A must for any Mackem's Christmas stocking - A Canny Christmas Carol set on the banks of the Wear
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In 1858 Charles Dickens visited the city’s Music Hall on Wilson Street to perform readings from his works, including A Christmas Carol, but imagine if this iconic festive tale had not been set in London, but here on the banks of the Wear.
Mr Dickens also visited Sunderland in 1852, to perform at the newly built Lyceum Theatre when he also stayed at The Bridge Hotel.
Despite Charles visiting the city, he was born in Portsmouth before spending most of his adult life in and around the capital city in which his timeless Christmas tale was set.
But just imagine if Mr Dickens had decided to pen this Christmas classic in Sunderland; a Mackem’s Christmas Carol no less.
Sadly Charles died on June 9, 1870, but Sunderland couple Lee and Julie Hunter have decided to take his yuletide creation and to give it a Mackem twist with their own version in the form of ‘A Canny Christmas Carol’.
Lee, 52, has lived in Thorney Close with his wife Julie for 20 years, but is originally from Yorkshire.
He said: “I’ve always been interested in language and the different dialects you get across the country and being from Bradford, a couple of years ago I did a Yorkshire version of A Christmas Carol.
“After living in Sunderland for so long I thought it was only right to do a Sunderland version - although I couldn’t have done it without the help of my wife Julie - she’s the real Mackem.”
Julie, 52, added: “I grew up in Sunderland and have lived here all my life and so I was able to help Lee translate the book into a Mackem dialect and twang.
“We both love the story. I read it every Christmas and we always watch the movies - even the muppets version.”
The book is set in the city of Sunderland with places in the capital replaced with their Wearside counterparts including Hendon, Southwick and Hylton.
“The Ghost's grin stretched wider than the Wearmouth Bridge,” “happy as a lass wi free cheesy chips”, and “you could be nowt but a lump o’ undercooked beef, a streak of mustard, an old saveloy dip, or a week old Greggs pasty - Truth be telt, I reckon there’s more gravy than grave in ye”.
Just some of the Wearside dialect in the Mackem interpretation of the original tale.
And of course in any Mackem interpretation, football and the Black Cats are bound to play a part.
“It wes the funniest thing since Leeds losin' to Sunderland in the final”, and “Bob stuck in his cold little box couldn’t help but clap like he’d just watched the lads stick three past the Mags” were just some of the sayings paying homage to the city’s passion for football.
On the front cover of the book itself Scrooge is pictured in his red and white striped pyjamas and holding a customary Greggs sausage roll.
Following completion of the book Lee said: “I’m really pleased with the final version and I’m now planning on creating a version for other parts of the country.”
The book retails at £8.99 (£3.99 on Kindle) and can be purchased on Amazon.
Julie said: “The book is a must for any true Mackem’s Christmas stocking.”