Sunderland
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Map of Tyne And Wear
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Sunderland memories
Read and share memories of Sunderland and Tyne And Wear inspired by Frith photos
Getting lost in Binns
One day, when I was about 5 years old, Mother took me to Binns, which used to be a big store in Fawcett Street. While I was standing by one of the counters, lost in a daydream, Mother went to another counter a few feet away. Abruptly I woke from my dream when the shop assistant leaned over and asked me what I wanted, and because I didn't see Mother, I thought she had gone away and left me there. I rushed out into the street crying, and a small crowd collected around me. A lady asked me where I lived, I was able to tell her, she gave me money for my tram fare, and I travelled home on the ...read more here
Contributed by Diana Dioszeghy
Going to school
My family and I lived in Seaburn, a suburb of Sunderland north of the River Wear, and from 1942 to 1944 I attended the nursery department of the Sunderland High School, south of the Wear. Every morning and evening my father, who taught in Sunderland Technical College, would take and fetch me travelling in a tram like the one on this photo.
Contributed by Diana Dioszeghy
Illuminations
The illuminations were a yearly event in Roker Park and it was magic as a young child to visit each year - particularly scarey was Marley's Ghost in a cave in the ravine.
The other memory was of fishing for tiddlers in the pond or having rides on the little train.
Contributed by Julie Skinner
Happy days
My parents used to take my brother and me to Roker Park so that we could play there. Our favourite game was rushing up and down the path running through the ravine, which can be seen on this picture.
Contributed by Diana Dioszeghy
Home to my McCue and Routledge ancestors
This would have been an everyday sight for my ancestors who worked in the paper mill at Hendon and for the NE Railway.
Contributed by Wendy Larmour
Extracts From Sunderland & Tyne And Wear books
This part of Sunderland developed into the commercial and civic heart of the town following the opening of Fawcett Street Station by the North Eastern Railway. In August 1879 both Fawcett Street and Hendon stations were closed on the opening of the new Central Station. In the picture is the Italianate Town Hall designed by Brightwen Binyon; it was demolished in 1971 after being replaced by a new civic centre at West Park.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
A tram rattles across the old road bridge bound for Grangetown. The 236ft single span cast-iron bridge was built between 1793 and 1796, and was considered to be one of the engineering masterpieces of the day. It was replaced by a new Wearmouth Bridge, officially opened by HRH the Duke of York in 1929. Just beyond is the North Eastern Railway’s bridge over the Wear.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
650 years of shipbuilding on the Wear came to an end with the closure of North East Shipbuilders’ Southwick yard in 1989. Here, however, is a reminder of what it used to be like, with ships being fitted out on both sides of the river. Almost hidden in the centre background is one of the tugs belonging to Lambton Collieries and identified by its funnel colours of black with three red horizontal stripes. Around the time the picture was taken, Lambton Collieries were sending between three and four million tonnes of coal a year to the Wear for shipment.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".
This is Mowbray Park, created in the 1850s out of Bildon Hill and the old quarries on its north face. The picture shows the glass and cast-iron winter gardens built on the back of the Library and Museum. This ornate structure was destroyed by enemy bombing during the Second World War.
An extract from from"County Durham Photographic Memories".