History Hull

While Waiting At a Bus Stop... Picture Source: HU12 Online I have mentioned many times on the twitter feed that history can turn up in the most unexpected way, and the last time it happened was while waiting for a bus just in between Christmas and New Year. A Hoodie similar to this that inspired this post! Picture Source: hullkr.co.uk The conversation started with an older man commenting on a (Hull Kingston) Rovers top the other man at the bus stop was wearing, saying that he remembers watching the rugby league team for the first time in 1938! That year, Rovers played two games in the Yorkshire Cup, winning to Castleford at home, 12-0; the second game in the cup was against Hunslet, losing 23-7 away. They also played the Challenge Cup in February of that year, losing to Keithley at home, 0-2. I do believe that the possibility of our mystery Rovers fan attended the home matches is very good, which took place at the old Craven Park, where Morrisons supermarke...

A change from the factual to historical fiction for this post, with thanks to Jaqueline Mulligan for letting us publish it here. It was entered into the Beverley Literature Festival Writing Competition a few years ago, which was judged by the author Val Wood and was a joint runner-up.   Nothing was as it appeared to be, not the road that led to the house, not the house itself or the garden and certainly not the occupants of the house who were waiting on the steps by the front door. This was not a good beginning...There was a sudden erratic shuffle forwards by the people on the step accompanied by an uproar of yapping that sounded like it belonged to at least three dogs, but on looking down at the source of all the noise there was just one very excited Jack Russell. Leaving everyone in disarray it leapt across the small path and on to the flagstones before me. Stopping almost at attention at my feet the little dog paused, and in quick succession sniffed boots, puttees, trousers ...

HULL'S SECOND WORLD WAR EVACUEES In the early hours of 1 September 1939, the British Government's plans for evacuation swung into operation and millions of school children, teachers, mothers and infants were moved before war was declared on 3 September. On 31st of August, the citizens of Hull encountered this stark statement in their newspapers: “Evacuation of schoolchildren and other priority classes from all towns included in the Government's evacuation scheme is to begin tomorrow. Mothers and disabled to be evacuated Saturday … 50,000 Hull children will go to safe places. Once organised evacuation starts, people who are not in the organised scheme may have difficulty in leaving and if they wish to go they should do so without delay.” Gordon McDonald remembers the day that the evacuation of children and teachers began in Hull: “I was 4 and a half and my brother Albert was 6, when we were taken to Paragon Station to catch the train which would take us into the count...

This article in its  present form appeared on the City of Culture 2017 Volunteers Hub in June 2017, and also on Twitter on @HistoryHull also in June 2017. I've published here as I think it is easier to read and does the subject more justice.  Flectchers Corner Fountain Fletcher's Corner Fountain in Happier Times Photo: Hull Daily Mail With the opening of the new fountain in Queen Victoria Square recently, I would like to reminisce about one of Hull’s lost fountains, popular with old and young alike that stood for over 50 years in the city centre. The fountain in question stood in front of Fletchers bakery which was situated in King Edward Street and Jameson Street, opposite McDonalds and the former BHS. Fletchers was a bakery and delicatessen chain based in Hull and, what in today’s terminology would be called their flag ship store. The fountain was built in the 1950’s and the centre piece was a mermaid statue from the former Botanical Gardens, which w...

A Breath of Sculcoates Those of a certain age will remember that for most of us the highlight of the week (or Christmas Day!) would be watching Morecambe & Wise, and will also recall that 'Little Ern' was a budding playwright, so more often than not, the episode would feature the said play, with hilarious (and disastrous!) consequences caused by Eric!  Eric, Glenda Jackson and 'Little Ern' Photo:BBC With funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the members of the group in 2007 published "A Breath of Sculcoates" looks at the history of the area that goes from Queens Gardens, along Ferensway, Spring Bank, along Princes Avenue, and right along Sculcoates Avenue, north along the River Hull and back to Queens Gardens. Below is a map from 1906, taken from the book, which shows the Sculcoates area. For the sharp eyed among you, you will see that there is no Ferensway yet, and Queens Gardens is still a Dock! Follow the red Line! Bacon's Map ...

The National Picture Theatre: One of Hulls Last WWII Bombsites Over seventy years after the end of World War Two, there still remains a remnant of the conflict down Beverley Road, still untouched and awaiting it's future. The National Picture Theatre, just past Fountain Road as you travel into Hull City Centre, opened in December 1914, just after the outbreak of World War One. It had room for an orchestra, instead of a piano to accompany the silent films of the era, and plush seats that were compared to "being sat in your father's comfy armchair at home". The National Picture Theatre circa 1960s Photo: ArthurLloyd.co.uk On the evening of the 18th March 1941, Fate would decide it's final film which was Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", a satire of Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Obviously it wasn't to the Luftwaffe's taste, as they dropped a bomb in the car park behind the theatre at 9.50pm, just before the wartime cine...