Why the mohican became all the rage in 1960s Sunderland

What's the link between the song Little Donkey and Lulu.
The cover of the new book.The cover of the new book.
The cover of the new book.

The answer is Sunderland. And more details can be found in a book which has just been released.

Sunderland in the Sixties Revisited, written by Alan Brett and Philip Curtis, is the latest work from Black Cat Publications.

Girls working at Perdio Electronics in Pallion.Girls working at Perdio Electronics in Pallion.
Girls working at Perdio Electronics in Pallion.

Chris Cordner took another look.

It’s a song you hear most Christmases.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Little Donkey was a 1960 hit for Nina and Frederik. But how many of you know that it was written by Sunderland composer Eric Boswell?

Meanwhile, Lulu’s link to the city dates back to 1965. She was a teenage sensation and starred at Wetherells Club for a week.

The GM Livanos goes down the slipway at JL Thompsons in 1968.The GM Livanos goes down the slipway at JL Thompsons in 1968.
The GM Livanos goes down the slipway at JL Thompsons in 1968.

Two years later, she had become a film star as well thanks to the hit To Sir, With Love.

These are just some of the highlights in the new book which also tells of the many other stars to come to Sunderland.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They included Bob Monkhouse in 1967, Norman Vaughan in 1965, Cliff Richard in 1960.

The book also looks at the city’s industry, with photographs showing workers at JL Thompson’s shipyard watching as the 47,000 ton GM Livanos enters the River Wear in 1968, and staff working at Perdio Electronics in Pallion.

Arthur Atkinson.Arthur Atkinson.
Arthur Atkinson.

At its peak, the firm employed 800 people before it went into liquidation in 1965.

And then there was the quirky stories such as Mohican hairstyles in 1960, inspired by the wrestler Billy Two Rivers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Vacuum salesman Arthur Atkinson tried it for himself, thinking the haircut would get people to stop and stare rather than shut the door in his face.

Sunderland in the Sixties Revisited is available from Waterstone’s, Sunderland Museum, Sunderland Antiquarian Society and by visiting www.summerhillbooks.co.uk

The book is available at £4.99.