Photographs Of Newcastle: Burradon and Camperdown

Burradon is a village in North Tyneside around 5 miles to the north of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is adjacent to Camperdown and the two villages are closely linked. Camperdown was once known as Hazlerigge

History
Burradon has been occupied since the 5th or 6th century B.C. In 1317 John de Weetslade (Camperdown) joined a rebellion against the King. The rebellion failed and John was stripped of his land, which was granted to William de Heslerigge.

Between 1820-1828 a small coal pit was sunk and marked the beginnings of the community, as it is known today. From 1829–1858 the centre and culture of village life moved from the old medieval settlement surrounding the farm to the ever expanding colliery village of Camperdown. In 1860 a mining disaster made the community famous countrywide. From 1895-1914 living conditions gradually improved and the mining families took control over their own affairs with the building of a Co-op store and working men's social club.

Economy
In 1820-1828 a small coal pit was sunk by Lord Ravensworth & Partners and marked the beginnings of the community, as it is known today. From 1829–1858 the centre and culture of village life moved from the old medieval settlement surrounding the farm to the ever expanding colliery village of Camperdown. In 1860 a mining disaster made the community famous countrywide. The colliery closed in November 1975. Little remains of the colliery except for the old Seaton Burn wagonway which was the boundary between Burradon and Camperdown

Burradon Mining Disaster
On 2 March 1860, an explosion took place at Burradon Colliery killing seventy-six men and boys. The disaster became of national interest and significance. At this time laws were inadequate at ensuring the safe operation of collieries and the families of disaster victims would have to rely on charity rather than compensation.[1]

The inquest and newspaper coverage of the disaster (mostly the involvement of the Newcastle Chronicle) took issue with who should be responsible for both compensation and mine safety in what was to become a hotly contested debate. A group of the more senior Burradon miners: Maddox, Carr, Urwin (and Baxter Langley, editor of the Newcastle Daily Chronicle) had been at the forefront of a campaign to set up an insurance scheme for miners hurt or killed down the pit. The mine owners procrastinated on this proposal. The mineworkers had enlisted the help, and won great respect, from the editor and owner of a local newspaper, who supported their case with everything at their disposal. The anger felt towards the mine owners and the vigour with which the subsequent trial was fought was all the greater because the disaster had been predicted

Read about its history in a series of articles ranging from prehistoric discoveries to present-day life at The Burradon and Camperdown Community Website.

Description harvested from Burradon, Tyne and Wear - Wikipedia

Burradon Farm, Farmhouses and Cottages

Burradon Recreation Ground

Burradon Primary School

Burradon Road

Front Street

The Travellers Rest

Fryers Millennium Green

Church Of The Good Shepherd

Camperdown Social Club

Grey Horse Inn

The Camperdown

Halfway House

The Burradon Colliery Memorial

Station Road

Reader Bob Carrick now living in the US sent in this picture regarding Hazlerigg and Burradon Coal Company's coal prices taken from a programme of The Mikado at the Gosforth Presbyterian Church about 1930.