| 674 |
Building of St. Peter's Church |
| 1183 |
Bishop Hugh du Puiset's charter creates the first Borough of Sunderland |
| 1346 |
Thomas Menvil authorised to build ships at Hendon |
| 1346 |
The first recorded shipbuilding on the River Wear was in 1346. |
| 1634 |
Bishop Morton's Charter created Sunderland's first Mayor and Corporation |
| 1698 |
Formation of Sunderland Company of Glassmakers |
| 1719 |
Sunderland Parish's Holy Trinity Church opened |
| 1793 |
Philip and John Laing established a shipyard on Monkwearmouth Shore. (The oldest surviving shipbuilding firm in Sunderland when it was absorbed into Sunderland Shipbuilders Ltd.) |
| 1796 |
Wearmouth Bridge opened |
| 1822 |
Opening of the railway line from Hetton to Sunderland coal staithes, one of the earliest uses of locomotive power. The engineer was George Stephenson |
| 1826 |
Sinking of Wearmouth Colliery |
| 1826 |
Harry Watts, a Sunderland diver who rescued over 40 people from drowning - and assisted in the rescue of another 120 people - was born on June 15, 1826. |
| 1831 |
In October of this year the first outbreak of cholera in the United Kingdom occurred in Sunderland - two hundred people died |
| 1832 |
Sunderland became a parliamentary borough under the Reform Act, returning two members of Parliament |
| 1835/6 |
Establishment of the modern Borough Council, with the first modern Mayor |
| 1850 |
Opening of the South Docks by George Hudson MP |
| 1856 |
Sir William Mills, (1856 – 1932) inventor of the Mills Bomb of First World War fame, was born in Sunderland |
| 1858 |
The tongue of 'Big Ben' was forged at Hopper's foundry, Houghton |
| 1873 |
Foundation of the Sunderland Echo |
| 1875 |
A record of 64 days was set for the Australia run by the Wear built sailing vessel 'The Torrens'. Launched in 1875, the novelist Joseph Conrad served on her for a time as mate |
| 1879 |
Sunderland Association Football Club was founded by Thomas Allen as Sunderland and District Teachers Association Football Club |
| 1888 |
Sunderland granted County Borough status |
| 1892 |
Sunderland AFC win the Football League Championship |
| 1893 |
Sunderland AFC win the Football League Championship |
| 1895 |
Sunderland AFC win the Football League Championship |
| 1902 |
Sunderland AFC win the Football League Championship |
| 1903 |
Roker Pier - the harbour's northern breakwater is opened at 2,790 feet long. |
| 1909 |
The then heaviest bridge in Britain was opened. The Queen Alexandra Bridge carried road and rail traffic, the railway deck remained in use for barely 12 years |
| 1913 |
Sunderland AFC win the Football League Championship |
| 1923 |
Police Boxes, model for the TARDIS pioneered by Chief Constable Frederick Crawley |
| 1936 |
Sunderland AFC win the Football League Championship |
| 1937 |
Sunderland AFC win the FA Cup |
| 1964 |
Washington designated as a New Town |
| 1967 |
Ryhope, Silksworth, Tunstall, East & Middle Herrington, South Hylton, part of Offerton, Castletown and Whitburn South Bents added to the County Borough of Sunderland |
| 1969 |
Sunderland Technical & Art Colleges merged to form Sunderland Polytechnic (now the University of Sunderland) |
| 1970 |
Opening of new Basil Spence-designed Civic Centre by the Princess Margaret |
| 1973 |
Sunderland win the FA Cup for the second time |
| 1974 |
Washington, Hetton-le-Hole and Houghton-le-Spring become part of the new Borough of Sunderland |
| 1978 |
First Wearside Jack hoax letter sent to West Yorkshire Police |
| 1984 |
Nissan chose Sunderland for their new European manufacturing base |
| 1986 |
Abolition of Tyne and Wear County Council increases Sunderland Council's powers and duties |
| 1988 |
Announcement of closure of the shipyards on Wearside |
| 1992 |
The City of Sunderland was created a by Her Majesty The Queen on 23 March |
| 1993 |
HM The Queen & HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visit Sunderland to unveil the City's new coat of arms |
| 1997 |
Stadium of Light opens |
| 2001 |
The entire council housing stock of 39,000 homes is transferred to private landlord Gentoo after a referendum of tenants found 95% support in favour of the move |
| 2008 |
Sunderland Aquatic Centre opens, the only Olympic-sized pool between Glasgow and Leeds, on a site adjacent to the Stadium of Light |
