Timeline of Sunderland facts for kids

Sunderland is an old city in North East England. It has a long and interesting history! For a long time, Sunderland was famous for building ships. This list tells you about some of the most important dates and events in its past.

Sunderland's Early Days

• 674 CE – St. Peter's Church was built. It's a very old church!
• 1069 – A prince named Edgar Ætheling sailed to Scotland from Wearmouth.
• 1183 – Bishop Hugh du Puiset created Sunderland's first official "Borough." This was an important step for the town.
• 1346 – People started building ships on the River Wear in Sunderland. This was the first time shipbuilding was officially recorded there.

The 1600s and 1700s

• 1634 – Bishop Morton helped create Sunderland's first Mayor and town council.

A view of the old Wearmouth Bridge, built in 1796.

• 1669 – Permission was given to build a pier and a lighthouse. These helped ships come and go safely.
• 1698 – The Sunderland Company of Glassmakers was formed. This shows that glassmaking was also important.
• 1719 – Holy Trinity Church opened in Sunderland Parish.
• 1793 – Philip and John Laing started a shipyard. It became one of the oldest shipbuilding companies in Sunderland.
• 1795 – Sir Henry Havelock, a famous soldier, was born in Bishopwearmouth.
• 1796 – The first Wearmouth Bridge opened. It was a big deal for crossing the river!

The 1800s: Growth and Innovation

• 1822 – A railway line opened from Hetton to Sunderland. It was one of the first railways to use steam locomotives! The famous engineer George Stephenson designed it.
• 1826 – The Wearmouth Colliery coal mine started.
• 1826 – (June 15) Harry Watts, a brave Sunderland diver, was born. He saved over 40 people from drowning! He also helped save another 120 people.
• 1831 – A serious illness called cholera arrived in Sunderland.
• 1832 – Sunderland became a "parliamentary borough." This meant people in Sunderland could elect two members to the UK Parliament.
• 1835 – St Mary's Church, Sunderland was finished.
• 1835/6 – The modern Borough Council was set up, and Sunderland got its first modern Mayor.
• 1850 – The South Docks opened, making Sunderland's port even bigger.
• 1856 – Sir William Mills was born. He invented the "Mills bomb," a type of grenade used in World War I.
• 1858
  • The "tongue" of London's famous clock, 'Big Ben,' was made near Sunderland.
  • The Wearmouth Bridge was made wider by Robert Stephenson, George Stephenson's son.
• 1873 – The Sunderland Echo newspaper was founded.
• 1875 – A ship built in Sunderland called The Torrens sailed to Australia in a record 64 days! The famous writer Joseph Conrad worked on this ship.
• 1879
  • Sunderland A.F.C. football club was started by Thomas Allen.
  • Sunderland station opened, making train travel easier.
• 1888 – Sunderland was given "County Borough" status. This meant it had more control over its own affairs.
• 1890 – Sunderland Town Hall opened.
• 1891 – The population of Sunderland was 131,686 people.
• 1892 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the Football League Championship!
• 1893 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the Football League Championship again!
• 1895 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the Football League Championship for the third time!
• 1900 – Sunderland Corporation Tramways started. These were electric trams that helped people travel around the city.

The 1900s: Modern Times

• 1901 – The population of Sunderland grew to 146,077 people.
• 1902 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the Football League Championship once more!
• 1903 – Roker Pier, a long wall protecting the harbour, was opened. It's 2,790 feet long!
• 1909 – The Queen Alexandra Bridge opened. It was the heaviest bridge in Britain at the time and carried both roads and trains.
• 1913 – Sunderland AFC won the Football League Championship again.
• 1923 – "Police Boxes," which later inspired the TARDIS in Doctor Who, were first used in Sunderland by Chief Constable Frederick Crawley.
• 1936 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the Football League Championship.
• 1937 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the FA Cup for the first time!
• 1954 – The Sunderland Corporation Tramways closed down.
• 1964 – Washington was named a "New Town," meaning it was planned for growth.
• 1967 – Several nearby areas like Ryhope and Castletown became part of Sunderland.
• 1969 – Sunderland Technical & Art Colleges joined together to form Sunderland Polytechnic, which is now the University of Sunderland.
• 1970 – The new Sunderland Civic Centre was opened by Princess Margaret.
• 1971 – The old Sunderland Town Hall was taken down.
• 1973 – Sunderland A.F.C. won the FA Cup for the second time!
• 1974 – Washington, Hetton-le-Hole, and Houghton-le-Spring became part of the new Borough of Sunderland.
• 1978 – The first "Wearside Jack" hoax letter was sent to the police.
• 1984 – The car company Nissan chose Sunderland to build its new European factory.
• 1986 – Sunderland Council gained more powers and duties.
• 1988 – It was announced that the shipyards on Wearside would close. This was a sad time for the city.
• 1992 – Sunderland officially became the "City of Sunderland" on March 23, by order of the Queen.
• 1993 – The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Sunderland to show off the city's new coat of arms.
• 1997 – The Stadium of Light, Sunderland A.F.C.'s new football stadium, opened.

The 2000s

• 2001 – The city's 39,000 council homes were transferred to a private landlord called Gentoo. Most tenants supported this change.
• 2008 – The Sunderland Aquatic Centre opened. It has an Olympic-sized swimming pool and is next to the Stadium of Light.

Images for kids

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  West View of the Cast Iron Bridge over the River Wear at Sunderland