Brancepeth Colliery opened in 1840 near Willington in County Durham. The colliery was owned by Strakers & Love Ltd. up to nationalisation in 1947. There were 3 pits ('A', 'B', & 'C') plus a drift mine. There was also an associated coking plant. At it's peak, in terms of numbers employed, in 1921 there were 2,354 working at the colliery (1,601 working below ground and 753 working on the surface). Brancepeth Colliery closed on the 22nd of July 1967, with the loss of over 1,000 jobs. (Co-Curate)