Sunderland Timeline

16th Century

• 4th March 1583; death of Bernard Gilpin; Rector of Houghton-le-Spring and 'Apostle of the North' 

18th Century

• 22nd March 1775: Jack Crawford born in Sunderland; the Hero of the 1797 Battle of Camperdown.
• 1796: opening of the first Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.

19th Century

• 1808: Building of Fulwell Windmill in Sunderland, which remains a prominent landmark.
• 1831 /1832 Sunderland Cholera epidemic.
• 10th November 1831: death of Jack Crawford 'hero of Camperdown'; second victim of the cholera epidemic in Sunderland.
• 1835: coal production began at Wearmouth Colliery, Sunderland.
• 7th July 1838; first ship launched by the Bartram & Sons shipyard in Hylton.
• 8th September 1842; Micheal Smith jumped off the Wearmouth Bridge for a stunt. 
• 19th June 1848: opening of Monkwearmouth Station, Sunderland
• 21st May 1857: Mowbray Park in Sunderland opened by John Candlish, MP
• 17th October 1879; Sunderland Association Football Club founded by schoolmaster James Allan.
• 23rd June 1880: opening of Roker Park
• 14th September 1885; the foundation stone laid for the New North Pier (Roker Pier) at Sunderland. 
• 10th September 1898: opening of Roker Park, Sunderland AFC's football ground up to 1997.

20th Century

• 1903; the Lighthouse on the New North Pier (Roker Pier) at Sunderland was completed.
• 1st July 1907: opening of The Empire theate in Sunderland by variety star Vesta Tilley.
• 17th July 1907; completion of the Church of St Andrew, parish church of Roker.
• 10th June 1909: opening of the Queen Alexandra Bridge in Sunderland.
• 1929: opening of the new Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland.
• 1st May 1937; Sunderland AFC win the FA Cup, beating Preston North End 3 - 1.
• 1966: World Cup hosted in England, including some matches held at Roker Park in Sunderland.
• 29th December 1967: launch of the 'Nicola' the first in a long line of 'SD14' ships built in Sunderland.
• 1973: opening of Monkwearmouth Station Museum, Sunderland
• 6th May 1977: President Carter (USA) visists Washington and Newcastle (UK).
• 14th February 1992:  the metropolitan borough of Sunderland was granted city status.
• 30th July 1997; the Stadium of Light in Sunderland was opened by Prince Andrew.

• 23rd October 1998 - The National Glass Centre, Sunderland was officially opened by Prince Charles.

21st Century

• 7th May 2002; The Queen opened the Sunderland extension to the Tyne and Wear Metro.
• September 2011; the tail-end of 'Hurricane Katia' hit the North East; Fulwell Windmil damaged.