Grahamsley Colliery

[AllanUK]

Have discovered that an ancestor worked at Grahamsley Colliery in the 1860s - does anyone know where this colliery was. I have a feeling (from other records) that it may have been in the Crook area.

[Ruskie]

Do you have your ancestor in the 1861 census? He is likely to live close to his place of work.

It is not listed here:
http://www.dmm.org.uk/maps/index.htm

[Ruskie]

http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/article/11115?SearchType=AtoZ&SearchOn=Colliery&SearchStart=G


http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/article/11116?SearchType=AtoZ&SearchOn=Colliery&SearchStart=G&ItemID=557&layer=1&sheet=

[AllanUK]

The family lived at East Murton in 1861 and my ancestor and his father both worked at East Murton Colliery. By 1871 the family were living in Tanfield with the men of the family working at the local colliery. According to family paperwork, they were working at Grahamsley Colliery at some stage between the 1861 and 1871 Census.

[AllanUK]

So it seems to be in the Crook / Billy Row area. I will have to try and see if it appears on old OS maps.

[Ruskie]

So it seems to be in the Crook / Billy Row area. I will have to try and see if it appears on old OS maps.

I have just had a quick look around the area on the historical map on the link I gave, but couldn't find the colliery.

I hope you manage to find it.

Let us know how you get on. 

[stanmapstone]

It is not shown in the list of Durham places in the mid-nineteenth century produced by the Durham Record Office, nor is it in the list of Durham Collieries at the Durham Mining Museum. It is listed by Durham County Record Office but there are no details as to location.
Newspaper reports mentioning  Grahamsley Colliery date fron 1853 to 1870.

Stan

[davidft]

http://www.dmm.org.uk/news18/8570926a.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Forman_(trade_unionist)
http://www.dmm.org.uk/individ0/i01969.htm

http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/article/11116?SearchType=Param&Variations=N&Keywords=Grahamsley+Colliery&ItemID=557&layer=1&sheet=

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/18283502.will-one-county-durhams-irreplaceable-buildings-heart-coalfield-saved-today/


Looking at these links could Grahamsley be a former name for Roddymoor, or failing that there are open cast works to the west of Roddymoor could these be the elusive Grahamsley

[stanmapstone]

There is a report in the Durham Chronicle 10 November 1854 regarding the death, at Grahamsley Colliery, of a Francis Forsyth, age 18, the son of Francis Forsyth an Overman. In the 1851 Census they are living in North Roddymoor Cottages. This map shows an Old Coal Shaft,

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=54.72734&lon=-1.74846&layers=168&b=1

which on the old 1/2500 map is shown as Pease West Colliery (Lucy Pit) https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/416364/536908/12/100215

This is from the Durham County Advertiser 24 June 1853.


Moderator Comment: Copyright image removed