South Tyneside - June 2018 Meeting Report

[Annf]

Members of the Branch attended the meeting on Wednesday 20th June 2018, which took the form of a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon visiting The Sunderland Antiquarian Society, where we received a warm welcome by their Chairman and volunteers.

The Antiquarian Society is housed in a Victorian building dating back to 1855 and which still retains many of the original features of the house.  We were shown some unique manuscripts as well as numerous indexed boxes of papers relating to a diversity of subjects such as Austin & Pickersgill shipyard, Sunderland Hospitals, Sport and Leisure.  There is also a library and an extensive collection of newspapers.

In all there is a 'treasure trove' of literature not only relating to the City of Sunderland but also the surrounding areas such as Cleadon, Roker, Ryhope and Washington to name but a few.  For anyone researching not only family history but also social history in these areas, the Sunderland Antiquarian Society is well worth a visit.  This is a place where I suspect the NDFHS South Tyneside Branch Members will be visiting again.