Produced by Stephinson Television, in association of The Sunderland Echo, a film that looks back on a century of change in the city of Sunderland and Wearside using archive images and interviews with older residents. A montage of locations in the Sunderland area including the Penshaw Monument, St Peters Church Monkwearmouth and the Wearmouth and Monkwearmouth Railway bridges over the River Wear. Traffic moves along Fawcett Street morphing into a montage of black and white photograph showing...

Produced by Stephinson Television, in association of The Sunderland Echo, a film that looks back on a century of change in the city of Sunderland and Wearside using archive images and interviews with older residents. A montage of locations in the Sunderland area including the Penshaw Monument, St Peters Church Monkwearmouth and the Wearmouth and Monkwearmouth Railway bridges over the River Wear. Traffic moves along Fawcett Street morphing into a montage of black and white photograph showing the same location during different period in its past. Title: A Century in Sunderland Six local people provide their memories of living and working in Sunderland; Dorothy Overden, born 1891, John Bryant, born 1905, Isabel Wilkinson, Frank Entwistle, Hilda Simpson and John Wilkinson. Each provide a story of what it was like living in Sunderland illustrated with a series of black and white photographs of that period. Hilda Simpson and John Bryant talk about World War One and the affect this had on them and the city. John Wilkinson remembers attending the opening of the Wearmouth Bridge by the then Duke of York, later King George VI, on the 31st October 1929 and the final silver rivet which the Duke hammered in the bridge which is still part of the bridge today. The Wearmouth and Monkwearmouth Railway bridges again morphing into both drawing and photographs of the bridges in the past changes to a photograph of a ferry crossing the Wear at Hylton. Interview with Maurice Boyle at the site of the crossing about the ferry’s history. In the distance the Hylton Viaduct carrying the A19 dual carriageway, the tide out a ship or vessel sit in the muddy riverbank. Leslie Hall stands at the till of a ship travelling down the Wear, he talks about his father who was a River Pilot. At the mouth of the Wear Lesley stands looking out on the swinging basin, a location where tugboats could turn a ship. As he talks black and white photograph of ships on the Wear. He remembers North Dock, the many surrounding shipyards and the amount of shipping that came in and out of the Wear all illustrated with a series of relevant black and white photograph. The front page of The Sunderland Echo containing the declaration at the start of World War Two. Pat Ayton, then aged nine, Frank Entwistle, Dorothy Thompson and others all talk about the war, having to learn to wear gas-masks and the heavy bombing of the city which killed several of their friends. As before their stories are illustrated with black and white photograph of the era. The front page of The Sunderland Echo again, but this time declaring Victory in Europe followed by black and white photograph of people celebrating and dancing and images of the Seaburn illuminations and large crowds enjoying a sunny beach. On Roker beach Dennis Kirtley remembers the experience of seeing hundreds of people crammed in on the sand. Pat Ayton also talks about the crowds and the simple pleasures a day on the breach brough. A black and white photograph of Dennis as a boy in 1935, he explains he had won a sand drawing competition. Pat remembers the Cat and Dog Steps leading onto the beach at Roker and her family always picking the same spot. More black and white photograph illustrate many of the points being raised changes to show the empty steps and beach today. Inside Roker Park, home of Sunderland Association Football Club, Arthur Appleton sits in the stands giving a history of the club from the 1880s through to the 1950s. He along with Dennis Kirtley talk about the atmosphere going to these matches as children and who were the favourite players. Changes taking place in Sunderland in the 1950s follows with those featured in this film talking about what they remember including the demolition of the town hall. Over black and white photograph both inside and out many of those being interviewed talk about the sad loss of the hall. Entertainment in the city is discussed next with several talking about the many variety acts appearing at the Sunderland Empire. Pat Ayton remembers the city having fifteen cinemas, she talks about the value for money you got from going to some of the bigger cinemas having not only films but also variety acts. Back at Seaburn Dennis Kirtley talks about the opening of the Seaburn Hotel which brought more visitors to the area. Pat Ayton and Dorothy Thompson talks about the cities many dancehalls such as The Rink or Seaburn Hall where boys and girls could meet. As before black and white photograph are used to illustrate many of the points being raised. Former policeman Jack Dawson talks about his working life, he compares issues of crime then with today. Changing values of the 1960s are illustrated with black and white photograph of young women in bikinis and min-skirts. The fortunes of Sunderland Association Football Club are also illustrated with more images and the club’s victory during the FA Cup on the 5th of May 1973 is illustrated with a clip from the Tyne Tees Television programme ‘Meanwhile Back in Sunderland’. From a boat on the Wear Tom Corner remembers the many shipyards which once lined the river. Passing under Queen Alexandra Bridge he talks about Pallion yard, which was next to the bridge and is now gone, and the pride felt by the yard worker on launch day. Colour photographs follow of the demolition of Wearmouth Colliery. Standing on the far bank looking over on the flattened demolition site Bill Heckles remembers his time working at the mine. Again, more black and white photographs are used to illustrate the points being made by both Tom and Bill. An artists impression of the Stadium of Light, the new home of Sunderland Association Football Club changes to a dry ski slope build on the slagheaps of Silksworth Colliery. General views of Seaburn, now a holiday resort, and people enjoying the beach at Roker. Along Roker pier a man talks about the Sunderland Air Show followed by displays of various aircraft flying past as part of the event. An aerial flying over the Nissan Motor Manufacturing plant at Sunderland. Inside men at work building cars and interview with Rob Carter and Willie Armstrong who both work for the company about this new industry which will help take the area into the future. Along the Sunderland quayside interview with Anne Wright, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sunderland about the new St Peters Campus built there. As she speaks views around the new campus which Anne describes as the university’s vison for the future of Sunderland. Two students, Michelle Jolley and Nick Smith, talk about how old industries in the area are going, but new industries are coming such as with Nissan which bring with them new possibilities. Anne Wright finishes by saying the city will live on for many years. Over the closing credits a final montage of archival photographs and contemporary footage of the city. Credit: Narrated by Marjorie Lofthouse Original Music by Ian Lynn and Alison Taylor Camera Tom Ritchie Sound Malcolm Flynn Editor Steve Hine Associate Producer Maurice Boyle Producer Ken Stephinson Title: Produced in association with The Sunderland Echo Title: Made with the help and enthusiasm of the people of Sunderland End title: Stephinson Television © 1995