An early photograph of High Street West, Gillbridge Avenue. On the left side of Gillbridge Avenue just past this point lay the Garrison Field which was used for the town fairs on bank holidays. Roundabouts, swings, steam organs and shows of all types it was always packed and a great draw for children as well as young girls and more adventurous grown-ups. Police were never far away.
Photo Norman Kirtlan, info Len Charlton.
It is Sunday 25th July 1954 in Bridge Street. Tram number 31 has just crossed the Wearmouth Bridge on the way from Dykelands Road terminus at Seaburn and will reverse outside the museum in Borough Road. The Sunderland Echo offices are on the right. The clock over the entrance is set in a finely detailed model of the old iron bridge, a line drawing of which was once used as a logo in the newspaper to show the edition time. Info from Malcolm Fraser
It is the Autumn of 1920 and we are outside Harrison’s the Grocers in Bridge Street, looking south towards Fawcett Street. It is late afternoon and the sun is shining in from High Street West on the right. Tram number 15 has been recently rebuilt to become the first totally enclosed tram in the Sunderland fleet. It has just passed the white frontage of the Havelock Cinema and is picking up passengers for its journey round the Circle route. The town hall tower and clock are just visible in the background. Info from Malcolm Fraser
Fawcett Street. The shops in the left and right foreground are Binns Department Stores., George and Henry Binns had started as drapers in Sunderland old town in 1807 and their business expanded rapidly. The company (now run by grandsons) acquired two houses in Fawcett St in 1884 and by 1921 stores were on both sides. The traffic and dress suggest that this photo is prewar sometime shortly after that date. The business continued to grow and a subway under Fawcett St. was built for customers Eventually Binns stores were in 14 towns and cities in the North until in 1953 they were acquired by House of Frazer. As the heavy industries started to run down post-war shopping patterns were changing and the Sunderland stores were finally closed down in 1993.
Information from Len Charlton.
