Memories of sweet shops and swimming at Crowtree
Growing up on Wearside can be quite a unique experience and going to school in Sunderland is certainly no different.
Like most places in the UK, Sunderland has it’s own unique quirks that make people proud to be from the area – especially those who went to school on Wearside.
These are some of things you might remember if you went to school in Sunderland:
1 – Spending your lunch money at the sweet shop
It will have happened to almost everyone – spending your lunch money on anything other than something substantial to eat.
B u t i f y o u att e n d e d a school close to Sunderland city centre, you had the delights of Sweet Home Alabama when it was based in Park Lane Market.
You may have spent the rest of the day hungry, but there was no bigger reward th a n h a n d i n g out th o s e sweets in class.
I f you d e c i d e d n ot to spend your lunch money on sweet treats, then you’ll know there was always one p l ac e wh e re e ve r yo n e i n school would go for lunch.
Jamie Oliver might have tried his best to get healthy food at school canteens but if there’s a chippy nearby, you can guess which one most teenagers would go for.
Southmoor pupils will remember the endless queues at t h e c h i p py o n V i l l e tt e Road.
3 – Every school seemed to have a deep-rooted rivalry with another school
For whatever reason (that no one seemed to know), every school had a rival in the city. Be it in sports competitions or “minor” disagreements, if you went to school in Sunderland, you had an tribal dislike for those from other schools.
Fo r th o s e at T h o r n h i l l School we hated anyone who went to St Aidan’s, until we all left school and realised the whole thing was a bit silly.
4 – A trip to Beamish
Heading to Beamish is a must for all Sunderland schools and it’s understandable given how impressive the open air museum is.
I can still remember sitting in horror at the school room in the museum as the teacher showed us what it would be like for pupils during the Victorian era. 5 – Further afield… Derwent Hill is another trip that you may have gone on if you went to a Sunderland school.
The residential centre in the Lake District, was the greatest way to spend a week out of school doing all sorts of activities.
Fo r m o s t , i t w i l l h ave b e e n th e f i r s t t i m e away from home with their school friends and it seemed like a right of passage. Especially the discos.
6 – Swimming lessons at the Crowtree Leisure Centre
Eve r yo n e ove r a c e r - tain age on Wearside will have some memories of the
Crowtree Leisure Centre. Standing proud in Sunderland city centre, it was the perfect place to learn to swim – and to raid the vending machines afterwards.
7 – The Word
If you went to school after 2005 then you may remember the rap group called The Word. Founded by former Thornhill School chemistry teacher Amer Sheikh – the group would visit other schools to educate pupils on the issues surrounding racism through music.