< previous    next >

Ted remembers living in a former pub called the Aberdeen Arms which was right on the Quayside near the Ferry Crossing and near the main gate of Shipbuilders J. L Thompson. The owners of the pub was Deuchers Brewery. Being on the riverside he would with brothers and friends swim backwards and forwards across the river Wear. Upstairs  lived the Metcalf family. Being a lorry driver Mr Metcalfe would sometimes park his big lorry outside. During World War 2 the house ( Aberdeen Arms ) which had its name painted right across its roof was bombed  out so he spent some time rehoused in Stansfield Street School until being moved into a downstairs flat in Featherstone Street.

Ferry

The southside Ferry landing was opposite the pub and next to it was the River Wear Police Headquarters. The Police Station building was based in the river itself on a pontoon. The Fireboat was moored along side it. The two ferries which operated there was the Sir Walter Raine and the W.F Vint. Both were powered by steam from boilers fueled by coal. Ran by a three man crew, the Skipper, the Engineer and a Deckman who tied and untied the boat. The ferries were very busy especially when men were going to and from work in the shipyards. Frequently, people would rush to the boat as it was pulling out only to misjudge the distance and land in the river.  Running every day  until around 10pm the ferry was a direct route to the Old Market on the South side. Like lots of services in those days the ferry did not operate on a Sunday. You could buy a 3 month family pass giving unlimited access for the whole family for seven and a half pence.

Heading downstream towards the harbour was where the Hoppers would collect the towns rubbish that would be dumped at sea beyond the 3 mile bouy . The hoppers were long barge like boats that were towed out to sea by tugs as they had no engines . The rubbish was taken down to them by horse and cart. 

 "I recall on one occasion the hoppers lifeboat was stored on top of the rubbish. When the pins and chains were pulled to allow the rubbish to drop onto the ocean bed the lifeboat went in as well. Luckily enough, by the time the tug had turned round there was still part of the lifeboat that wasnt submerged and it was recovered " .

Heading down stream the next area was where the sisal boats would moor up and off load the raw material for the Ropery on the junction of Fulwell Road and Roker Avenue. Ironically, having played and lived here Ted would later operate the hammerhead crane in the south docks unloading sisal from the much larger ships. Dad used to buy headscarfs for Mam and friends that were brought over by the ships crew.

Next door was the paint factory Ward Anchors. It had a wall built at the front of it after the river flooded the factory during a extra high tide.

Move further down river you came to Burnsteins furniture factory where Ted and Von bought their first 3 piece suite. Teds Dad, Daniel Croft Wright was very good friends of the Burnsteins and kept several hen crees on the spare ground of the factory producing eggs and meat for local use. Rent was paid in the form of eggs during the year and free chickens for the oven at xmas.

Jacky Croans

Jacky Croans  were next door. This ship repair yard specialised in the repair of smaller ships and tugboats and in particular the hoppers. They would be dragged out of the river and onto the slipway by a large winch. Next door to the yard was one of the Wears biggest shipyards, J L Thompson. Ted remembers during the war that a big steel net was dragged across the river around the North and South dock entrances to stop submarines entering. At the South dock there was an alluminium bridge. What is now  known as the corporation quay was ,in fact known as the Deep Water Quay. Here, armoured vehicles, tanks and ammunition were loaded onto ships during the war.

At Manor Quay was a company called Dickinsons who were boilermakers.

Dads closest friends at that time were my Mams brother, Jackie Dodds, whos my uncle, Gordon Hunter and his brother Whane and Franky Graham. Frankie lived where the Roker Vic. Club now stands.

At the end of Featherstone Street was air raid shelters above the blockyard.

Bromarsh Cinema

I remember when the Bromarsh Cinema got hit be German Bombers in May 1943 as they tried to take out the Shipyards and Wearmouth Bridge. Originally it was Blacks Waxworks Exhibition before my time and was converted into Sunderlands first permanent Cinema in 1906. It was originally called Monkwearmouth Picture Hall and then the Bridge Cinema until its last owners, the Marshall Brothers renamed it the Bromarsh which was a play on their name.
Notes: James Deuchar started brewing at the Monkwearmouth Brewery, Sunderland in 1887 and expanded by buying the Lochside Brewery in Montrose and the water plant in Scotswood Road of Robert Emmerson in 1900. It was then decided that the original plant in Monkwearmouth would become a bottling and storage facility. Could this building be the pub formally known as the Bonnesfield just below the Wearmouth Bridge Northside which is now residential flats 2011