Former Sunderland headteacher recognised with blue plaque

Fred Hill - a former headteacher at Biddick School, later known as Washington Old School - also started the community's first local newspaper and helped established Washington's first ever swimming pool.

He has been recognised with a blue plaque at the former school, which has been redeveloped into specialist apartments for vulnerable people by Sunderland City Council.

Fred was largely responsible for saving Washington Old Hall from demolition. He also promoted links between Washington and the USA based on the Old Hall being the ancestral home of George Washington, the country's first president.

By the 1930s, the Old Hall had become a ruin that was considered unfit for human habitation, and it would have been knocked down had it not been for the determination of Fred.

He managed to convince people on both sides of the Atlantic of its historical importance, forming a committee that successfully managed to raise the money and support to save the building.

Councillor Kevin Johnston, dynamic city cabinet member at Sunderland City Council, said: "Fred is someone who played a significant part in the history of Washington and honouring his contribution to the area is something I am delighted we have been able to do. 

"Just as the Old Hall had stood empty for many years when Fred stepped in to help save the building, the Old School has been vacant for 20 years and will be given a new lease of life by the council's Housing Delivery and Investment Plan (HDIP), which is delivering new homes to meet residents' needs.  I think it's fitting that the new homes we're creating will feature this plaque."

The redevelopment of the Old School building will deliver 15 new specialist apartments, providing much-needed homes for vulnerable adults in Sunderland. It is part of the local authority's £59m HDIP, which saw the council return to housebuilding in 2019.

Originally known as Biddick School, it was built in 1893, with the school closing in 1993 after which the building temporarily housed the Washington Church of Christ before being left vacant. Fred was headmaster of the school from 1926 until his retirement in 1948.

The school has stood empty for 20 years, and neighbours a cluster of new bungalows that the council developed to boost the number of homes for older people and those with physical disabilities in Washington. 

The 15 units are designed for medium to long-term accommodation and to provide a vital sense of ownership for the residents. The scheme also includes overnight accommodation for support staff and office and meeting space and can also be adapted to house older and vulnerable residents on a more permanent basis, to provide flexibility depending on the needs of its residents.