April 24th

 

john-hotham-1-sized

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.

 

March 18th

On 18th March 1293, the name ‘Kingston upon Hull’  was first used by a jury called to value land in order to improve roads in the town which King Edward I had just purchased.

On 18th March 1708, the Hull Mayor and Chief Magistrates received a letter from the Council in the North instructing them to get all ‘dangerous or disaffected persons’ to sign an oath of allegiance to Queen Anne and to swear that Charles (Bonnie Prince Charlie) had no claim to the throne.

On 18th March 1859, John Sanderson was recruited to ‘work the Force Pump when necessary for the water closets’  at the Ladies Hospital, College St, Sutton-on-Hull. It seems the elderly residents found the pump too difficult to operate.

On 18th March 1924, Sir James Reckitt died in Hull aged 90. A businessman, JP, politician and philanthropist, he joined his father’s business, and created Garden Village as a model village for the company’s workers. Amongst his charitable works were contributions to Hull Royal Infirmary, Newland Homes for Seamen’s Children, the building of the city’s first public library, donated to the city, and the donation of Withernsea Convalescent Home to the Infirmary. He established the Sir James Reckitt Charity.  (b 15.11.1833)

jamesreckitt

March 13th

On 13th March 1640, on instructions from the Duke of Northumberland, Sir Edward Osborne, for the Council in the North, arranged for 2,000 horse and men to be quartered in and around Hull, together with arms for them.

On 13th March 1801, Hull Trinity House sent a further 6 North Sea Pilots to Yarmouth to support the naval attack on Copenhagen.

On 13th March 1827, Revd Richard Johnson died, aged about 71. Known as Australia’s First Preacher, he and his wife Mary joined the first Fleet, and he became chaplain to the prison colony of New South Wales in 1786. They created a school and both taught up to 200 children. He returned to Hull in 1800 and was curate to Rev Thomas Dykes at St John’s church for a time. (B Welton c1756) picture shows Australia’s first church, built by Richard Johnson in 1793

On 13th March 1942, Alexander Gallacher, 37, donkeyman, of Hull, died by enemy action, whilst a merchant seaman on board SS Destro, of Hull, off Tobruk.

first-church-Aus1793

December 31st

On 31st Dec 1458, Robert Foster enrolled into post as Collector of Customs, joining existing staff Thomas Everyngham (Collector) and Thomas Maygne (Controller).

On 31st December 1501, William Croswet of Hull claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for debt.

On 31st December 1511, Audrey, or Etheldreda, spinster from Lincolnshire, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for a felony; the register gives no detail of her offence.

On 31st December 1626, the Council of the North summoned a representative of the Hull Corporation to appear and explain Hull’s failure to provide ships ordered. (Under Charles I’s unpopular Ship Money tax, Hull was required to provide the cost of 3 ships in 1626, and appealed against the decision, saying it was too much).

On 31st December 2007, new research revealed that the Hell’s Gate, Hunsley archaeological dig site site was an Anglo-Saxon execution cemetery (mid 7thC to early 11thC). The heads would have been displayed on posts  at the site between Welton and Cave. 12 male Anglo-Saxon skeletons, 10 of them headless, were found in a Bronze Age barrow in the 1960s, and known as the Walkington Wold burials.

Hell's Gate

December 24th

Coat_of_arms_of_the_baron_de_Ros_-_Premier_baron_of_England

On 24th December 1264, Robert de Ros of Roos and Helmsley was created Baron de Ros, probably the first English Barony created, and the title holder is styled the Premier Baron of England.

On 24th December 1510, Welwick labourer James Martynson claimed sanctuary at the church of St John for the murder of John Lewes of Welwickthorpe, labourer.

On 24th December 1592, the Council in the North ordered that no merchants carry goods or merchandise up the river or trade with other parts of the north except through the port of Hull.

On 24th December 1911, James Adamson, 34, deckhand, was lost overboard from Hull trawler Eldorado, 250 miles ENE of Spurn.

 

 

December 16th

On 16th December 1512, William Crag of Cave claimed sanctuary at the church of St Cuthbert, Durham, for ‘asportation’; along with others, he had stolen 25 horses and mares, near Cave; in addition, in a certain park near Airton by York, he stole 3 other horses.

On 16th December 1586, the Earl of Huntingdon, on behalf of the Council in the North, wrote to the Hull Corporation to ask them to prevent merchants profiteering from the corn shortage by purchasing stocks for poor relief at a reasonable rate.

On 16th December 1645, Hull draper Robert Cartwright was fined £47 as a former Captain in the Royalist army (a ‘delinquent’) in order to recover his goods which had been sequestered by Parliament.

On 16th December 1689, a number of Danish soldiers were in William of Orange’s army, and 2 of them quarrelled and settled their dispute by a sword duel at Beverley. The survivor was beheaded in Saturday Market. (see 23.12)

On 16th December 1929, the R100 airship, the largest airship ever designed, made by a team led by Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, and including novelist Neville Shute Norway, took its maiden voyage from Spaldington Air Station.

On 16th December 2010, Easington tithe barn was offered for sale at an auction with a guide price of £125,000 and failed to sell. The 14thC building is the last remaining tithe barn in the county, and a Grade II listed building.

Easington tithe barn

December 15th

On 15th December 1604, the Hull Recorder, Sir William Gee, petitioned the Council in the North on behalf of the Hull Corporation for a financial contribution towards the relief of people infected by plague; 788 people had received financial support of some sort, and other costs (wages of watchmen, repairs to pesthouse) totalled over £97. photo shows the Gee memorial in York Minster

sir Wm Gee

December 6th

On 6th December, it was the tradition in many villages for a Boy Bishop to be elected, to serve to Christmas Eve.

On 6th December 1567, after being admitted to the Council in the North by the Archbishop of York, Sir John Constable of Halsham and Burton Constable was dismissed after opposition from protestant Sir Henry Gates.

On 6th December 1852, Henry ‘Box’ Brown, escaped US slave and actor, performed a panorama of African and American Slavery at The Music Hall, Hull.

Henry Box Brown

 

November 23rd

On 23rd November 1599, the Council in the North made an order that John Gregory should serve as Hull Sheriff, although he had held the office 32 years before in 1567, and had asked to be released. He appears to have been successful in spite of the order.

On 23rd November 1796, John Taylor jnr, member of the Hull Troop of Gentlemen and Yeomanry Cavalry, was unanimously expelled and voted to Coventry for improper conduct. The record does not state what he did. photo shows cavalry of the time.

On 23rd November 1863, at the Howden Martinmas hiring fair, 700 men and 800 women attended, the largest number of any ER town; fairs were also held in Beverley, Bridlington, Driffield, Hedon, Patrington, where farmers and people seeking employment gathered. The church was concerned about the moral issues involved when single women had to parade themselves in public. Traditionally, farmworkers had a week’s holiday, annual wages paid, and there were pleasure fairs.

cavalry1796

November 7th

Gunpowder Plot memorial
Welwick

On 7th November 1605, Sir John Ferne, secretary to the Council in the North, sent confidential news to the Hull Mayor of the Gunpowder Plot, and orders to arrest Thomas Percy of Leconfield. An arrest warrant was issued the following day to the Bailiff, Chief Constable and constables of the county of Hull. However, Percy and the other conspirators were heading for Staffordshire.

On 7th November 1646, Sir Francis Cobbe of Ottringham was fined £72 as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royalist army (a delinquent) in order to recover his goods which had been sequestered by Parliament. He had been a member of King Charles’ Bodyguard.

On 7th November 1887, the crew of sailing ship Earl of Beaconsfield were rescued after the ship ran aground on sands off Aldbrough; the figurehead, representing Benjamin Disraeli, the Earl of Beaconsfield, can be seen in Hull Maritime Museum.