Blackhall Colliery, Crimdon Dene Beach c.1965
Photo ref: B327031
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Photo ref: B327031
Photo of Blackhall Colliery, Crimdon Dene Beach c.1965

More about this scene

Here we see summer skies and golden sands. However, some areas of the Durham coast were polluted with spoil dumped directly into the sea from nearby collieries. Enterprising locals discovered that wave action separated coal from stone, so there was no need to buy coal when it could be picked for free from the beach; some even turned it into a business. At least one local authority tried to put a stop to the practice, but deservedly fell foul of the common law right to pick sea coals for nothing.

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Memories of Blackhall Colliery, Crimdon Dene Beach c1965

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. These memories are of Blackhall Colliery, Crimdon Dene Beach c.1965

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The name of the cricketer that came to play at Blackhall from Barbados was called Desmond Haynes I think
My grandparents spent nearly all of their married life in Blackhall and my grandad still lives there today. I'm 37 now and live on the other side of the world. I have lots of great memories. I used to spend a lot of time at the swings in the park next to the cricket and bowling ground with my sisters. I'd take walks along the beach banks with my Nan, sisters or on my own with their ...see more
This photo shows Crimdon Dene beach. Blackhall beach at that time was covered in coal dust and slurry caused by the tipping of the Colliery waste into the sea.