The day it rained black puddings in Sunderland

Many of us have recited the old rhyme.

All of a sudden, a dirty black pudden came flying through the air’ it goes.

But not many folks know that one day back in 1931, the air in old Sunderland really was full of foodstuffs.

Sharon Vincent was one of those who uncovered the tale - dubbed the Day of the Black Puddings.

Back in the late twenties and early thirties, life in the East End could be especially grim, with over crowded houses as well as reports of homes which were said to be in an unsanitary condition.

Putting a cat among the East End pigeons

The local authority decided to act and brought about the Sunderland Housing Association to investigate the issues.

In charge, was a lady called Agnes Jennings and it was her comments after an initial investigation, that really put a cat among the East End pigeons - or housewives to be more precise.

"The slum conditions are so bad, " she said, "that it is a wonder that more people do not frequent the public houses."

Ticking on and not great at cooking - or were they?

If that caused a few raised eyebrows, she went one better, accusing the women of forever ticking-on, taking on huge debts at exorbitant interest rates.

She complained that when life insurance payouts were made, the women wasted the money on items of black clothing and funeral niceties.

East Enders took this on the chin, but her next comments would have housewives spitting feathers.

"They can’t cook - other than with a frying pan and they can’t sew!" she alleged That was the last straw.

She would eat her own words

The women and kids decided to make sure that Agnes would regret her words.

Mrs Jennings would collect the rent every Monday, starting off at seven in the morning by hammering on doors in Burleigh Street.

At the crack of dawn next rent day, hundreds of locals thronged the street waiting for Agnes’ arrival.

A cacophony of frying pan bashing and verbal insults greeted her but worse was to come.

Armed with sausages and black puddings

Everyone had a black pudding or a sausage and as Agnes reached the centre of the throng the barrage began.

The sky was black with flying food and Agnes ran off, jumping on board a moving tram and disappearing into town - and back to Newcastle where she had come from.

In later life, Agnes often talked about the day of the black puddings in speeches to her friends.

Get in touch if you have tales from Sunderland's East End. Email [email protected]