Hills Bookshop Sunderland

To begin with, William Henry Hills started the oldest established booksellers and stationers in Sunderland, Hills Bookshop. Indeed, this was on Christmas Eve, 1852. His very first shop was at 186, High Street on the corner with Nile Street. Of course, those days, this was the commercial centre in Sunderland… Continue reading

Roker Park Sunderland

Roker Park, Sunderland However, Roker Park attracted very little attention until the late 19th Century. Indeed, the earliest development was the building of Roker Terrace along the sea front on the cliff tops. This was in the 1840’s and those buildings are still standing. Roker still did not have the… Continue reading

UFO Sightings Sunderland

Most early UFO Sightings were airships which began in 1909. Indeed, sightings continued throughout the years leading up to World War I. But earlier writers record a number of events which would certainly be in the same category as UFO sightings today. In 664AD according to the Venerable Bede, a… Continue reading

North East Ghosts

Wearside Online normally concentrates on the local area around the River Wear, of course. However, many people like a good story if it involves ghosts. So, some of the stories here come from around the north of England. But, around 50% are from the area around the City of Sunderland.… Continue reading

Jack Crawford Hero of Camperdown

Here we have the story of Jack Crawford, the Hero of Camperdown. Jack Crawford, was a sailor who was born in Sunderland on 22nd March 1775. This was in a house on Thornhill Bank, (now Pottery Bank) in the East End. He was a keelman, at a very young age.… Continue reading

Sunderland Fire of Fury

Fire of Fury: It was a calm peaceful summer’s night in Southwick, Sunderland, on the 21st July 1894. James Chilton, a 40 year old ships engineer, and his friend Thomas Fenton were returning to Mr Chilton’s home from the pub. Mr Chilton was of good character and they confined him… Continue reading

Major General Sir Henry Havelock

In the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826), Havelock served with distinction. Then he moved back to England where he would marry Hannah Shepherd Marshman. Hannah was the daughter of a Christian missionary, and over a short time, Henry became a Baptist. Later he would introduce some of his new family’s missionary… Continue reading