Place:Monkwearmouth, Durham, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

NOTE: Linked references in the section below will direct to Wikipedia

Monkwearmouth is one of the ancient parishes of County Durham, England. It lies on the north bank of the mouth of the River Wear, opposite the town of Sunderland. In 1835 Sunderland was made a municipal borough, covering the parish of Sunderland and large parts of the parishes of Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth. In 1866 the parts of Monkwearmouth outside Sunderland Borough --Fulwell, Hylton and Southwick--were given their own parish councils. At the same time, the parts of Monkwearmouth within Sunderland Borough were split into two parishes: Monkwearmouth and Monkwearmouth Shore.

When County Councils were created in 1889, Sunderland was made a County Borough, and was thus independent of Durham County Council, although it was still deemed to geographically lie within County Durham. The parishes within Sunderland Borough (including Monkwearmouth and Monkwearmouth Shore) were abolished in 1897, since which time Monkwearmouth has had no administrative status, being simply a suburb of Sunderland. Fulwell and Southwick were absorbed into Sunderland in 1928, followed by Hylton in 1967. Therefore since 1967 the whole of the ancient parish of Monkwearmouth has been part of Sunderland.

Sunderland became part of the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in 1974 under the name City of Sunderland. Following the abolition of Tyne and Wear County Council in 1986, Sunderland became a self-governing unitary authority - effectively reinstating the situation which had existed between 1889 and 1974. Sunderland was made a city in 1992. (Source: A Vision of Britain through Time)

Research Tips

• County Durham Archives. Durham County Record Office is located on the Lower Ground Floor of County Hall, the administrative headquarters of Durham County Council, in Durham City.
• Northumberland and Durham FHS covers both Northumberland and the northern part of County Durham. The Family History Society have a research centre in Percy House in central Newcastle upon Tyne (full address on website), open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. Browse the website to see what else the society can provide.
• The Cleveland, North Yorkshire & South Durham Family History Society covers the southern part of County Durham as well as the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire on the south side of the River Tees. Their homepage includes a map to show the society's coverage. (Once again, full address and other details on the website)
• Further information from GENUKI
• Ordnance Survey map of Durham 1832 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time. This map includes the boundaries of the various Wards (or "hundreds") in existence at that time.
• Ordnance Survey map of Durham 1900 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• Ordnance Survey map of Durham 1944 provided by A Vision of Britain through Time
• English Jurisdictions 1851, a parish finding aid provided by FamilySearch, particularly helpful in large towns and cities.
• Unfortunately, the Victoria County History for Durham is limited in its coverage. It only includes the cathedral city of Durham, including an account of the cathedral itself. Also covers Stockton Ward in the south-east of the county (bordering North Yorkshire) including Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees.