Craghead – Shafto Terrace
Before the Mine
Craghead sits within the area marked ‘Thomas Craster Esquire’s Estate’.
Across the top is the road that runs through Craghead towards Pelton Fell, labelled Wagtail Lane and Craghead Lane on the later map.
Craghead in 1915 – much more developed. William and George Pits were disused, but pits on the other side of the village still thrived. Shafto Terrace is spelled here ending in ‘e’.
The terrace was most likely named after the Shafto Family, well known County Durham landowners. Their name is most commonly spelled without an ‘e’, but occasionally this varies.
A Mining Community
Before William Hedley brought mining to the village with the sinking of the Thomas Pit in 1841, there was very little here other than a few houses and John’s Castle Inn. The first colliery houses were built at a cost of £45 and were very basic, with limited sanitation.
Over the following decades, Craghead became a thriving community. Shops, churches, schools and other amenities were built and the community flourished.
In 1910, Kelly’s trade directory listed no fewer than twenty five shops and businesses, ranging from drapers, newsagents and shoe makers to pubs and hotels. By then, the village also featured three schools, with places for 1,140 children in total.
The wars of the twentieth century did not leave Craghead untouched. The war memorial in Edward Street records over 150 names of local men who died for their country. The site was donated by the colliery company, along with £400 towards the memorial. An additional £921 9s 11d was raised by public
subscription.
The coal mine was not the only employer in Craghead. Those who didn’t work down the pit might find employment at the Webwear clothing factory or at the local Co-op, which employed over twenty people at its height. Jobs were also to be found on a smaller scale in other shops or at the local schools.
The colliery closed for good on 11 April 1969. The BBC visited to make a documentary ‘A Year in the Life: Craghead 1968-1969’, showing the community at this critical time and capturing something of a way of life shortly to be lost forever.
In the years since the colliery closed, there has been extensive regeneration and reclamation work around Craghead, clearing away the industrial scars of the area to create a more pleasant place for future generations to live.
Michael Heaviside
Born in Gilesgate, Michael Heaviside worked in Craghead Colliery before enlisting for the First World War. He served as a stretcher bearer and, on 6 May 1917, risked his life by crawling across No-Man’s-Land to reach a wounded soldier, bring him water and first aid. Later, he returned with two other soldiers and brought the wounded man back to the safety of the British trenches.
For his bravery, he was awarded the Army’s highest honour: the Victoria Cross. On 12 July 1917, he returned to a hero’s welcome and was presented with a gold watch. Shortly afterwards, he travelled down to London to receive his medal from King George V.
He continued to live in Craghead and work in the colliery until he died at his home in Bloemfontien Terrace in 1939, aged just 58 years old. He is buried at St Thomas Church in Craghead.
