History of Sunderland Town Hall with images.
Since 1835, council meetings took place in the Exchange Building in the old East End of Sunderland (right image). But, by 1870, pressure was mounting to remedy the situation and provide a building more appropriate to the needs while providing more dignity.
Sunderland Town Hall Proposals
The first proposal for the new building came from architect Joseph Potts in 1868. Indeed, Potts suggested developing the Fawcett Street site for the erection of a council chamber and administrative offices. He also proposed a concert hall, library, museum and police courts in the same building.
In short, Potts’ proposed centralised facility included renting out parts of the site to help pay for the £45,000 scheme. In this case, tenants would have included the Post Office, the Inland Revenue and 11 shops. However, Sunderland Corporation turned down the idea on cost.
In view of the rising need for a new Sunderland Town Hall, in 1873 the council made a start. That is to say, they decided to hold an architectural competition after buying the Fawcett Street site. With this in mind, submissions for the new building was to cost no more than £20,000. Of course, the council clearly didn’t want to go over budget.
All in all, thirty designs flooded in and there was an exhibition in April 1874 displaying most of them. The corporation, who were judging the designs had picked two winners, but could not decide which was the best. Indeed, even after several years of effort, no progress was forthcoming. As a result, there was a temporary abandonment of the project.
In 1886, there was the announcement of a new competition, this time with a cost limit of £27,000. Moreover, there was a winner this time. In this case, the winning architect was Brightwen Binyon of Ipswich.
Sunderland Town Hall Opens
Built by Sunderland brothers, John and Thomas Tillman, the new Sunderland Town Hall indeed opened on November 6th 1890.
Although the building did cost £27,000, the total cost came to nearly £50,000.
This is because other items had to come into the equation, like the cost of the land, services and decorations.
By and large, the new Sunderland Town Hall seemed to be a credit to the town. However, all was not well. This is because, from the beginning, it was inadequate for its purpose. In fact, the beautiful Victorian building only survived for 80 years.
In any event, Sunderland County Borough needed bigger premises in which to do business. So, in 1964, they chose Sir Basil Spence, Bonnington & Collins as the architects for the new Sunderland Civic Centre. This, of course, was to replace the old Sunderland Town Hall. Indeed, after commencing work in January 1968, the new Sunderland Civic Centre opened in July 1970. Moreover, the total cost of this project was £3,359,000. In the meantime, a number of departments had to relocate until the Civic Centre was able to accommodate everything.
Town Hall Demolished
Since Sunderland Town Hall was a beautiful Victorian building, proposals for alternative uses came forward. Obviously, this was in an attempt to preserve the building. However, the council rejected all of them. Thus, in 1971, demolition of Sunderland Town Hall began and this was a controversial move to say the least. Indeed, many people say that pulling down Sunderland Town Hall is Sunderland’s greatest architectural tragedy.
Wearsiders may remember the footpath after demolition.
So much for modernisation, many think that the newer civic centre will not last longer than the old town hall. In fact, various departments have began to move elsewhere in the city. However, the tragedy of destroying part of Sunderland’s heritage leaves a bad taste with many on Wearside.
Finally
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I was a member of the borough council from
1970 till 1976 ,
The then tory controlled group con us to demolish the town hall
It should be standing to this day
Modernise yes take the heart out NO
Bill, if you were a member of the borough council at the time, did you oppose the demolition? And why did your fellow councillors sanction this?
Disgraceful 1971 Sunderland Councillors, they should be locked up and throw away the key – absolute disgraceful ignorance
Could only happen in Sunderland!! Wouldnt have been allowed to happen elsewhere, for example all newcastles historic buildings are preserved
This is very far from the truth. Examples include:
– Newcastle Town Hall which was built in 1863 in the Bigg Market and was demolished after years of dereliction in 1973 (just two years after Sunderland Town Hall).
– Great swathes of Grainger Town was pulled down in the 1970s to make way for Eldon Square. Only one side of Eldon Square survives to this day.
– There are many 20th century buildings on Northumberland Street with few of the Regency buildings surviving.
– Jesmond Road which has 18th century terraces was cut in half so that the Central Motorway could be ploughed through it in the 1970s.
Yeah, the 1970s was a bad decade for old buildings in Newcastle as well.
Palmers Arcade demolished – another ignorant decision from Sunderland Councillors – disgraceful
Sunderland council guilty of this crime pulling down that building. Corruption ?…