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Buildings

172-174 High Street West, Sunderland.

The most famous owners of this building were the Binns family, who operated it as a haberdashery before moving on to their huge department store chain. Later merged as shop space, the separate buildings were originally 18th century houses.

At a glance

  • The buildings on Sunderland’s High Street West began life as much needed housing for Sunderland’s growing population in the 1700s.
  • The Trust began working with Sunderland City Council to protect these buildings in 2016, five years after the bicentenary of George setting up shop there.
  • The buildings are now home to Pop Recs, a CIC-operated café, music and arts venue, and community hub – re-cementing the site’s position at the heart of Sunderland’s community.

1811 – 2016

History

In 1811, no.176 High Street West was bought by George Binns who would use the building to host his draping and haberdashery business before going on to found the locally famous Binns department store chain.

George and his wife, Margaret, had 15 children, the family were Quakers and George Jr. would go on to become a leading member of the Chartist movement. Chartism was a working class political movement campaigning for voting rights for men, a secret ballot, and the payment of MPs. As Quakers, the family vocally opposed slavery and refused to sell slavery-produced goods.

By 1844, the Binns Family had moved to no. 173 and, as the business grew even more, to Fawcett Street and several other properties in the North East. The High Street West buildings continued life as shops and flats but gradually became derelict.

In 1941, the Binns buildings on Fawcett Street were destroyed by incendiary bombs.
Henry Binns, son of George Sr., who took over the family business after his father’s death.
Dunston Staiths

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