Tha Barbary Coast

SteBrucesFridge · 28th July 2011, 11:18 AM

Looking into the history of my dad's side, there were 7 of them and 2 half brothers and its said that every one of them was born in a different pub that the family ran in that area at different times...I found this hard to believe but with a bit of digging there were supposed to have been as many as 63 pubs just in that area alone!!?? The 'Barbary coast' is starting to sound like the 'Five Points' in New York.... Was it that bad? was there a priest like Liam Neeson played in 'The Gangs of new York' ? Was there a butcher who was literally a 'Butcher'? Fascinating stuff the more i look into it.

Boris Bear · 28th July 2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteBrucesFridge

Looking into the history of my dad's side, there were 7 of them and 2 half brothers and its said that every one of them was born in a different pub that the family ran in that area at different times...I found this hard to believe but with a bit of digging there were supposed to have been as many as 63 pubs just in that area alone!!?? The 'Barbary coast' is starting to sound like the 'Five Points' in New York.... Was it that bad? was there a priest like Liam Neeson played in 'The Gangs of new York' ? Was there a butcher who was literally a 'Butcher'? Fascinating stuff the more i look into it.

In a lot of the old streets of Sunderland there was either a shop or pub on each end of terraces. Hendon and to a lesser extent Roker are good examples of this.

mini-x2 · 28th July 2011, 11:22 AM

The Barbary Coast was the first 'nightclub' I ever went to.
Fact. I think.

SteBrucesFridge · 28th July 2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boris Bear

In a lot of the old streets of Sunderland there was either a shop or pub on each end of terraces. Hendon and to a lesser extent Roker are good examples of this.

My uncle used to have 2 shops in Villette Road which basically were used by the Jewish community (he was first shop allowed to stay open on a Sunday for that reason) Both these seem to have gone. He had one in the roker area too but not sure which. Think I will pop down now and have a wander. He sounds like he was quite a character from what I've been told and well known.

Harry Angstrom · 28th July 2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boris Bear

In a lot of the old streets of Sunderland there was either a shop or pub on each end of terraces. Hendon and to a lesser extent Roker are good examples of this.

People lived their lives in the street/pub/theatre/pictures.

The world has changed totally. From knowing everyone in the vicinity and spending time in a community but going nowhere else. We live in our houses but can travel all over the world.

There would have been hundreds of pubs in Sunderland in 1900. they were people's front rooms and later the pictures was the telly.

i think I would have preferred the olden days (without the ricketts)

luvulongtime · 28th July 2011, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteBrucesFridge

My uncle used to have 2 shops in Villette Road which basically were used by the Jewish community (he was first shop allowed to stay open on a Sunday for that reason) Both these seem to have gone. He had one in the roker area too but not sure which. Think I will pop down now and have a wander. He sounds like he was quite a character from what I've been told and well known.

if its the 2 shops at the top of villette rd near barley mowpark they've been houses for many years

SteBrucesFridge · 28th July 2011, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvulongtime

if its the 2 shops at the top of villette rd near barley mowpark they've been houses for many years

Yep i think it was them....behind the shop front he had a full blown bar...as in pub with juke box, pool table and pinball machine and dartboard...alot of out of hours drinking went on apparantly. Wish he was still about...sounds great fun

vinegar hill · 28th July 2011, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteBrucesFridge

Yep i think it was them....behind the shop front he had a full blown bar...as in pub with juke box, pool table and pinball machine and dartboard...alot of out of hours drinking went on apparantly. Wish he was still about...sounds great fun

I never knew that.I used to call in them sweets when i was a kid they were both strictly shops then.One of them was called T.V. Harrison's

Domitrios · 28th July 2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteBrucesFridge

Looking into the history of my dad's side, there were 7 of them and 2 half brothers and its said that every one of them was born in a different pub that the family ran in that area at different times...I found this hard to believe but with a bit of digging there were supposed to have been as many as 63 pubs just in that area alone!!?? The 'Barbary coast' is starting to sound like the 'Five Points' in New York.... Was it that bad? was there a priest like Liam Neeson played in 'The Gangs of new York' ? Was there a butcher who was literally a 'Butcher'? Fascinating stuff the more i look into it.

I've got a couple of interesting books about the Barbary Coast.

One is "Old Monkwearmouth - Going to the Shops", the other is "The Barbary Coast" by J Gordon Holmes.

They dont have ISBN numbers, but they came from the Monkwearmouth Local History Group

SteBrucesFridge · 28th July 2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domitrios

I've got a couple of interesting books about the Barbary Coast.

One is "Old Monkwearmouth - Going to the Shops", the other is "The Barbary Coast" by J Gordon Holmes.

They dont have ISBN numbers, but they came from the Monkwearmouth Local History Group

Cheers for that....will definitely give them a go. The more I look into it the more fascinating the stuff thats come up about my dad's side of the family