Rough Lea colliery began production in 1858, working five seams, which extended well beyond the village and past Quarry Burn. Large amounts of seggar (shaly clay) were extracted from between the seams and brought to the grinding mill in horse-drawn tubs. It was recorded that one small, white horse named Charlie was “ill-tempered if you got on the wrong side of him.” The seggar was used for making drainage pipes, water closets and Belfast sinks. From the 1890s there were 15 circular, coal-fired kilns about 15ft in diameter with a domed brick roof. The floors of these beehive kilns were pierced with holes, below which tunnels led to a square 60ft chimney. A coal fire in a shallow pit at the end was stoked by a fireman, and once the pipes were fired he shovelled in rock salt to glaze them. In 1927 the works employed 90 men and production had expanded to include garden fancy ware, including gnomes. North Bitchburn Fireclay Company took over and ended the production of white enamel ware in 1952, but there was still enough work to justify the old beehive kilns being replaced by oil-fired kilns in the 1960s. From 1970 the fireclay was brought from a new drift mine at Brecken Hill, but the colliery there closed in 1974 and the Rough Lea pipeworks were demolished the following year. Like most Durham mines, including its two neighbours along the railway line, the colliery had its own lodge and was represented at the Pitmens’ Parliament at Redhills in Durham . A colliery band existed from 1890 to the 1920s and played at the Durham Miners’ Gala, where surviving bands still march behind their lodge banners.

The Rough Lea banner was made in 1873 by a London firm, J Tuthills. It was redesigned in 1890 and after going missing for many years it was rediscovered by workmen demolishing Sunnybrow Welfare Hall. It was among contents sent to a saleroom in Bishop Auckland, where it was recognised by Hunwick resident Betty Pratt, who bought it for the village. It was restored and re-dedicated by Arthur Scargill in 1994 before being stored at Redhills. It deteriorated but after being remade again in 2022 it was paraded at that year’s Miners’ Gala and is currently (2023) on display at Hunwick Workingmen’s Club.