Fred & List.
The biggest pit in the Crook area was Roddymoor, located about half a mile
west of Crook. Whellan's 'History, Topography and Directory of County
Durham,1894' says that Roddymoor was sunk in 1844 by Pease & Partners, and
was at that time working five seams of coal. White Lea was opened in 1850
by Bolckow, Vaughan & Co. and was acquired by Pease & Partners in 1889.
Other pits in the locality mentioned in Whellans are Woodifield (Bolckow,
Vaughan) and Low Bitchburn - a little to the south-west of Crook (the Low
Bitchburn Coal Co), however I do not know when they opened. The nearby
Stanley pit did not open until 1850 and Sunniside in 1867.
There may have been other small drift mines working and not mentioned by
Whellan.
If any records have survived they are likely to be at Durham Record Office
who's website is at www.durham.gov.uk/recordoffce and their email address is
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Regards.
Alan.
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