HOUGHTON COLLIERY
September 24th 2011 marked the 30th anniversary since Houghton Colliery closed. The Pit was sunk on land at the north end of the town between 1823 and 1827 and expanded to become Houghton's biggest source of employment; by 1894 1,020 hands were employed.
Houghton Colliery was also a focal point in the community and the life force behind the growth of the village. Close knit communities, something not seen very often nowadays, stemmed from the colliery houses which surrounded the pit.
We must also remember that the Colliery was a dirty, dark and dangerous place to work and Houghton saw its fair share of disasters in the Colliery's early years and the loss of many lives while it was in operation.