April 12th

On 12th April 627AD, King Edwin of Northumbria convened his Great Council at  Londesborough and agreed to adopt Christianity; King Edwin’s high priest Coifi destroyed the pagan temple at Goodmanham.

On 12th April 1748, William Kent (orig Cant) died aged 63 . This Bridlington-born architect and polymath, originator of the English style of landscape gardening, also introduced the Palladian style of architecture to England.  His buildings include Treasury Buildings and Horseguards, both in Whitehall, and Holkham Hall. (bapt 1.1.1686) photo shows his house in Bridlington old town

On 12th April 1855, John Enderby Jackson’s  ‘The Withernsea Quadrilles’ were played for the first time at a ball to celebrate the opening of  Withernsea’s first hotel, Queens Hotel, for visitors travelling on the new Hull to Withernsea rail line. Before the railway opened the previous year, the village population was tiny (108 in 1801), with 1 inn, and farming was the main occupation.

William Kent's house

April 8th

King Henry V

On 8th April 1421, King Henry V presided over state business while at Howden, probably at the Bishop’s Palace.

On 8th April 1586, Sir Christopher Hilyarde, William Pailer and Hugh Bethell supervised an inquiry into concealed lands and premises in Hull. Amongst numerous premises found concealed were the “Old Schoolhouse’, a tenement occupied by the schoolmaster and the new schoolhouse.

On 8th April 1586, Sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary to Elizabeth I, wrote to the Hull Mayor recommending Dr Hudson of York for the post of assessor in the Hull Admiralty Court. He seems to have got the job.

 

April 7th

john-hotham-1-sized

On 7th April 1615, George Goodgion, senior servant to Francis Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, ordered tenants to cart coals to the big house, which was out of fuel, and to note the names of those who refused. Tenants were required in their leases to do this work, but had to fit it in with their own farming work.

On 7th April 1643, Sir John Hotham wrote several letters to people on the Parliament side; the post for London was captured, and his letters published by the Royalists at Oxford, revealing his double-dealing.

On 7th April 1787, John Morrit, 34, was hanged at York for murdering John Argyle, aka Roundell, of Howden.

On 7th April 1810, Mr William Iveson, Steward to Francis Constable of Burton Constable, proposesd to Hull Trinity House to erect a lifeboat house on Spurn Point, provide 12 crew from Kilnsea, and open a tavern to create an income for the boat’s master.

On 7th April 1828, Joseph Robinson Pease, JP, made his first committal as JP in Cottingham, of a man who disobeyed an Order of Bastardy, i.e. he was jailed for refusing to pay maintenance for an illegitimate child.

On 7th April 1893, a rioting Hull mob destroyed 37 bags of carrots being taken on rullies to the docks, and used them as missiles to attack the police.

On 7th April 1943, pupils at Paull Primary School escaped unhurt when a barrage balloon escaped its mooring in the Humber, and exploded, setting fire to the school building.

 

March 30th

john-wilson-carmichael-the-shipyard-at-hessle-cliff-1820_a-l-10072237-8880731

On 30th March 1693, John Frame’s shipyard at Hessle Cliffs launched the man-of-war, the Humber, for the Navy, of 1205 tons, carrying 490 men and 80 guns. John Wilson Carmichael’s painting of the shipyard at Hessle Cliffs is in Ferens Art Gallery

On 30th March 1757, Mary Ellah of Broomfleet was hanged at York Castle, and her body burnt, for murdering her husband.

On 30th March 1782, scaffolding collapsed while builders were installing a roof beam in the new Congregational Chapel in Fish Street, Hull; 5 men fell to the ground, 3 of them seriously injured.

On 30th March 1851, the census figures recorded that more than half of the Hull population did not attend church on the given date, and that around 15% of the population described themselves as Church of England. (N.B. figures may have serious omissions, e.g. prisons, workhouses).

On 30th March 1860, the Turner’s Trust (Beverley) charity was registered as part of the will of printer Matthew Turner, to distribute sums of £10 10s each to well conducted, honest, deserving, sober and discreet domestic servants. At its first distribution in 1862, there were 240 applicants, of whom 68 were successful. The charity still operates. Turner is buried in Coronation Gardens.

 

 

March 29th

On 29th March 1241, William de Forz II, count of Aumale, Lord of Holderness, died of illness beside the Mediterranean, en route to Jerusalem, aged between 45 and 50. At times close to Kings John and Henry III, he changed sides and rebelled several times, was excommunicated twice, having to seek sanctuary in Fountains Abbey, but was pardoned.

On 29th March 1689, Sir John Hotham, 2ndbaronet, was buried, after dying aged 57 of a violent cold. He had just been greeted enthusiastically as the new governor of Hull, having come from Holland with William of Orange. He was the grandson of Sir John Hotham, the Hull governor who turned away Charles I.

On 29th March 1759, John Courtney recorded in his diary that the Beverley Assembly Rooms in North Bar Street/Lairgate hosted ‘a very splendid show of ladies and gentlemen and a very agreeable ball’; Beverley lacked industry, but was a desirable place for gentry to build large Georgian houses.

On 29th March 1776, Eliza Bordington and Thomas Akerman, 37, of Flambrough, were hanged at York Micklegate Bar for poisoning Mr Bordington (presumably Eliza’s husband), and Eliza’s body was also burnt.

On 29th March 1874, John William Duncan, aged 12, was a member of  Hull’s Spring Bank Orphanage’s new brass band. The band gave its first performance, marching from the Trinity House Almshouses, Beverley Road, to Victoria Pier and back. They only knew 4 tunes. They went on to play by request at cricket matches, school treats and concerts.

On 29th March 1972, Joseph Arthur Rank died aged 83. The son of Joseph Rank (see 28.3), he ran his flour milling company, and became interested in films began as a way of getting the Methodist message across. He set up The Rank Organisation in 1937, producing films, and owning 650 cinemas and 5 film studios. 1stBaron Rank. (B 22.12.1888 at Chestnut Villas, Holderness Rd, Hull).

joseph rank

March 27th

On 27th March 1349, an earthquake was recorded at Meaux and in Beverley, as in much of Eastern England. The monks were at prayer, and had reached the 2ndverse of Psalm 60 – ‘Thou hast made the earth to tremble; Thou hast broken it’.

On 27th March 1570, Thomas Bishop of Pocklington was tried at York Castle, and hanged, drawn and quartered for his part in the Northern Catholic rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. Anthony Langdale of Sancton escaped to Rome, and others may have fled to exile in Paris.

On 27th March 1575, Frederick Gottfried, aged 37, of Hull, was convicted of coining guineas and hanged in York.

On 27th March 1634, Mr Vavasour of Hesslewood (we don’t know if this was Thomas, 1stbaronet, Walter, 2ndbart, or another) was riding past Micklegate Bar in York when he saw moving earth, and helped convicted felon John Bartendale out of his grave. Bartendale was a travelling musician, who had been tried, hanged and buried. He was returned to prison, and at the next Assizes was given a full pardon.

On 27th March 1679, Mary Trot the daughter of Angel Trot died in infancy in Ellerker, and was buried, even though her father was a pauper, in a woollen shroud, following an Act passed to protect the woollen trade.

On 27th March 1615, Marmaduke Stutt of South Frodingham was buried in Winestead Lane after drowning whilst walking along the road.

On 27th March 1799, George Pycock died in Hull aged 50. He was the principal architect and builder in Hull at the time. He built Mytongate jail, the Infirmary, Prospect St, and St Giles Church, Marfleet. His only surviving building is the Neptune Inn, Whitefriargate.  (b1749)

Neptune Inn

March 16th

Kiplingcotes

On 16th March 1589, Robert Dalby (or Drury), priest, was executed for treason as a Catholic priest. Born in Hemingbrough, he was a Protestant minister, then ordained as a Catholic priest at Chalons in 1588, and was arrested on landing at Scarborough.

On 16th March 1660, the ship of Richard Williamson of Scarborough rammed the dolphin at the entrance to the River Hull, and was sunk. Trinity House was entitled to charge for repairs, but were lenient and only fined him £3.

On 16th March 1695, John Roxby & John Field (Ferriby) and Henry Watson and Benjamin Galland (Swanland) were chosen by the parish as Overseers for the Highways for the following year, Ferriby and Swanland being in the same parish, but choosing separate officers.

On 16th March 1879, Colonel Sir Tatton Benvenuto Mark Sykes, (usually known as Sir Mark) was born in Sledmere. He was a traveller, author, MP for Hull Central, advisor to the Government on Middle East affairs, and co-author of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which partitioned the Ottoman Empire. (died of flu 16.2.1919)

On 16th March 1939, Jean Farrow of Hull was the first ever female winner of the Kiplingcotes Derby, on Masterful.

Sykes-Picotagmt1916

 

March 11th

bearward

On 11th March 1214, Hawise, Countess of Aumale and heir of the Seigniory of Holderness, died single, having been widowed 3 times.  In 1212, she refused to marry for a 4thtime, for which she had to pay a fine to King John of 5,000 marks (about £1700) (some sources say she died before 8.3.1214)

On 11th March 1296, John Romanus (John le Romaine) Archbishop of York, died aged about 66 in the Archbishop’s Palace, Bishop Burton; he was buried in York Minster. He protected poor villagers in 1286 by ordering his parish priests in Holderness not to demand tithes from those earning 5shillings a year or less.

On 11th March 1522, Beverley bearward John Grene was tried for slander, by calling Percevall Robson, draper, a ‘Scottish bird’. Grene apologised for speaking in anger, and was rebuked and forgiven by Robson.

On 11th March 1616, Father Thomas Atkinson was hanged, drawn and quartered at York Castle at the age of 70. Born in the East Riding and trained in Douai as a Catholic priest, Atkinson spent 30 years as an itinerant priest in the Howden area, ministering to local Catholics, and hiding in their homes. He was captured in the Vavasour house in Willitoft. He was beatified 1987. A young man at the execution bought the priest’s stockings from the hangman, as a holy relic. Identified as a Catholic, he was imprisoned.

On 11th March 1858, Brother John of the Yorkshire Catholic Reformatory took some boys, for a treat, to slide on the ice-covered Market Weighton Canal; 5 boys fell through and, attempting to save them, he also fell through the ice. They all had to be rescued by passing bargemen.

On 11th March 1859 at 6a.m., ostler John Sissons was found hanged in one of the stables of the George & Dragon Inn, Aldbrough. He was described as an aged man of respectable family. The inquest verdict was of suicide due to temporary insanity.

March 5th

On 5th March 1514, John Taillour of Beverley claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for ‘the security of his body’, but the register does not state who was threatening him, or why.

On 5th March 1642, Queen Henrietta Maria stopped one night at the Manor House, Burton Fleming. She was still on her way to York to join her husband, Charles I, with arms from Holland. She is then said to have stayed 2 weeks at Boynton with the Stricklands. Luckily, Sir William, Parliamentary MP for Hedon, was away in London.

On 5th March 1646, Hull merchant Leonard Scott was fined £74 10s as a member of the Royalist army (a ‘delinquent’) in order to recover his goods which had been sequestered by Parliament.

On 5th March 1916, Martha, Ethel and Mira Ingamells of Linnaeus St, Hull, were among the 18 people who died in the 2ndZeppelin raid on Hull; 60 people were injured. Queen Street was hit, as were Linnaeus St., Porter St., Church St and Selby St, and Earle’s shipyard. A mob afterwards smashed up a vehicle belonging to the Royal Flying Corps, presumably in anger at their failure to defend the town, resulting in hasty installation of 7 guns, and the general strengthening of defences around the Humber. Bombs were also dropped on Gembling and Woodmansey.

WWI Zeppelin

March 3rd

On 3rd March 742AD, Yolfrida, daughter of Earl Puch, Lord of the Manor of South Burton (now Bishop Burton), died and was buried at Beverley. She was a nun at Bishop Burton monastery.

On 3rd March 1195, Hugh de Puiset died, aged about 70, at the Bishop’s Palace, Howden.  He was Bishop of Durham for over 40 years. He had in 1190 been imprisoned in his palace at Howden for overstepping his authority. He supported the chronicler Roger of Howden.

On 3rd March 1642, James Watkinson, jnr, Hull Alderman, attended his last council meeting; considered a Royalist, he was ‘invited’ to leave town in April, his High St house was commandeered and he moved to York.

On 3rd March 1932, Albert Digby Willoughby committed suicide by gas inhalation in a hotel in Helensburgh. Chair of the Hull Housing and Town Planning Committee, he was due to be the chief witness in the Thorpe Enquiry into corruption on Hull Council, to give evidence into the purchase of land for housing estates in Hull. He also faced trial for demanding money with menaces. He had charged commission to owners of land which he knew the council wished to buy.

On March 1984, Harry Hudson Rodmell died in Hull aged 97. He studied at Hull School of Art, and was a marine artist and commercial artist. A series of his marine posters is available for sale by Hull Museums. (b 28.5.1896)

Harry Hudson Rodmell_