Location 7: The High Street

 

Returning onto the High Street, we can begin to view what is left of some of those thriving businesses and industries that brought the Port of Sunderland to life.

​

“In 1809 an Act of Parliament made provision for paving, lighting, cleaning, and improving the town of Sunderland; for removing the market; building a market house and a town hall, and establishing a river watch. Commissioners were appointed, who had powers to carrying these out. After the Act was obtained its beneficial results soon became apparent — many nuisances were removed; a watch was established in the town and upon the river; a more regular police established; the town was lighted, and its general appearance visibly improved.”

​

Looking back up the High Street past the junction, it is worth noting two of Sunderland’s significant merchants:

​

Caleb Wilson started as a grocer and tallow chandler in High Street in 1761 specializing in tea imports, tobacco and clay pipe manufacture. The business, called Joshua Wilson and Brothers after the death of the founder’s son in 1843, used its own fleet of barques - small ships to import goods for their grocery business. From 1870, it was entirely wholesale and adapted the old East End market building as its warehouse in 1954.

​

Secondly, the draper George Binns (1781-1836), born in Lancashire, he took over a woollen drapery and linen shop in High Street, Bishopwearmouth in 1811, drawing on his textile contacts in Manchester for stock. His son Henry (1810-80) took over the business after George’s death.

A covered market proposed was finally built in 1830 which eased congestion and nuisance in the High Street. After considering a site near the Exchange, the Commissioners erected the market hall, which measured 657 feet by 95 feet, between High Street and Coronation Street, adjacent to Church Street.

Continuing East, crossing Hartley Street, on the North side of High Street stands a newspaper shop on the side of which is a sign which has the name Neil’s Passage. When this part of the street was a shopping area this was indeed a passage down to the quayside between the shops.

​

Next to the newspaper shop is Bull Lane a surviving passage to the quayside. On the East side of the lane is the Clarendon Hotel, reputably the oldest pub in Sunderland. After the Clarendon Hotel were the Ice House and a Fish Shop. Continuing east, the next building is the Boar’s Head.

​

There has been a building on this site since the 1675. In 1827 it was known as the Masons Arms and in 1834 it was changed to its present name, The Boar’s Head public house was the favorite inn with rich gentry who visited Ryhope for sea bathing. According to folklore, Dick Turpin stayed here, but it is more likely that the highwayman was Robert Drummond who’s mistress lived in the Inn. On 17th February 1730, Drummond was hanged for shooting a stage coach driver. 

​

Down the steps next to Boar’s Head stood the old Customs House which it is said was built in Elizabethan times. There was also a later one which was used by Laidler's (Chandler). On the South side of High Street stood the Band of Hope on the corner of Vine Street. All of the property East of Boar’s Head was demolished including property on the Ettrick, Bowes, Thornhill and Low Quay’s prior to the construction of the Corporation Deep Water Quay (1934).