Many of the buildings in Sunderland Town Centre still remain although now modernised. Its hard to imagine the trams running along Fawcett Street and over the junction known as Mackies Corner, a favourite meeting place for people before they went into town on over the bridge on there way to Roker beach.

The official name of this building block is Hutchinsons Buildings , named after the owner. However, the occupier was Hatter Robert Mackie . After his death the premises changed to a drapers. On the right of the picture you can make out the start of the name George Henry Robinson on the opposite building Havelock House. Havelock House  was where the Great Fire started  on 18th July 1898 destroying 48 businesses, 12 of which were in High Street West, 11 in Fawcett Street, 22 shops and offices in John Street and 3 shops in Bridge Street.  The fire spread may well have been prevented had  we had an organised Fire Brigade in those days.
Fires in Sunderland.
As you can see by the carriage in the foreground, this is part of the Tramways. where we discuss this further accessed by this link.

Junction of High Street and Fawcett Street showing various forms of transport including horse driven, lorry and tram. This photograph was kindly loaned to me by my Uncle Arthur Wright.



Taken on Sunday 13th June 2010 .

Very little has changed over the last century apart from the shop signage facias. Fawcett Street was, for most of the twentieth century was recognised as the towns business and commercial area. However, in the mid-nineteenth century this was also a high class residential area. Athenaeum building, on the junction of Fawcett Street and Athenaeum Street served as the municipal museum and library from 1846 until 1879.

In the latter part of the nineteen century the busy High Street commercial area would start to engulf Fawcett Street. Businesses such as Binns, T.E.Ward ( Tobacconist ) , the Elephant Tea House, and Vincents piano shop. Interesting that Kate McMullen bought a piano for her daughter, Catherine Cookson in Sunderland in 1918. Could this have been the shop.

Fawcett Street was the location of the Town Hall.
Town Hall and Railway Station