Description: In 1875 Miss Bowden cut the first sod inaugurating the construction of Southgate Colliery. The pit was operational from 1877-1929. The first recorded death was of Rufus Mew in 1878. A 150 ft chimney was built in 1890. By 1900, with a 1000 ft deep shaft, the mine had a workforce of 400 men and production was 600 tons a day. On the 22nd November 1911 there was an accident involving 12 men, 3 were killed, named Bunday, Marlow and Wild. On March 18th 1920 rescuers took 6 hours to evacuate the pit after a fire destroyed No 1 Engine House. The colliery was abandoned in 1929 after an inrush of water on 17th January from the abandoned Oxcroft pit. This picture shows the Gas House in the foreground and the Gasometers on the right