There was a workhouse at the junction of Durham Road and Low Row, which was bought for £105 from Mr William Watson. In 1823 it housed 25 inmates. In 1827 a new larger workhouse was built at the west end of Hartley Street, to the south of what is now Gill Bridge Avenue. The foundation stone was laid by Rev. George Stephenson. The governess was Mary Richmond. In 1829 314 indoor inmates were employed in spinning, weaving and picking oakum. On 13th December 1836, Sunderland Poor Law Union came into existence. It bought the Harley Street workhouse for £2,100. The building was altered and enlarged at a cost of £2,726 6s 9d. It opened on 20th April 1838. In 1848 it was enlarged again at a cost of £250. In 1853-5 a new workhouse was opened on Hylton Road (HER 11779).

Sunderland's first workhouse was built next to Holy Trinity Church in 1740 to house 600 people. The workhouse was paid for by public subscription. Shown to the west of the church on Rain's Eye Plan of 1787. Trafalgar Square now occupies the site of the workhouse garden. A labour yard was added. The workhouse was extended in 1779. In 1777 there were up to 90 inmates. In 1796 breakfast consisted of hasty pudding (porridge). Dinner was pease soup and bread. Supper was water, gruel and bread. Eden, in 1797, in his survey of the poor in England said of Sunderland: 'The Poor are supported partly in a Workhouse, partly at home. There are 176 persons at present in the house. There are 36 children, two-thirds of them bastards, who are employed in a pin factory. The boys are generally bound apprentices to the sea service. The remaining inmates are mostly old women and prostitutes. Few old men are found here, being mostly employed as scavengers, or picking oakum. The house is in a very good situation. Each apartment has 4 or 5 beds with wooden bottoms, and are filled with chaff. Each bed has 2 blankets, 1 sheet, and rug. A fever prevails now in the house, and has done so for some time back. The following is the bill of fare: Breakfast, every day—Hasty pudding and milk ; Dinner —Sunday, Thursday Beef and bread ; Monday, Friday —Old milk and bread ; Tuesday—Pease soup and bread ; Wednesday —Rice-milk and bread ; Saturday—Barleymilk and bread. Supper—Sunday, Thursday—bread and broth ; Monday, Friday Water gruel and bread ; Tuesday—Boiled milk and bread ; Wednesday, Saturday—Boiled milk or gruel and bread. The bread is made of wheat and rye. 6oz. are allowed to each person at dinner and supper on meat days, and on other days, ½lb. at each meal ; ½lb. meat is served to each person on Sunday and Thursday. The victuals cost about £26 a week. About 279 poor families are supported at their own homes'. Sunderland parish spent £26 a week on food and provisions for the workhouse. In 1818 a Mr G. Garbutt printed a pamphlet which included the names of the 272 inmates of the workhouse. This included 139 children. The workhouse only had 25 rooms. The workhouse inmates were provided with work in spinning and weaving at a 'Sail Cloth Manufactory' erected at Moor Edge, and later the site of St John's vicarage. Pauper children were also employed in the manufacturing of pins. In May 1827 there were about 200 inmates.

Sunderland's police force was set up in 1837. It had 53 officers.

In 1835 the first police headquarters were at Manors. The police force comprised a superintendent, four inspectors, four sergeants and sixty constables. Policemen had to be aged between 25 and 45, they had to be able to read and write. There was a £4 deposit for their uniform. Sir Robert Peel was the founder of the Newcastle police service. John Stephens was the first chief constable on £150 a year. Constables earned 18 shillings a week.

The Hazlitt Well near the juntion of Springfield Avenue and Rockcliffe Way was named after a robber Robert Hazlitt (real name Hudson). He was caught stealing post bags and was hanged in Durham on 18 September 1770. He had been a highwayman in London.

Ryhope Hall. In the early 19th century it was a coaching inn (Three Boars Head) and a hotel where gentry stayed to enjoy sea-bathing. The Hall was demolished after a fire in the 1960s to make way for police and council housing. Ryhope Hall had an unusual square brick tower, which is said to have been added so that the lady of the Hall could spy on her neighbour at Coqueda Hall.

18th century pub.

18th century pub.

In the 18th century there was a lock-up or kitty in Coronation Street. This was a prison for temporary detention. Typically they were one storeyed and one-celled, sometimes of round or polygonal plan.

In the 18th century there were 42 pubs on Low Street. The Thornhill's Wharf was the most easterly.