Blacketts were a small department store chain based in the north east of England with its flagship store located in Sunderland.

Blackett & Sons was opened in Sunderland in 1826 by William Blackett, a draper.^[1] The business grew from a drapery to a full line department store based on the corner of Union & High Street.^[2]

Stores were opened in Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland and Stockton-on-Tees (1939),^[3] while they purchased the department store of D Hill, Carter & Company in Hartlepool during the Second World War.^[4] During early 1961, Blackett chairman Mr C. K. Rudkin-Jones pursued the purchase of Gorringes Department Store in London, losing out to a joint bid by the Gresham Trust and Charles Neale Investments.^[5][6][7] In 1963, the Blacketts group of stores was purchased by fellow department store group Hide & Co.^[8]

In 1970, the Hartlepool store was closed, becoming a discount superstore before being converted into The Hill Carter hotel.^[9] The Stockton on Tees store was sold to Waring and Gillow, a furniture company.^[10] The main store in Sunderland closed in 1972 due to the competition of department stores in the town.^[11]