Sheriff Hill Colliery, also known as Ellison Main Colliery was founded in the 1780s. The "Plan of Colleries of Gateshead Fell" dated 1773, has a colliery marked "pit not sunk yet". The pits of Sheriff Hill Colliery were Ann, Bess, Centre, Dolly, Edge, Fanny, George, King, Bradley, Doll, Isabella, Kells, Stapple and Hope. Owners were Allhusen & Co: Sir A. Wood, Charlaw, Sacriston. Later owners were Lamb & Hutchinson, Gibson & Co, Charlton & Gibson and Forster. There were several disasters at the colliery - on 27th December 1793 14 people were killed, on 21st December 1794 there another explosion. On 27th June 1815 an explosion killed 11 people. A fire on 11th December 1815 killed 5 people and on 19th July 1819 there were 35 lives lost due to an explosion. Many of the victims of this latter disaster were buried at St. Mary's Churchyard in Gateshead. The layout of the colliery is shown on a plan by Thomas Bell of 1826. The Colliery closed by 1897. The colliery was served by the Bensham and Gateshed Fell Way which was built after 1670 (HER 5947).