

• Felling Colliery — Gateshead-side collieries on the south bank of the Tyne.
• Hebburn Colliery — Both owned by Messrs. Easton & Co. in the 1850s.
• Sheriff Hill Colliery — Gateshead collieries.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Oakwellgate Colliery, a venture of Thomas Easton, was won on 29 May 1842, when the bells of St Mary's were rung. ¹
• The Low Main seam at Oakwellgate was abandoned in 1858; an inrush of water soon after could not be overcome and the workings were closed. ¹
• In the 1850s Oakwellgate Colliery was the property of Messrs. Easton and Co., and its coal was shipped at Oakwellgate staith. ^2,3
• Warehouses and later Carr's confectionery works were built over the Oakwellgate shaft; proposals to reopen it in 1919 came to nothing. ¹

Sources

1. (secondary) Oakwellgate Colliery (HER 5616) — Tyne and Wear HER (Sitelines)
2. (primary) Oakwellgate Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) Oakwellgate Colliery staith (HER 7840) — Tyne and Wear HER (Sitelines)

Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 21 October 2026