Sheepfolds Stables

Exciting things are afoot in the streets surrounding Sheepfolds Stables currently as one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration, investment and development programmes – Riverside Sunderland, is well underway and taking shape.

From a new multi-million pound pedestrian footbridge that links to the city centre and a state-of-the-art construction skills academy to hundreds of modern, new residential homes, the changing face of Sheepfolds as a desirable location is clear to see.

However, rewind almost 65 years and similar redevelopment plans were also being announced and put in motion when in February 1961, the area, known back then as ‘Back of the Pit’ was earmarked to be a new industrial area for Sunderland.

This meant more than 300 people residing in the tight knit but impoverished community were to be moved out of their homes and into council properties elsewhere in the city. The news, however, was met with delight as the area was said to have been a ‘slum’ with ‘wretched’ housing conditions, overcrowding, families living on or below the breadline in depredation and ‘no place to bring up children’.

Compulsory purchase orders were made by Sunderland Town Council to acquire approximately 144 homes in Sheepfolds - the area west of Monkwearmouth Railway Station which was bound by Wreath Quay Road, Hay Street, Richmond Street, Easington Street, Easington Street North, Brooke Street and Wilson Street.

…and despite ongoing developments currently, Easington Street and Richmond Street still exist today as the entrance roads into Sheepfolds Stables. Furthermore, and to fully acknowledge its roots, the local heritage and the residents from the surrounding streets all those years ago, one of two main bars within Sheepfolds Stables is named ‘Back of the Pit’.

Archive records, courtesy of Sunderland Antiquarian Society, show that one resident – Mrs Roberts, at the time living in Stobart Street, Sheepfolds, said that she had ‘battled to raise her family of five children in two small rooms’ and that there was ‘only one outside toilet and a tap to serve 11 people living in the house’.

A fellow resident in the same property – Sarah Coleman, commented that they had been there ‘far too long’ and she ‘hoped to get out of here soon’ as it was ‘disgraceful that she was so short of space’ and her 11-year-old boy had to sleep in the same bed as her and her husband.

Another Stobart Street resident – Mary Mooney, only had two rooms but 13 children to look after, three of which had left school.

Similarly, in nearby Brooke Street, Sheepfolds resident, Mrs Booth, was looking forward to the move. She is recorded as saying that she ‘was lucky compared to others as she had three bedrooms for her seven children’.

However, in contrast, moving to a new area and a modern property was also something that some were unsure of, as a more elderly resident of Brooke Street – Euphemia Lemmon (78) explained at the time. Whilst not exactly wanting to stay in Sheepfolds, there were worries about ‘affording to pay more than the 5s 4d (approx. 26p) – the amount paid at the time for a room. Transcripts show that the resident ‘wouldn’t mind a nice single room or even two, but not a council house with a hot water boiler upstairs’ as she was ‘frightened of modern things.’

So, while the prospect of a newer, more modern home may have been welcomed and attractive, the familiarity of their environment and the community in which they lived, despite being deprived, also kept people living in the Sheepfolds area for decades. Examples of this were Martha Younger, who lived in upstairs rooms on Back Brooke Street for over 40 years, and her sister-in-law, Marion Younger, who lived downstairs for more than 55 years.

It seems that Sheepfolds has, in little over 60 years, come full circle once again in terms of major regeneration and new development opportunities, only instead of seeing transformation from industrial to residential (and more) like today, mass demolition saw slum residential properties being converted into new factories and industrial units back in 1961.

Furthermore, Sheepfolds Stables, whilst being built way back further in 1884, was (and still is) at the centre of the area’s activities, transforming from an active working stable yard serving the North Eastern Rail Company to a highly popular food, drink and events destination, welcoming residents from across the region and when built, the new residents of Sheepfolds too.