Vaux are one of the North East's most recognisable brands and one which is cemented within the social fabric despite being defunct for some years. So much so a phoenix brand brought it back to life.

Its history goes back far beyond this hallowed plot. It was founded by Cuthbert Vaux, born in 1813 and the son of a master mariner who honed his craft as a young lad at the Noble's Quay Brewery on Low Street. He dotted between breweries and later established his own in 1837 while living at Pemberton Row on nearby Matlock Street. Some sources like Wiki cite Vaux being older with the firm established in the early 19th century, but I can't find any information to suggest this entity is anything older than the year above.

The firm moved here to Castle Street in 1875, on the site of an old slaughter house and yard. The original owner Cuthbert died 3 years later, but his legacy was cemented. They had garnered a vast empire of pubs through the late 19th century, and not long after their recognisable Maxim ale propelled their image. Dozens of breweries were also absorbed not just in Sunderland but the country. Locally, this includes the Blyth & Tyne brewery and the Border Brewery at Berwick among others. As such they became a behemoth, and many will remember their horses parading around Wearside to supply their many houses.

The firm, who employed a good 600 people, a hotel chain and 350 pubs between Sunderland and Sheffield were sold off in 1999 despite massive ructions. The brewery business was sold to Whitbread with the hotels to Marriott. Though I'm sure it would've never looked the same today it seems their decision couldn't have been worse. Thankfully though, a couple of the directors resurrected the brand soon after on a much smaller scale.