On Christmas Eve 1852 at 186 High Street on the corner of Nile Street, William
Henry Hills started the oldest established booksellers and stationers in
Sunderland. The local press advertised the Christmas Eve Grand Opening, stating
Christmas and New Years Presents. The presents for sale included illustrated and
juvenile works, bibles, maps, school books, stationary, diaries, almanacs and
housekeepers account books for 1853.
By the 1860's the shop became so successful William Hills could afford to employ
two assistants to help in the shop. The two assistants were John Rutherford and
James Patterson. In the 1890's trade was moving toward the centre of town and
Hills & Co moved with it, to 6 Fawcett Street opposite the Town Hall.
The business was later taken over by John Rutherford and James Patterson after
the death of William Hills. The partners then moved to a larger shop at 19
Fawcett Street. John Rutherford sadly died in 1918, leaving a son Gordon and two
daughters Hilda and Amy. Hilda would go on to marry Ted Dean and Amy would marry
his nephew Edward Roydon Dean.
In 1929 Hills & Co became a limited company, run by Ted Dean, Edward Dean and
Gordon Rutherford. Norman Patterson the son of James was also involved in the
business but only for a short time as he started his own business in Holmeside,
Northumbria Printing Works. Hills & Co moved premises again, this time to 17
Waterloo Place.
The ground floor of Waterloo Place a former Jewellery shop was taken over by
Hills & Co. The upper floor owned by the Bible and Prize Book Depot was being
run by Miss and Miss Watson two sisters. The sisters held regular hymn services
at the shop, they were known locally as "The Hallelujahs". In 1931 the company
bought the deeds to the shop for £3.500, which meant that the Hallelujahs had to
move out and Hills moved up.
The first floor became a bible and prayer book department and a contract with
local authority meant that through the war the company remained stable. The shop
next door number 18 was owned by Dr George Morgan who ran a pharmacy. When in
1944 Dr Morgan died Hills & Co bought number 18 for £8.500.
The two shops were run successfully for many years as the stock expanded with
the premises. Hills were now also selling Gifts, Jewellery, Notepaper,
Notebooks, Kodak films and Box Cameras. Edward and Amy's son John joined the
company in 1944 as an assistant.
In 1950 the inner walls of the ground floor were demolished to combine and
enlarge the two shops. In 1956 after 64 years with the company first as an
assistant then director and chairman Gordon Rutherford died. In 1957 a ground
floor extension costing £1.590 was carried out followed in 1963 by another
£2.000 extension.
In the late 1980's after more than 100 years the Rutherford family ended their
interest in the company when they sold the business to George and Martin Preston
along with George Malt, who had joined Hill's in 1982 as an accountant.
However after more than 150 years the increase of supermarkets, bookstore chains
and the all important internet, Hill's & Co could no longer compete and sadly
had to close in 2006.
