Location 1: Low Street
“The High Street is about a mile long, from west to east and twenty to thirty yards broad; the Low Street is of a good length, very narrow, and runs parallel with the High-Street. Besides these, there are several lanes between the two streets and several streets which run south from the south side of the High-street. Sunderland is a borough, but sends no members to parliament.” (1)
From Low Street you would have been able to access a number of businesses littered between alleys and quays. Both Corder’s Manuscripts and the earlier Rains Eye Plan provide us with some details.
The buildings that still remain as a reminder of this bustling historic street view and resonate with the industries long gone from these quays and alleys are the impressive Wylam Wharf building; first recorded in 1601, this wharf was also known as Eltringham’s Wharf. French’s Wharf was used to trade in coal and general goods. It was made of rubble stone with a brick extension added in about 1820. Licensed as a Custom House where goods chargeable with duty, or bonded, could be landed and shipped. Its central location made it one of the busiest of Sunderland’s Wharves. The name stems from Edward Wylam who bought it in 1819 and from 1912 it became known as the Rose Line Building when it was taken over by the Rose Line Company. It was disused in 1986 once the Rose Line Company moved out and it fell into disrepair. The building was restored in 1995 and is now used as flats and restaurants. The other site further west on Low Street is The Bonded Warehouse, an early 19th Century building. This housed a smithy, making ships chains and anchors and a Marine Stores Dealers to hold goods “in Bond” to save payment of duty. Later used by George Younger & Sons Ltd (Brewer) of Alloa. From 1914 it was taken over by the Roseline Shipping Company.
(George Younger & Son Ltd was registered in February 1897 as a limited liability company to acquire the business at a purchase price of £500,000. The company traded extensively to the North of England, West Indies, Australia and North America and from the 1880’s to India , the Far East and South Africa. It took over R. Fenwick & Co Ltd, Sunderland Brewery, Low Street, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, England,)
https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/3d2115a8-b4d1-35e2-bc5e-c8e2b0fee6f4
Just below the area of The Boars Head further east on Low Street would have been the Elizabethan Customs House, demolished in 1935 when the Corporation Quay was built.
“This great number of people is supplied with all kinds of provisions from a very plentiful market, held here every Friday. Here are also two fairs, held on the 12th and 13th of May, and on the 12th and 13th of October; but they are of little consequence, the principal commodities being toys. The inhabitants are well supplied with good water; probably not a sea-port town in the island can boast a greater plenty.” (1)
As you take in the views imagine the activity here on Low Street; these businesses, ships and peoples that filled the riverside streets. The sounds and smells of a thriving parish would bring new wealth but also the darker side of over-population, poverty and lack of sanitation. This was epitomized by the 1831 Cholera outbreak which arrived at Sunderland’s docks in October via a ship from the Baltic States. By choosing to dock, the captain disregarded government regulations; he knew the ship was carrying infected sailors. Twelve year old Isabella Hazard who lived near the Fish Quay, was the first victim of the deadly disease. She became known as ‘the blue girl’ due to her unhealthy skin colour in the early days of her illness.
TUESDAY 16th JUNE 27th 1809
At Sunderland on Monday te’nnight a young man undertook for a wager to run from the Low Quay to Mr. Hewett’s landing at Southwick, about 2 miles against a pilot boat with two oars and the tide in favour. A number of bets were made on the occasion with the odds greatly in favour of the boat, but the young man won by about five Minutes.
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The Universal British Directory, published in five volumes during the 1790’s, lists the leading inhabitants and tradespeople of towns and villages across Britain. The entry for Sunderland, which appears in volume iv of the directory, was evidently written during 1795 or 1796, as it notes that the building of the first Wearmouth bridge was then in progress.
