The Sunderland street named after Wearside's vital role in the liberation of Europe in the Second World War

A Sunderland street got its name from one of the most historic episodes in world history.

Liberty Way, at North Sands, commemorates the liberty ships which were built at JL Thompson shipyard.

The street forever linked to liberty

In September 1940, R. Cyril Thompson (the managing director of JL Thompson) led an Admiralty Merchant Shipbuilding Mission to the USA. The aim was to have 60 cargo ships mass-produced by American yards.

Thompson took with him detailed ship plans that his own yard had produced and these formed the standard design for the Liberty Ship.

Thousands were built

The first of these from JL Thompson’s was the Empire Liberty which was launched on August 23, 1941.

Meanwhile across the Atlantic between 1942 and 1945, a further 2,710 Liberty Ships were built. The importance of the Sunderland link to the liberation of Europe was remembered in 1994.

‘As the tide ebbs and flows, we will remember them’

A new plaque was unveiled on the 50th anniversary of D-Day.

Monkwearmouth Local History Group chose the historic occasion to perform the ceremony.

Patrick Thompson, son of the ship’s designer Cyril Thompson, performed the honours.

As the plaque was revealed, one of the ships, the Jeremiah O’Brien, was taking part in the celebrations in Normandy.

An inscription on the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation-funded plaque reads: “Monkwearmouth Local History Group commemorates all those who saw active service in the Second World War and pays tribute to all who sailed from the port in times of war and peace.

“As the tide ebbs and flows, we will remember them.”

We want to hear from people with their own memories of 1994.

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