Research Projects
Blackhall Colliery - the housing needs of miners
by Bob Williams
In 1909 when the Horden Collieries Ltd decided to sink the colliery there were no houses at Blackhall at all. Many of the sinkers built huts on the beach banks for their wives and families. They used packing cases which the colliery discarded after removing mining machinery came in. It was not until 1910 when they started to the first shops, the streets of houses later. On the beach at Blackhall Rocks there were 40 families living in huts right up till 1939 when the Council Estate was built. Crimdon as it is known now was originally called Hart Dene and Sands possibly several hundred families live there in tents and huts again until the council decided to try and re-house them owing to the lack of fresh water and sanitation problems.
Digitised by Linda Dobson
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© 2003 Williams, Bob
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