When footy legends pushed the Boat out to mark pub’s opening
What do you remember of Wearside in 1982?
We have seven stories from 40 years ago to jog your memories of the town back then. Take a look and see how many you remember.
A squad of football heroes were on Wearside including Liverpool FC manager Bob Paisley who was in Washington to open the town’s newest pub, the Keel Boat at Fatfield.
Also there among the lineup was Sunderland stars Len Shackleton, Ken Chisholm and Arthur Wright, and former Middlesbrough aces George Hardwick and Micky Fenton.
Father John Coyle, from St Hilda’s RC Church in Southwick, set off to Land’s End in June 1982 to travel all the way back to Wearside on a rusty bike to raise £50,000 for church extensions.
Four high-flying women from Wearside were booked solid for the summer of 1982 when they formed a parachute team.
They were Pat Rice, Marian Blenkiron, Maureen Toward and Allison Busfield. All four were based at Sunderland Flying Club.
The former Smyth’s bakery in Cleveland Road got a new lease of life when Simpson’s took over the bakery and the adjoining shop.
Many of the Smyth’s production team and administration staff were retained under the new set-up.
A contingency of five coaches left Sunderland from St Benet’s to see the Pope – Pope John Paul ll, the first
Pontiff to visit Britain – when he visited York.
They heard him talk about dignity for women, education of children, his concern for the growing number of divorces and he appealed for families to
be "communities of love” which would help the poor people in society.
Ryhope School earned itself a place in the record books of the Sunderland and District Schools Rugby Union.
All five of their teams appeared
in a cup final and four were victorious.
The Roker Peers of Harmony barbershop group have shown they are a cut above the rest when it comes to singing.
They took on the country’s top singers and won first prize at the British Association of Barbershop Singers annual convention, held at Warwick University.
We would love you to share your own memories of Wearside back then. Email chris. cordner@jpimedia.co.uk