11th May

 

On 11th May 1481, Stamford shoemaker John Woodcok claimed sanctuary at St John’s church, Beverley, for the death of William de Tee, mercer of Stamford, on 30th March.

On 11th May 1812, HMS Anson, a 74-gun naval ship of the line, was launched at Paull by Steemson of Hull. In 1844 she carried 499 male convicts to Hobart, Tasmania, the largest number of convicts carried by a single ship. Was refitted as a prison for female convicts and broken up in 1851.

On 11th May 1975, Hull-born artist and architect Allanson Hick died aged 76 in Hornsea. From a maritime family, his career as an architect allowed time for artwork; a member Society of Graphic Artists, founder member of Royal Society of Marine Artists, Fellow of Royal Inst British Architects, President of York & EYorks Architectural Society. Many of his architectural commissions no longer survive, but he designed Dundee Chambers, Princes Dock Side. Several of his works were purchased by the Ferens, and he exhibited at the Royal Academy. He has no Wikipedia entry. (born 19.6.1898 89 Walton St, Hull)

March 28th

On 28th March 1783, Alexander Cavalie Mercer was born in Hull. He was a British artillery officer who served at Waterloo and wrote a journal of his experiences. Also a painter of merit. (died 9.11.1868)

On 28th March 1854, Joseph Rank was born in Holderness Road, Hull. His father was Hull miller James Rank. Joseph built his own mill and came to automate the flour milling process. He set up the business which became Rank Hovis McDougall. He set up a number of charities. Father of J. Arthur Rank.(d 13.11.1943)

On 28th March 1864, the first train of the Hull & Hornsea Railway left Wilmington Railway Station, Hull, at noon. Financial problems caused the company to be taken over by the North Eastern Railway Company 2 years later.

On 28th March 1882, the head of Withernsea pier and the saloon were washed away in high seas, as the damage done in 1882 was cheaply repaired with timber, not iron. They were never replaced.

On 28th March 2011, Dave Foster and Mick Bateman bought Bettison’s Folly, Hornsea,  for £1 plus legal fees. The tower was built in the 1850s by brewer William Bettison, supposedly so that his servant could watch for his return home and have his meal ready as soon as he arrived. A siren was put on the tower during WW2, when it was also used as an air-raid lookout.

Bettison's Folly

March 19th

Rose Ellen Carr

On 19th March 1293, only 5 days after his valuation of Myton, King Edward I had new records of tenants drawn up, and ordered the improvement of roads to his new town of Kingston on Hull. The roads to Hessle, Beverley and York already existed.

On 19th March 1913, Rose Ellen Carr died at Hornsea aged 70. Although illiterate, and facially disfigured, probably as the result of a kick from a horse when she was a child, she was ran a success business as a carrier and taxi owner, and was reputed to be able to carry a 16-stone sack of grain under each arm. She was also a passionate Primitive Methodist preacher.

On 19th March 1941, 92 Hull residents died in an air raid; 70 people were seriously injured.  This was the 12thraid since the beginning of the year. The National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road was hit; they were screening Charlie Chaplin’s ‘The Great Dictator’ at the time. photo below shows ruin of the cinema

On the same day, Mr & Mrs Severs and their 2 children were killed by a land mine at Highfield Farm, Hutton Cranswick. Other damage nearby probably intended for Hull included 70 high explosive bombs and incendiaries at Watton Abbey Farm, mostly in the fields, the destruction of Mrs Arnell’s grocer’s shop, and a fire in Hutton church.  Arthur Swift of Wawne Common Farm recorded a land mine, incendiaries and high explosives, which blew out all the windows and tiles off every building in the farm. The ghost of a Watton Abbey monk was said to have been seen that night.

nationalpicturetheatre

March 10th

Holy Trinity

On 10th March 1425, Hull Holy Trinity Church, was consecrated; building began in 1291 and was interrupted by the Black Death.

On 10th March 1447, Henry VI issued a charter enlarging the county of Hull to include Hessle, North Ferriby, Swanland, West Ella, Kirk Ella, Tranby, Willerby, Wolfreton, Anlaby, the site of Haltemprice Priory and Derringham Dike.

On 10th March 1623, George Tummond, butcher, of Patrington, was found dying at sunrise in Winestead, after starting to walk home from the alehouse in Ottringham. Holderness was notorious for its floods.

On 10th March 1800, George Hudson, the “Railway King’, was born in Howsham.  He  made a great business and political career from sharp practice and bribery (was MP for Sunderland, and Lord Mayor of York). He became hugely rich, but was disgraced, and imprisoned for debt, though released when his debts were paid by public subscription. In 1845, he bought the Londesborough Estate for £470,000. D14.12.1871

On 10th March 1823, John Bacchus Dykes was born in Hull. By the age of 10, was assistant organist at St John’s Church, Myton. Became a vicar, and composed over 300 hymn tunes, including ‘Eternal Father, Strong to Save’ and ‘We plough the fields and scatter’. (d 22.1.1876)

On 10th March 1921, Mr J.H. Tate proposed a motion at Hornsea Golf Club that ’Old Jack be shot’! It is assumed Old Jack was the horse used to pull mowers and rollers on the course.

On 10th March 1954, Alex May, master of the tug Fenman, died in hospital after the tug was overrun by the ship she was towing, the Rudolf, and sank, on the way into Hull’s Alexandra Dock. 2 of the crew were swept away. There was 1 survivor.

March 6th

On 6th March 1851, two days of severe storms, coupled with high tides, caused several breaches in Spurn Point, and made the Low Light insecure. The lifeboat was damaged, and several of the crew’s cottages were flooded. The extraction of gravel was halted, but did not finally end for many years.

On 6th March 1862, Joseph Wildridge, aged 14, apprentice, was attacked by another apprentice, probably named William Webb, on board Hull fishing smack Fairy. He was  so severely injured that he had to be returned home by another vessel, and died on 9thApril. He was unable to report on the events leading up to his attack, and a court case failed to prove a case against his assailant, as the crew would not testify.

On 6th March 1883, a great storm affecting the whole of the East coast resulted in huge losses in the Hull fishing fleet. Accounts vary: up to 230 Hull fishermen and 32 fishing smacks are recorded as lost.

On 6th March 1916, Zeppelin L14, after attacking Hull, dropped bombs on Burstwick and Owstwick, with no further casualties, before passing out to sea.

On 6th March 1919, the RAF Squadron 248 at Hornsea Mere seaplane station disbanded. From August 1918, it flew coastal patrols with Short 184 and Fairey Hamble Baby floatplanes off the Yorkshire coast. photo shows a short 184

 

short-184

February 19th

Pilgr Grace

On 19th February 1408, Henry Percy, 1stEarl of Northumberland, was killed in battle against King Henry IV, after supporting Edmund Mortimer’s claim to the throne. The Percies held lands across Yorkshire, the Lakes and Northumberland, but their main seat appeared to be Leconfield until the 16thC.

On 19th February 1499, William Fechet of Harpham claimed sanctuary at St Cuthbert’s church, Durham, for assaulting William Fox on 22ndOctober, striking him in several places with a sword; he assumed that Fox had died from his wounds, and fled.

On 19th February 1537, Sir Ralph Ellerker, the elder, chased Sir Francis Bigod and his men out of Beverley, and took 62 prisoners, who were taken to Hull. Bigod escaped. This appeared to be the end of the Pilgrimage of Grace in East Yorkshire.

On 19th February 1944, a Halifax bomber crashed 2m NNW of Hornsea shortly after take-off, killing all 7 crew. Photo -notice in Atwick church. Sadly, I was unable to find the memorial.

Atwick Halifax crash

January 25th

On 25th January 1201, King John and Queen Isabella visited Cottingham and Beverley on their way to Driffield, where they stayed on 27th.

On 25th January 1582, Christofer Danbroke, Hull merchant, and John Whelpdaile, draper, were fined 10shillings and 6s8d respectively for buying herrings from a Scottish ship, against the port regulations.

On 25th January 1875, George Myers died aged 72 in London. A Hull-born builder with a national reputation, particularly for his work with Pugin; he was involved in restoring Holy Trinity, in erecting the Wilberforce column, and in building the Royal Pavilion at Aldershot for Prince Albert.  His blue plaque is at 131 St George’s Road, London SE1. (b1803)

On 25th January 1886, Hull Philharmonic Society adopted a rule that evening dress be compulsory at concerts in the body of the hall.

On 25th January 1898, Mr Good and 19 other Hornsea gentlemen met at Fairfield’ Cliff Road, Hornsea, to form Hornsea Golf Club, and invited Capt F.C.S. Constable of Wassand Hall to become its President. The first ground was at Old Hall Fields.

George Myers

January 24th

On 24th January 1882, Peter Hughes, 16, ship’s cook, died on board the fishing smack Gleaner on the Dogger Bank. He died at the hand of Edward Wheatfill, after two weeks of beating, starvation, and torture, including being tied naked on deck. Wheatfill was found guilty of wilful murder and executed at York on 28.11.1882.

On 24th January 1906, the name of Leona Sherman was found on the Hornsea electoral list for the General Election; there is no record whether she tried to cast her vote.

On 24th January 1937, Richard Baker, 28, skipper, of Bernadette Ave, Anlaby and all his crew were lost when the trawler Amethyst foundered off Kinnaird Head.

AMETHYST-H455-leaving-SAFD-450px

January 8th

On 8th January 1902, James Bell, 26, skipper of Hull trawler Jupiter was lost with all his crew when she stranded on Rumble Holm, Shetland.

On 8th January 1910, Alfred Spencer, shoemaker, was working in his shop in Marine Drive, Hornsea, during a storm when the cliff edge collapsed.  As he could not get through the door he had to be rescued through a hole knocked in the wall. Only one source for this story, so if anyone can verify it, I would be grateful for a source. photo shows modern Hornsea

 

Hornsea

January 7th

On 7th January 1651, John Shaw was confirmed in post as Master of Hull Charterhouse; a radical, he was already a very popular Lecturer (i.e. preacher) at Holy Trinity. The previous incumbent at the Charterhouse, Wm Styles, had said he would never quit the post voluntarily if Shaw were to replace him.

On 7th January 1884, the steamer European landed in Hull, bringing the Spurn lifeboat for repair from Holland, where it had been found on the Dutch island of Texel after breaking from its moorings in a gale on Christmas Day.

On 7th January 1889, Alice Norah Blyth, aged 10, died in the care of Port of Hull Society’s Sailor’s Orphan Home.

Orphan deaths, Sailor's Orphan Home
Western General Cemetery