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.
