While I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with any of the statements made so far, I would draw the attention of those interested to "Antiquities of Sunderland" Vol XXVII (1977-79), page 79, where, in an article by C B Walker entitled "The East End of Sunderland", the subject of an illustrated lecture given by him on 7 December 1976, it states: "SANS STREET. Former "Back Lonnin", a name also applied to Coronation Street. The Parish Boundary ran up the middle of the Street. Sans Close was dated 1841 but the term was used for land hereabouts as early as 1694. The name probably arose from the nature of the land, which is almost pure sand. BAPTIST CHAPEL. 1798. This can still be seen incorporated into the wall of a furniture factory. J D Todd's printing works have been there since the 1860s. STAR MUSIC HALL opened in 1885 was the last of the small theatres in the town and was never economic. It is now a garage, but its original purpose can still be traced both externally and internally. This occupies the site of Bowling Green House, shown on Raine's Map, and was at one time used as the Dispensary - forerunner of the Infirmary." I am not sure what is intended by the reference to J D Todd's printing works. That is, whether is was on the site of the Baptist Chapel (but surely that was the furniture factory) or whether, and probably, it was elsewhere in the street. I don't think Raine's map (the "Eye-Plan") has yet been mentioned in this context, probably because it is usually dated as 1785-90, a little early for us. On it, Sans Street is called "Back Lane" and seems to have comprised only five houses - or five buildings, anyway: some may have been in multi-occupation. None have been given any mark of their nature. They are all on the east side of the north end of the street. The Bowling Green House is clearly shown on the west side of the street, near its southern end, as is the Bowling Green itself. Geoff Nicholson