January 30th

Mary Ward

On 30th January 1499, Robert Colstone of Hull and Marmaduke Pateson of  Flambrough claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley – Colstone for debt and Pateson for the murder at Flambrough of John Mottows.

On 30th January 1645, Mary Ward died aged 60. A cousin of the Wright brothers of Welwick, she spent 5 years living there with her grandmother and spent a further 6 years at Osgodby. She founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary and championed women’s education. She was declared Venerable in 2009. (b23.1.1585 Mulwith Yorks) see photo

On 30th January 1901, Beverley Mayor Elwell proclaimed the accession of King Edward VII to a large crowd at the Market Cross, despite bitterly cold weather and a snow storm.

On 30th January 1913, Harry Houdini, escapologist, performed at the Palace Theatre, Hull. He escaped from a canvas sea bag and straps; the challenge was signed by seamen Dan Morris, Tom Carr and Robert Mason.

On 30th January 1983, Captain Derek Wharton of North Sea Ferry Norland spent the day sailing back and forth in Bridlington Bay, having arrived back from service in the Falklands War a little too early for the homecoming celebration planned for 1stFebruary.

Houdini copy

 

 

January 27th

Pilgr Grace

On 27th January 1332, Sir John de Sutton was summoned to Parliament by writ and thereafter become Lord Sutton of Holderness.

On 27th January 1537, John Hallam and others captured during the attempt by the Pilgrimage of Grace to seize Hull were examined by local justices; Hallam and 2 others were condemned to death and the rest awaited the arrival of the Duke of Norfolk for a decision on their fate.

On 27th January 1599, the Earl of Pembroke’s Players arrived at Londesborough House for a week performing plays for the Shrovetide period, for payment of £15shillings.

On 27th January 1645,  14 Hull burgesses gave evidence that Thomas Swann was  not a Royalist, and should not have his property sequestered, but in fact was owed money by Parliament because his new house was demolished to build a defences for the town. His appeal failed.

On 27th January 1882, the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, joined the Holderness Hunt at Brantinghamthorpe, which recorded 1,400 horsemen, 4,000 on foot and 1,000 in carriages.

On 27th January 1901, Joseph Smith of Hull, on board SS Friary, was the 7thand last Hull passenger to have died of pneumonic plague contracted in the Mediterranean. He is commemorated in the columbarium at Hedon Road Cemetery.

On 27th January 1924, Brian Norman Roger Rix, Lord Rix of Whitehall in the City of Westminster and Hornsea in Yorkshire,  was born in Cottingham. He was a comic actor, specialising in Whitehall farce; awarded CBE for his charity work; campaigner for people with learning disability. He was also awarded 8 honorary degrees, 5 fellowships and many other awards, and was the first Chancellor of the University of East London, and vice Lord Lieutenant of Greater London. d20.8.2016

 

January 26th

St Andrews Dock memorial
Zebedee’s Yard

On 26th January 1509, William Ivenson, Hull tailor, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley for debt.

On 26th January 1516, John Catton, husbandman, of Allerthorpe, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for felony.

On 26th January 1884, former pupil of Hull Trinity House School John Blakeston drowned after falling into the sea while reefing sails on the Barque Cape City off Rosario, Cape Horn.

On 26th January 1926, Ronnie Hilton was born Adrian Hill  in Hull. A singer, had 9 top 20 hits in the 1950s, and was also a radio presenter and pantomime artiste.  d 21.2.2001

On 26th January 1968, Hull trawler Kingston Peridot made her last contact by radio. See 10.1

On 26th January 1972, students at Hull University held a sit-in, called The January 26 Movement, in the Students Union building. It was part of an anti-apartheid campaign to persuade Hull University to divest itself of shares in Reckitt & Colman, which had extensive interests in South Africa and Rhodesia. The sit-in ended on 7th February.

ronnie-hilton-a-windmill-in-old-amsterdam-1965

January 23rd

On 23rd January 1221, William de Forz II, Count of Aumale and Lord of Holderness, was excommunicated for the second time, for rebelling against the King, fortifying castles which were not his, and failing to fulfil a vow to go on crusade.

On 23rd January 1803, Burnett’s Shipping List reported 5 ships arriving in Hull from London that day; the Hope had lost an anchor and cable, and the Manchester had lost an anchor. 2 ships sailed for Yarmouth, 1 for Shields, and 1 for London.

On 23rd January 1908, Hubert Nicholson was born in Washinton Street, Hull. He was a journalist, poet and novelist, best known for “Sunk Island’ 1956. He took holidays in the Holderness marshes, the strong attachment to the area being reflected in his writing.       d Epsom 11.1.1996 Commemorated by a blue plaque.

Hubert Nicholson

November 28th

On 28th November 1427, Richard Reedbarowe received royal assent to erect a lighted beacon at Ravensporne (Spurn Point) to prevent shipwrecks, and to maintain it by charging vessels a fee.

On 28th November 1901, Sarah Hebden of Hodgson Street, Hull, was battered to death by her nephew, Arthur Richardson. He was the first person to be hanged in Hull Prison, Hedon Road on 25.3.1902.

On 28th November 1904, Hull’s first telephone exchange opened at the former Trippett Street Baths.  In 1913, Hull’s became the only municipally owned telephone service, after all other services were bought by the Post Office.

On 28th November 1955, Mr John Davies, of J. Arthur Rank Organisation, officially opened the new Cecil Cinema, replacing the building destroyed in the blitz on 8.5.1941. Architects Gelder & Kitchen. Davies was accompanied by his wife, film star Dinah Sheridan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P3–fkaeP8

Cecil cinema

 

September 20th

On 20th September 1188, St John’s church at Beverley and most of the town were damaged by fire. St John’s remains were not found until 1197.

On 20th September 1535, John Colynson and Thomas Savage, yeomen of Holme on Spalding Moor were declared outlaws after spending more than a year in sanctuary in Ripon. They sought sanctuary in 1534, confessing to stealing a horse. Savage confessed to the murder of Amery Burdett, but Colynson did not confess, though a coroner’s jury found them both responsible, and indicted others as accessories.

On 20th September 1769, Felice de Giardini, famous violinist, played at the start of a 3-day festival to celebrate the installation of the new organ at Beverley Minster, the first festival of its type in the north of England. New music by Handel was performed, including the recently completed Messiah; tickets were 2s6d and 5s.

On 20th September 1779, Mr Foster, Bridlington quay master, reported that John Paul Jones’ American squadron of ships had attacked a large fleet of colliers and ran them into the harbour.

On 20th September 1813, Thomas Nutbrown was born in Eastrington.  Probably the same person who, aged 14 in 1828, applied to the Howden poor relief officers for some new clothes, and was granted a second hand coat. He died aged 72 in Leeds Township, Quebec, Canada, on 25 Sept 1885.

On 20th September 1883, Rev Edward Cragg Haynes died aged 62 in Swinefleet, after serving there for 32 years. Born in Barbados, classed as ’free coloured’, had links to the Clapham Sect. Set up a Grammar School in Swinefleet attended among others by Joseph Rank. (christened 3.6.1821)

On 20th September 1902, Stevie Smith was born Florence Margaret Smith in Hull. Poet and novelist, most famous for ‘Not waving but drowning’. D 7.3.1971 see photo

On 20th September 1903, Annie Marshall, 16, domestic servant, from Lissett, was raped, shot twice, suffocated with grass and thrown in the river at Scampston by Charles William Ashton, 19, of Cottingham, farmhand.  Ashton knew her well. He was found guilty of murder and hanged at Hull Prison on 11thDecember the same year.

On 20th September 1954, the Selby to Driffield rail line was closed for regular passenger traffic, a service of one regular non stop train each way plus occasional summer excursions ran until June 1965. The line was abandoned after the last freight train ran later that year.

On 20th September 1955, Robert Greenwood Tarran, of the Wolds, Beverley High Road, Hull, died aged 63. Civil engineering contractor, and founder of Tarran Industries Ltd, former Sheriff of Hull, and chief Air Raid Warden during WW2. He moved the Wilberforce monument, at his own expense, and was responsible for building 20,000 prefabs after the war. He was also suspected of complicity in profiting from deals over council land in Endike Lane, in a law case during which his colleague Digby Willoughby committed suicide.

StevieSmith

August 28th

On 28th August 1643, after the Parliamentarian army fell back to Hull, the Royalists looted and plundered Beverley and nearby villages, even the residents who were Royalist supporters. Another band of Royalists entered Cottingham, and many residents fled to Hull, including Robert Burton, the agent of Sir Thomas Barrington, who had land in Cottingham.

On 28th August 1860, Pearson Park, Hull’s first public park, was inaugurated with a 2-day event and a parade 2 miles long. 30,000 visitors came to Hull by train to take part in the event, which included tree planting, a formal dinner, and fireworks.

On 28th August 1900, Duggie Wakefield was born in Hull. Comedian, star of 13 films in the 1930s, and revue artiste. Also brother in law of Gracie Fields. Considered as popular in the North as Max Miller was in the South. Died 14.4.51

On 28th August 1915, Percy Cawkwell, aged 19, was on top of a tram in Beverley Road, Hull, when a teenage girl called him a ‘slacker’ for not being in uniform.  He immediately decided to sign up, despite being blind in one eye. He was accepted into the Royal Army Medical Corps and became a stretcher bearer.

On 28th August 1952, Mary Dawson Elwell died, aged 78, at Bar House, Beverley. Artist, her early works in the name MD Holmes. She married Fred Elwell RA in 1914, and later works signed are M D Elwell.  (b Liverpool 13.8.1874) photo shows ‘A garden in Beverley’

 

Mary Elwell A gdn in Bev

July 17th

On 17th July 1882, deckhand John Fryer, 18, was lost overboard from Hull trawler Superb in the North Sea.

On 17th July 1930, Amy Johnson sent a telegram to Ethel Leginska congratulating her on her brilliant pioneer achievement in conducting the Carl Rosa Opera Company’s production of Madame Butterfly  in London.

amy-leginska telegram

July 10th

On 10th July 1157, Eustace FitzJohn, Lord of Alnwick, died this day.  He acquired substantial lands in the north, and married into the ER family of de Vescy. Fought on the Scottish side in the Battle of the Standard in 1138. Founded priories in Bridlington, Watton and North Ferriby.

On 10th July 1508, John Tod of Swine claimed sanctuary at the church of St Cuthbert, Durham, for the theft of a horse and 5 marks from chaplain N. Dale, the steward of the Lord of Hastings, and also for debt. As he claimed the theft happened 10 years earlier, presumably the debt concerned him more.

On 10th July 1642, Sir John Meldrum arrived in Hull by boat with 500 Parliamentary troops, and money, to support the town being besieged in the 1st siege of Hull. A further 1,500 troops were sent later.

On 10th July 1869, Mr Tasker of Sheffield was found guilty at Bridlington of shooting 28 protected seabirds, and fined 2s6d for each bird killed, plus 9s costs.

On 10th July 1931, Paul Robeson, singer, actor and political activist,  performed at Bridlington Spa Royal Hall on his first trip to Yorkshire,  receiving several encores; when the Royal Hall re-opened after refurbishment in 1933, he returned to Bridlington.

gannets

July 1st

On 1st July 1643, cannoneer John Stevenson was buried in St Mary’s Beverley, having died in the town in a ‘great scrimmage’ in the Civil War (possibly the day before).

On 1st July 1801, Hull Subscription Mill Ltd opened to provide cheap flour to the poor of Hull, 3 years or so after the opening of Hull Anti-Mill, one of the first co-operatives in the country.

On 1st July 1830, the Hull whaler Eagle had been stuck in the ice of Baffin Bay for 5 days.   With the help of 200 men from nearby ships, Captain Matthew Wright and crew, were finally able to repair the keel and heave the ship upright again.

On 1st July 1903, Amy Johnson was born in St George’s Road, Hull. She went on to become the first woman to fly solo to Australia, and to break many aviation records. (d5.1.1941)

On 1st July 1918, Hull coroner Colonel Alfred Thorney held inquests on 2 early cases in the flu epidemic: Kate Denman, aged 11, daughter of a labourer of Hodgson Street, and Elsie Barton, aged 9, daughter of a soldier, of Arthur’s Terrace Courtney Street. Both died within 24 hours of being taken ill, of influenza followed by pneumonia.

On 1st July 1940, the first-ever daylight air-raid on the British mainland attacked Saltend oil terminal.  Between 16.40 and 17.00, bombs caused a 2,500-ton tank of oil to explode, and threatened to spread to other tanks. For preventing even greater damage, the following were all awarded the George Medal: Clifford Turner, leading fireman; William Sigsworth, Manager, Anglo-American Oil Co Ltd; George Samuel Sewell, engineer, Shell-Mex & BP Ltd; Jack Owen, fireman; George Archibald Howe, Manager, Shell-Mex & BP Ltd. No loss of life.

On 1st July 1976, Withernsea Lighthouse ceased operating, after 82 years, having been superseded by modern navigational aids. It is now open to the public as a museum to Kay Kendall, to local history and the lifeboat service.Withernsea