Sunderland's darkest days of starvation and begging, and the heroes who stepped in

A Sunderland tale of tragedy, suffering and heroism has been recorded by a town society.

The scale of suffering in depression-hit Wearside of 1884, as well as the heroes who stepped in to help, has been expertly detailed by historian Philip Curtis.

His story is one of the articles in the Sunderland Antiquarian Society's newsletter for January/February.

More than 10,000 families were struggling to cope after huge cutbacks in Sunderland's shipbuilding industry as well as other sectors.

Things got so hard that winter, that families pawned everything they had including furniture, clothes, and bedding.

Begging and some were left to die

The Sunderland Daily Echo sent a specialist to investigate how families were coping. 

His findings made up a series of three articles called Distress in Sunderland.

The reporter found children being sent out to beg. In one house, a 78 year old woman lay dying in an attic with no furniture.

In another, a woman and child had not eaten for days.

One Sunderland pawnbroker alone took in over 1,500 wedding rings in 1884. 

Help came through Distress Funds, Relief Committees and the owners of shipbuilding firms.

Shipyard workers still in employment contributed to these groups. Blumer’s workmen; boilermakers, fitters and joiners at Doxford’s and workmen and officials at Priestman’s Castletown yard all gave what they could.

The heroes who helped as best they could

The wife of James Laing - Theresa Laing - did more than anyone.

She took over a building beside her husband's shipyard at Deptford to feed up to 400 hungry children at a time.

Children with no shoes or stockings walked across frozen snow to be fed.

A letter in the Echo at the time said: "Nothing that I have seen before gave me so much distress of mind as the sight of the poor little creatures enduring so much pain, for with every step they took on the frozen snow there escaped from their lips a sob or a cry’.

In October 1884, the musical comedy Fun on the Bristol was being staged at the Theatre Royal in Bedford Street.

The American manager of the company, Henry Clay Jarrett, gave out 1,000 loaves of bread to those in distress.

At the end of the distribution Mr Jarrett received a round of cheers from the grateful recipients.

A treasure trove in the heart of Sunderland

Thanks to Sunderland Antiquarian Society Philip for the article.

You can also find out more about the Antiquarian Society by getting along to its Heritage Centre which is open in Douro Terrace on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 12pm.

You can also visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website which is at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

And to become a member, email [email protected]

Tell us about a moment in Sunderland history that you would like us to revisit, by emailing [email protected]