Suzi The Hen

Welcome to the Suzi Trail!
Have fun and learn about Chopwell with Suzi The Hen.


#1 Chopwell Community Centre

The Community Centre has long been the hub of the whole village. Originally the Leadgate Co-op, opened on the 7th June, 1913. Anyone else remember their mam’s or gran’s divvy number? 

#2 the pit heap

This pit heap was really high! They created it using stones out of the mine. Sometimes they’d tip coal as well as stones and a few of us would go out and fill a bag with coal.

#3 The gaffers

This club was built to service the pit managers hence ‘the Gaffers’ nickname; regular miners were not allowed in.

#4 St John’s Church Hall/ C of E Church

The hall was used for all sorts of events including weddings of course and a youth club.

#5 The Top Club

Here, where the cenotaph stands is where the Top Club used to be. Lots of stories to tell about that place!

#6 The Railway Line

This wasn’t a public line, it was only for wooden trucks. Trucks filled with coal would go from the pit to Thornley.

#7 The Institute

This was a billiard and snooker hall for a time. I think Bob Armoury ran it for a while. It was built for miners and run by the colliery and the Miner’s Welfare Union

#8 The Hotel

The Hotel was the main place for social gatherings, there was always a do on.

#9 Derwent Street

Derwent Street was always the main street of Chopwell. This was where you did your shopping, everyone shopped more locally then.

#10 Tay Street School

There was a lot of colliery housing on Tay Street. The school was built in 1910 and started as a girls’ senior school before changing to a primary and infant school.

#11 Chopwell Park

The pavilion was built in 1935 for the miners, using money from their wages, £10 000 or thereabouts.

#12 The Kings Cinema

The King’s was built in 1910, a cinema first then a Bingo hall. This was where you’d do your courting, taking someone to see a double header or if you were a kid, watching a film on a Saturday morning.

#13 The pit Wheel

The Wheel was part of the mechanism to lift and drop the cage to send people down the mine shaft.