Category: war

April 30th

On 30th April 1513, Edmund de la Pole, 3rdDuke of Suffolk, 6thEarl of Suffolk, and his brother John were executed by Henry VIII. Edmund was the leading Yorkist claimant to the throne; he had sought help from the Holy Roman Emperor, who handed him over to Henry.

On 30th April 1584, Walter Peck and others were fined 2s8d for buying 200 fish in the Humber before it was landed in Hull. Robert Jackson and others were fined on the same day for the same offence, a total of 53s 4d.

On 30th April 1649, Henry Cave, 39 and William Cropper, 40, both of Hull, were executed outside Walmgate Bar, York, with 12 other ‘rebels’ from the North and West Ridings.

On 30th April 1859, Joseph Hoare was elected MP for Hull, but the election was declared void due to bribery, and a by-election was held in August. Hoare’s agent employed poor voters as runners and messengers at 3s 6d a day.

On 30th April 1877, brick- and tile-makers in the Newport area complained about the state of the Market Weighton Canal, which had carried millions of bricks in the 1820s, and was now too low for their barges. It took 4 years for any real action to be taken, due to denial of responsibility by the canal trustees, the local authority, and the North Eastern Railway. Commercial navigation on the canal did not die out until 1958.

 

April 27th

On 27th April 1314, King Edward II stayed in Beverley on his way to fight the Scots at Bannockburn.

On 27th April 1681, John Baker, pewterer, known as ‘the Protestant tinker’ and a chamberlain of Hull, was working for the Ordnance Office to look into the misappropriation of lead, timber and other materials for use in Hull North Blockhouse. He alleged that materials had been delivered to the houses of the Governor (Bellasis) and the Lieutenant-Governor (Gilby). The Privy Council ordered Hull council to prosecute Baker for spreading false news.

On 27th April 1759, Mary Wollstonecraft was born in Spitalfields, London. Feminist writer and mother of Mary Shelley, she lived in Beverley for 6 years, aged 9-15.

On 27th April 1821, the Spurn lifeboat crew were assaulted while loading gravel for the Lord of the Manor, Francis Sheldon Constable, by local men who wanted to share the income from this work.

On 27th April 1918, former Reckitt’s employee Private Richard Wilson, 42, died on active service with 942ndArea Employment Co Labour Corps. He is buried in Rouen, France.

Mary Wollstonecraft

April 26th

 

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On 26th April 1642, the Hull Mayor received a letter from King Charles (now in York) demanding admittance to the town, and confirming Sir John Hotham as a traitor, and not to be obeyed.

On 26th April 1796, Capt Metcalfe, of Hull Trinity House, assisted in quelling the second day of riots in Hull. The price of bread was high, and starvation a reality, poor people spending 60-80% of their income on food. A crowd sacked a mill outside town, seized flour and meal, and took goods being landed from Lincolnshire. They attacked market traders and insisted on paying a lower price for goods.  The Riot Act was read; 2 people were jailed.

On 26th April 1828, Matthew Harrison, 40, of Beverley, was hanged at York Castle for horse stealing, with 2 associates.

On 26th April 1867, the Hull whaler Diana returned to port after 353 days away, mostly spent trapped in ice in Frobisher Bay in the Arctic. 10 (or 13) men died of scurvy and dysentery.  Captain  John Gravill is buried in Hull General Cemetery.

 

April 25th

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On 25th April 1524, The Guild of Minstrels met in St Mary’s Beverley, as they did on this date each year, and revealed the new pillar which the guild paid for, to repair the damage done to the church in 1520 when the tower fell. 5 minstrels are pictured on the pillar.

On 25th April 1524, Walter Shore, a cooper from Barmby Moor, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for debt.

On 25th April 1534, Sir Ralph Ellerker stodd for election as a Beverley governor, even though he was not eligible; he kidnapped and intimidated members of his opposition, was re-elected. The Archbishop of York ruled in the Star Chamber that the election was null and void.

On 25th April 1795, William Jackson, 25 of Keyingham, was hanged at York Castle for stealing 10 sheep.

On 25th April 1832, James Acland, of 23 Queen Street, Hull, printer and owner of Hull Portfolio, was elected churchwarden at Holy Trinity Church, Hull.  He campaigned against corruption in local government and headed the Hull Political Union.

On 25th April 1915, Father William Joseph Finn, 40, was the first padre of WW1 to be killed. At Gallipoli, Turkey, he ignored an order not to go ashore with the troops, and spent a long time offering help or consolation to the wounded and dying, before being killed himself. He was buried on V Beach. The Church of the Sacred Heart, Southcoates Lane, Hull, was built in 1926 and paid for in his honour by his brother, Frank Finn, Lord Mayor  of Hull. (b 27.12.1875)

Father Wm Finn 2

April 24th

 

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On 24th April 1597, the Council in the North asked Hull and York corporations to work together and take part ownership with Roger Ashe of a new ship being built at Grimsby. Both corporations objected, and the York Merchant Adventurers joined in, asking both sides to take over Ashe’s share in the ship, as he evidently wished to pull out of the project. How it was resolved the author does not know.

On 24th April 1642, King Charles I sent heralds with a message to Sir John Hotham, giving him a last chance to admit the King to the town. It was rejected.

On 24th April 1644, Parliamentary and Scottish troops took the town of Stamford Bridge from the Royalists.

On 24th April 1882, Hull Street Tramways Company broke a strike by drivers and conductors, by engaging staff to replace those on strike. The strike was for improved working conditions, and resulted in the formation of the Hull Tramway Men’s Union.

 

April 23rd

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On 23rd April 1642, Sir John Hotham refused to allow King Charles I and his forces to enter the town through Beverley Gate. Charles declared Sir John a traitor, and all who obeyed him guilty of high treason, and withdrew to Beverley.

On 23rd April 1860, widow Elizabeth Ann Parker, 25, died at 1 Darley’s Court, New George St, Hull, of injuries inflicted by Thomas Kirkwood, 30, soldier, a deserter from the 29thRegiment. He was charged with murder and tried at York Assizes on 21stJuly 1860, but does not appear to have been executed there.

On 23rd April 1941, Private, Acting Corporal Ernest Collinson, 2ndBattalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, of Burstwick, led an action leading to the surrender of 50 Italian troops in the Battle of Keren, Eritrea. He was awarded the Military Medal for leadership, courage and devotion to duty. This was the most decisive battle of WW2 in East Africa. Many East Yorkshire men were in the West Yorkshire Regiment. Ernie was my great uncle.

April 22nd

On 22nd April 1566, Walter Cave was assaulted in his own home in Hull by Ralph Ellerker, his brother James and servants, and Cave brought an action in the Star Chamber. The argument involved Walter Cave accusing Robert Dalton, his brother-in-law and servant of the Ellerkers, of illegally harbouring Catholic priests, and Cave’s refusal to allow Dalton into the house to speak to Dalton’s mother. Ralph Ellerker claimed he acted in defence of his brother, who was unarmed. The outcome of the case is not recorded.

On 22nd April 1642, James Duke of York, the King’s son, aged 9, and the King’s nephew, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, 23, arrived in Hull unannounced, with the country people arriving for market day. They were well looked after, and invited to dinner with Sir John Hotham the following day. portrait on left shows James aged 12

On 22nd April 1893, arson suspected when fires broke out in timber stocks on Hull docks, during a dock strike which saw rioting, police charges and military involvement. The fire covered an area of 8 acres; the Citadel Hotel was destroyed, and total damage was estimated at up to £1million. Kier Hardy asked Parliament why the military had been sent to assist the shipowners. The strike continued into May.

April 21st

On 21st April 1499, Hull barber Richard Colyn sought sanctuary in the church of St John, Beverley, and confessed to committing homicide, and to being to an accessory, as he was present at the death of a man called Scotton, killed at Hull on 18thApril.

On 21st April 1803, Burnett’s Daily Shipping List reported 2 ships arriving from London, and 5 ships leaving port, heading for London, Hastings, Koningsberg, Amsterdam and Yarmouth.

On 21st April 1884, William Goodin, aged 34, with other mill workers, tried to put out a fire at Barker’s mill, Wawne Road, Sutton, with buckets, but was badly burned, and the mill was destroyed.

On 21st April 1982, the North Sea ferry Norland, captained by Don Ellerby, left Hull for Portsmouth, on the way to the Falklands as part of the Task Force, with 60 volunteers from the regular crew; she carried 800 men of 2 Para to San Carlos. Hull trawlers Farnella, Cordella, Junella, Northella and Pict were also requisitioned by the Navy and used as mine-sweepers. Capt Ellerby was later awarded the CBE. photo shows the Norland in the Falklands.

Norland in Falklands

 

April 18th

On 18th April 1801, Hull Trinity House gave financial support to 7 mariners who had returned home after being taken prisoner in the war against the French.

On 18th April 1864, Hull Mayor John Lumsden called a public meeting in Hull Town Hall, Lowgate. The topic was a petition to invite the Italian  nationalist General Garibaldi to Hull. He was in England, but unable to come to Hull, and returned to fight in Italy.

On 18th April 1911, Francis Frederick Johnson, was born in Bridlington, where he lived all his life. An architect, his early work was mostly local, and he did much restoration work on country houses. His work was increasingly recognised nationally and internationally, and he worked up to his death aged 84. He was awarded the CBE, for work including St Margaret’s Hilston; St Michael & All Angels, Orchard Park; Winestead Rectory restoration; Cottingham Rectory. Many of the buildings he designed were given listed status in 2017. He is buried at Reighton with his life partner, Edward Ingram, local historian.  (d 29.9.1995) photo shows Hilston church

On 18th April 1932, the Thorpe Enquiry into land deals on Hull Council reported its findings that Sir Digby Willoughby (who had committed suicide the month before), Alderman Francis Finn, and builder Robert Tarran, were involved in corrupt land deals.

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April 17th

On 17th April 1595, a week after the birth of Frances Clifford at Londesborough House, her parents gave a feast for 70 people, including friends and family and local people; the menu included caviar, 11 types of fish, lamprey pies, turbot pies, eel, mutton, chicken and rabbit, salad, cheesecake and fruit tart and custard.

On 17th April 1627, army deserter Richard Towler was taken under escort to Hull with orders to either rejoin the forces heading for Germany from which he had deserted, or be returned to York as a prisoner. 1,350 soldiers had sailed from Hull in 1626 to support the King of Denmark in the Thirty Years War.

On 17th April 1797, Hull Trinity House paid £1 5 shillings to William Taylor and Robert Masgill, of the ship Jupiter, which had been captured by the French.

On 17th April 1803, George Wallis, aged 73, died in Hull. Hull’s most prominent locksmith, he created a collection of arms and armour, and opened what may have been Hull’s first museum. His painting can be seen in Wilberforce House. His son George invented a swivel-mounted harpoon gun for the whaling trade.  (b 20.4.1731 in Lockington).

On 17th April 1878, George Herbert Stancer, was born in Pocklington. He was a sports journalist and administrator of cycling associations. He beat the record for a tandem tricycle ride from London to Brighton in 1910 (with L.S. Leake) in 5hrs 59mins 51secs. He was awarded the OBE, Died October 1962.

Geo Herbert Stancer