Properly organised firefighting in Sunderland  is relatively short, compared with the history of the town itself.    The recorded history of the town dates back to the year AD 674, when Benedict Biscup established a monastery on the North bank of the River Wear at Monkwearmouth.  In the year 687 Benedict Biscup returned from a pilgrimage to Rome with a large collection of Holy treasures, some of which he traded with King Alfred for 3OO acres of land on the South bank of the river at the river mouth.    Benedict Biscup named this land Sondralande, which meant a part but apart, which later became known as Sunderland.    By the year 1565 a Royal Commission reported that Sunderland was a small fishing town and landing place of 3O householders with 7 fishing cobles occupying 2O fishermen. 

Firefighting in the 18th Century was legally the duty of the Church Authorities.    In 17O7, an Act of Parliament was passed and the Churchwardens of each Parish were obliged to provide equipment and manpower to deal with any outbreak of fire within the Parish.  Each of the three Parish churches did provide the equipment, and although none of them set up a Fire Brigade as such, they all contracted with someone to look after the fire engines and attend all fires.  The contractor provided the assistants to man the pumps who were recruited from passers-by or bystanders at the fire.  These assistants were paid a few pence an hour and were also provided with refreshments in the form of ale, for the thirsty work of manning the pumps.

Bishopwearmouth's fire engine was kept in the fire engine house at No 2 The Green, Bishopwearmouth, whilst the Sunderland Parish kept it's two fire engines in the large central porch, along with a number of leather buckets, which were hung on the walls ready for use.  The Monkwearmouth Parish fire engine was kept in the fire engine house adjacent to the Parish church.  As well as the fire engines provided by each Parish, several of the firms in the area provided their own fire engine to safeguard their own property from fire.

By 1833 the fire engines were put under the control of the Sanitary Committee, and when not required for firefighting, were used for washing down the filthy streets of the town.  The Monkwearmouth Parish fire engine was put under the control of the Police but no training in the use of the fire engines was given and no regular maintenance was carried out on the fire engines.  By the 1890's, the old Parish pumps were disposed of and replaced by barrows carrying coils of hose.  In the event of a fire, the hose was connected to a fire hydrant and led on to the fire.

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