This week – Page 29 – Hull & East Yorkshire History Calendar

August 7th

On 7th August 1385, Joan of Kent (the Fair Maid of Kent), mother of King Richard II, died, it is said, of a broken heart. She was unable to persuade her son King Richard to pardon another son, Sir John Holland, for the murder of Ralph, son of the Earl of Stafford. Holland was in sanctuary in Beverley Minster, and the murder took place nearby, when Richard’s troops were outside Beverley, on their way to the Scottish wars. Holland was pardoned within the year.

On 7th August 1427, Pope Martin V, in reply to a petition (from the parishioners of both Aughton and Bubwith churches and Peter de la Hay), granted permission that, when they were hindered in winter by floods, snow and hail from reaching their parish churches, they could use the chapel of St James in Spaldington for mass and other offices ‘while the hindrances last’.

On 7th August 1663, Robert Hardy of Hessle was enjoined by the Archbishop of York to do penance in Hessle church for his adultery. photo shows All Saints Church, Hessle

On 7th August 1840, a Serious rail accident took place in Howden, in which 4 passengers were killed, and 9 injured. The Hull and Selby Railway had only opened in full on 1^stJuly. The accident was the subject of the first ever report by the Board of Trade into a railway accident. All Saints, Hessle

August 6th

On 6th August 1778, the question of who owned Spurn Point was resolved in favour of the William Constable of Burton Constable; the legal dispute began in 1609.

On 6th August 1785, John Beck of Lelley was hanged at York Castle for setting fire to a house and corn mill belonging to William Jackson of Danthorpe, with Robert Crosby and John Edwards, also of Lelley; Edwards and Crosby escaped.

On 6th August 1859, John Riley, 36, of Hull, was hanged at York Castle for the murder of his wife, Alice.

On 6th August 1888, former Trinity House School pupil George Smith, age 15, drowned after a collision between the Barque Cambrian and a French Barque during a great storm in Valparaiso harbour.

On the same day, a Bank Holiday Monday, a popular trip out from Hull Corporation Pier was to Paull by boat to watch the Army’s Submarine Miners in training and holding boat races and athletic competitions. Several boats left the Pier during the day.

York Castle

August 5th

On 5th August 1661, Marmaduke Langdale, 1^stBaron Langdale of Holme, died, aged 63, at Holme on Spalding Moor. High Sheriff of Yorkshire 1639. Joined the Royalist side in the Civil War, and had a distinguished military career, being imprisoned and escaping twice. He was ennobled by Charles II in exile and returned from exile at the Restoration, becoming Lieutenant of the West Riding.

On 5th August 1664, Peter Rawson of Hull was indicted as a common disturber of the peace.

On 5th August 1918, the last Zeppelin raid on Hull took place. Visibility was good, and it was driven away by searchlights. No casualties. Marmaduke_Langdale2

August 4th

On 4th August 1511, John Hessey, husbandman of Belby, nr Howden, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for the murder of William Smyth of Didyngham (anyone know where this is?)

On 4th August 1652, Keyingham manor court fined 18 villagers for allowing their geese and pigs into the fields outside the stipulated times.

On 4th August 1795, Hull residents rioted against inflationary food prices and shortages. Much corn was being taken by the army, (Napoleonic Wars) in a year of poor weather. A few windows broken.

On 4th August 1834, John Venn, was born in Drypool, son of the vicar. Left Hull at age 8. Fellow of the Royal Society, famous mathematician, who introduced the Venn diagram. Commemorated in Hull University by the Venn Building. (d 4.4.1923) and by Drypool Bridge.

On 4th August 1851, G. Hought of Hutton Cranswick was killed by lightning, as he sheltered under a tree during a thunderstorm. He left a wife and 2 children.

On 4th August 1884, all 11 Walgate brothers of Aldbrough formed one cricket team in a match held at Rise Hall; the Walgates won the match by 3 wickets.

On 4th August 1969, HM Queen Elizabeth opened Queen Elizabeth Dock, the last major dock to be opened in Hull, accompanied by HRH Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne.

Drypool Bridge

August 3rd

On 3rd August 1349, John de Preston was elected Prior of North Ferriby on the death of John de Beverley, himself elected Prior just 10 days earlier on 24^thJuly, when he succeeded the previous Prior Walter de Hessell on his death. This outbreak of the Black Death killed 35 out of 95 parish priests in East Yorkshire, and presumably a similar proportion of the general population.

On 3rd August 1523, Thomas Senexer, yeoman, of Holme on Spalding Moor, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for debt. photo shows the Frith Stool (sanctuary chair)

On 3rd August 1732, Robert Cook was killed when he fell from a wagon at one of the chalk pits in Hutton.

On 3rd August 1798, Press Gang seamen John Sykes and John Burnock or Burnick were killed when attempting to press the crew of the returning whaler Blenheim (& see 2.8). The fight was watched by crowds on the dockside. Capt Mitchinson was charged with murder (& see 31.3) The navy men were buried in Drypool Cemetery.

On 3rd August 1878, for 1d working people could attend a lecture on ‘The Yorkshire Wolds in Prehistory’ as part of Hull Literary and Philosophical Society’s new series of lectures to the working classes in the Exchange Building, aimed at keeping working people occupied during the new Saturday half holiday.

On 3rd August 1942, Mrs Frances Snowden, Lieut Stanley Lawrence and Charles Cross were killed when 4 bombs were dropped on Flemingate, Beverley, damaging Hodgson’s Tannery and destroying a house, a medical centre and a warden’s post. 15 people were injured, some of them machine-gunned by the German bomber.

minster - frith stool.JPG

August 2nd

On 2nd August 1806, Capt Welburn, James Simon, ship’s surgeon, and crew of Hull whaler Blenheim were returning from the Davis Straits when the ship was taken by 2 French frigates, L’Syrene and Le Revenge. The Blenheim was burnt, its crew landed at Pampoule near St Malo, and conveyed to Arras where they were imprisoned. They were later moved to other prisons, and only released in 1814, after years of privation and misery, when the allies entered Paris. Dr Simon was subsequently in practice in Aldborough, Holderness where he died in 1845.

On 2nd August 1860, Hedon Magdalen Fair was finally abolished; in the latter years the owner of the field had to persuade, or bribe, those who wished to attend the fair not to meet there. The event had included a market, music, games, sports, juggling, fire-eaters, and badger baiting.

On 2nd August 1913, Charles William Loten and Terence Charles Carroll, 18, died at Hornsea whilst trying to save a child from drowning. A memorial brass in Hornsea church was paid for by public subscription.

On 2nd August 1916, Joseph Bennett, 17, died in Hull from bubonic plague. photo shows his memorial in the columbarium, Hedon Road.

plague victim.JPG

August 1st

On 1st August 1506, William Ryplay, labourer, of Leconfield, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for debt.

On 1st August 1639, Robert Skelton, 32, of Hull, was hanged at York Castle for forging a will belonging to Thomas Bell of Hull.

On 1st August 1648, Hull Recorder Francis Thorpe wrote to the Mayor concerning the shipment of pistols to the town, and about the case of Bacchus, a delinquent (i.e. a supporter of the Royalist cause in the Civil War).

On 1st August 1670, Mrs Mary Barnard of Barmston had been ordered to do work to the drain called Gallow Clow (on Myton Carr, near the road to Anlaby) on land which she owned, and had failed to carry it out; a jury under the Commissioner of Sewers gave notice of their intention to view the drain or creek.

On 1st August 1834, Richard Bethell MP laid the foundation stone for William Wilberforce’s statue on Monument Bridge, Hull, on the same day as the Slavery Abolition Act came into force.

On 1st August 1873, the Fisk Jubilee Singers arrived in Hull and visited the Wilberforce monument on the anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery Act. They performed several times, and were so popular they returned to Hull twice more before returning to the US August 1874. They were on a European tour, including singing for Queen Victoria, to raise money for the Fisk University for freed slaves. Several of the singers were born slaves.

Wilberforce memorial plinth

July 31st

Hull-trawler-memories-1900 steam trawler On 31st July 1332, King Edward III sailed from Ravenspurn to battle in Scotland. He also visited Hull, and was reported to be pleased with the progress of the fortifications there.

On 31st July 1899, Hull steam trawler Opal collided with trawler Toronto and was wrecked 160 miles NE of Spurn. photo shows a typical steam trawler of the period.

July 30th

whalebone arch Pat.JPG

On 30th July 1526, Preston butcher John Erdy claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for felony and debt.

On 30th July 1643, the parish clerk of St Mary’s, Beverley, reported in the parish register that they buried 13 men killed on the King’s side in the Civil War.

On 30th July 1782, the crew of Hull whaler Benjamin landed 135 butts of blubber and over 2 tons of whalebone, the product of 3 whales caught in the Davis Strait. (Rev George Lambert had shares in the ship). photo shows whalebone arch outside Patrington

On 30th July 1861, John Ellerthorpe, aged 55, rescued John Eaby, who had fallen into the Humber Dock Basin, Hull. This was Ellerthorpe’s 39^thand last rescue. Named ‘The Hero of the Humber’, he was awarded with the Royal Humane Society’s Silver Medal.

On 30th July 1891, Mary Jane Langley, 18 years, of Westfield Farm, Long Lane (now Neat Marsh Road) Preston, was last seen alive when she walked to Marfleet and took the train to Hull to have her photo taken. Her body was found in a ditch near her home. Her throat had been cut. John Rennard was arrested and tried, but not convicted.

July 29th

On 29th July 1527, John Flower, labourer of Burstwick, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for the death of Roland Stephenson.

On 29th July 1678, Andrew Marvell, MP for Hull, had what turned out to be his last meeting with Hull Corporation. He returned to London shortly after, and died suddenly, aged 58, on 16^thAugust, some supposed of poison.

On 29th July 1828, Hull banker Joseph Robinson Pease visited his land in Winestead to discover ‘hundreds of acres nearly a foot under water’ in the wettest July on record, a disaster for crops of hay, corn and potatoes. He said most local landowners had reduced rents, farmers ‘having literally nothing to pay with’.

Andrew Marvell