When Sunderland faced shortages and rationing similar to those brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic

And if you want to find out more, it’s all in a brand new book called Going Shopping in Sunderland from historians Alan Brett and Philip Curtis.

Philip told us: “Queues, rationing and shortages have been a feature of the coronavirus pandemic but these would have been no strangers to Wearside shoppers eighty years ago.

"During the early days of the Covid-19, queues formed outside supermarkets and shortages of goods such as toilet rolls and hand sanitiser at times resulted in empty shelves or customers being limited to a certain number of items.”

In the Second World War, Knightalls of Blandford Street were selling air-raid shelters from £29 8s to £42 5s – ideal for inside or outdoors.

"Binns were advertising furniture for shelters, games for long black-out evenings and, in their hairdressing department, ladies could have perms. In the event of an emergency, waving would be stopped.

"Liverpool House and Kennedy’s Cobden Exchange were selling black-out material – paper 6d a sheet and curtain cloth 2s 9d a yard.

"Joplings had cases for gas masks (fortunately gas was never used while face masks are an essential item today).”

It’s all in the £4.99 book which contains 400 photographs and Sunderland facts galore.

Philip added: “In the not too distant past Sunderland could boast half a dozen large department stores and every other street seemed to have a corner shop. A time when Harry Berg was the ‘Egg King’ of Hendon Road; a piece of elephant hide stood outside Behrman’s shop; willicks, tripe and pickled tongue were local delicacies and X-ray machines were used in shoe shops.”

These shops and many others are featured in the latest book from Black Cat Publications.

But Philip added: “The town’s shops did not come through the conflict unscathed. The biggest casualty was Binns which had its premises on both sides of Fawcett Street destroyed in a raid in 1941. Others that suffered damage included Strother’s, Joseph’s, Jacky White’s Market and the New Arcade.”

Jacky White’s Market survived the wartime damage but was demolished in the town centre redevelopment of the 1960s. After being temporarily housed in the Council bus station the stallholders moved into the purpose-built home they occupy today.

Philip said: “While Hall’s tripe stall, Mrs Redman’s haberdashers and Dunn’s jewellers are no longer there, some businesses are still trading today.

“Ibbitson’s, the pork butchers, is still as busy as ever and the Thorburn family are selling their fruit and veg inside.”

The New Arcade lying between High Street West and St Thomas’ Street was severely damaged in a raid in 1943 and did not reopen fully until eight years later.

From 1874 until its closure almost a century later it was popular with locals and many of its shops are still fondly remembered, said Philip. These included Broadbent’s oyster bar, Palmers, Brechner’s Emporium, Lerman Brothers and Willie Watson’ sports shop.

"This early version of a shopping mall also went under the wrecking ball – this time to make way for a telephone exchange.”

Half a century after the post-war redevelopment of the bombed-out town centre, a new era of regeneration is taking place in Sunderland.

Philip said: “Mackie’s Corner and Hutchinson’s Buildings are being brought to life by Henry Kirtley. Building work is in progress on the former Vaux site. Online grocery retailer, Ocado, have already moved into offices there and they are experiencing a boom in business during lockdown.”

Going Shopping in Sunderland is available from Sunderland Museum, Sunderland Antiquarian Society, Fulwell Post Office, Clay’s Garden Centre and www.summerhillbooks.co.uk

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