April 20th

On 20th April 1602, Robert Watkinson of Hemingbrough, aged 23, was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London, as a Catholic priest; he was arrested almost immediately on returning to England after ordination at Arras, France.

On 20th April 1803, a sloop was ‘burnt to the water’s edge’ in Hedon harbour.

On 20th April 1808, Thomas Wilbe, 31, of Hull, was hanged at York Castle for raping a girl under 10 years old.

On 20th April 1892, former pupil of Hull Trinity House School, and Chief Officer of the Elliot of Caernarvon, William Henry Ansell, 29, died of yellow fever at Santos.

On 20th April 1976, Rev Wm Whitehead, on the 190thanniversary of the first recorded measurement of distance from Mappleton church to the sea, recorded the distance to the cliff edge.  At 898 ft 10”, it was almost exactly 1,000 feet less than in 1786, an average of 5ft 3” p.a.  Film clip: https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z8jfb9q

mappleton.JPG

April 8th

King Henry V

On 8th April 1421, King Henry V presided over state business while at Howden, probably at the Bishop’s Palace.

On 8th April 1586, Sir Christopher Hilyarde, William Pailer and Hugh Bethell supervised an inquiry into concealed lands and premises in Hull. Amongst numerous premises found concealed were the “Old Schoolhouse’, a tenement occupied by the schoolmaster and the new schoolhouse.

On 8th April 1586, Sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary to Elizabeth I, wrote to the Hull Mayor recommending Dr Hudson of York for the post of assessor in the Hull Admiralty Court. He seems to have got the job.

 

April 7th

john-hotham-1-sized

On 7th April 1615, George Goodgion, senior servant to Francis Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, ordered tenants to cart coals to the big house, which was out of fuel, and to note the names of those who refused. Tenants were required in their leases to do this work, but had to fit it in with their own farming work.

On 7th April 1643, Sir John Hotham wrote several letters to people on the Parliament side; the post for London was captured, and his letters published by the Royalists at Oxford, revealing his double-dealing.

On 7th April 1787, John Morrit, 34, was hanged at York for murdering John Argyle, aka Roundell, of Howden.

On 7th April 1810, Mr William Iveson, Steward to Francis Constable of Burton Constable, proposesd to Hull Trinity House to erect a lifeboat house on Spurn Point, provide 12 crew from Kilnsea, and open a tavern to create an income for the boat’s master.

On 7th April 1828, Joseph Robinson Pease, JP, made his first committal as JP in Cottingham, of a man who disobeyed an Order of Bastardy, i.e. he was jailed for refusing to pay maintenance for an illegitimate child.

On 7th April 1893, a rioting Hull mob destroyed 37 bags of carrots being taken on rullies to the docks, and used them as missiles to attack the police.

On 7th April 1943, pupils at Paull Primary School escaped unhurt when a barrage balloon escaped its mooring in the Humber, and exploded, setting fire to the school building.

 

April 2nd

Chas I trial

On 2nd April 1380, Alexander Neville, Archbishop of York, granted to the burgesses of Beverley the Westwood and all rights attached to the land.

On 2nd April 1607, John Alured was baptised in All Saints Church, Preston. He was elected MP for Hedon in 1640, and was a judge at the trial of Charles I. Died 1654. picture above shows the trial

On 2nd April 1652, Luke Hinderson, aged 45, of Stamford Bridge, was hanged outside Walmgate Bar, York, with 3 others, for robbing Peter Ellison, butcher of York, and leaving him for dead.

On 2nd April 1660, John Ramsden & Andrew Marvell were elected MPs for Hull; the votes cast were: John Ramsden 227, Andrew Marvell 141, Mr Barnard 113, Wm Lister 80, Matthew Allured 55 and Baron Thorp 35, in all 651.

On 2nd April 1774, George Belt of Howden was hanged at York Castle for breaking into and robbing the house of Mr Althorpe, near Howden.

On 2nd April 1785, William Riley, 23, was hanged for robbing John Borr of Hull near Newland.

On 2nd April 1916, a BE 2c aircraft of Beverley Royal Flying Corps Squadron 47, crashed at the Racecourse due to engine failure while defending the area from a Zeppelin attack.

 

March 11th

bearward

On 11th March 1214, Hawise, Countess of Aumale and heir of the Seigniory of Holderness, died single, having been widowed 3 times.  In 1212, she refused to marry for a 4thtime, for which she had to pay a fine to King John of 5,000 marks (about £1700) (some sources say she died before 8.3.1214)

On 11th March 1296, John Romanus (John le Romaine) Archbishop of York, died aged about 66 in the Archbishop’s Palace, Bishop Burton; he was buried in York Minster. He protected poor villagers in 1286 by ordering his parish priests in Holderness not to demand tithes from those earning 5shillings a year or less.

On 11th March 1522, Beverley bearward John Grene was tried for slander, by calling Percevall Robson, draper, a ‘Scottish bird’. Grene apologised for speaking in anger, and was rebuked and forgiven by Robson.

On 11th March 1616, Father Thomas Atkinson was hanged, drawn and quartered at York Castle at the age of 70. Born in the East Riding and trained in Douai as a Catholic priest, Atkinson spent 30 years as an itinerant priest in the Howden area, ministering to local Catholics, and hiding in their homes. He was captured in the Vavasour house in Willitoft. He was beatified 1987. A young man at the execution bought the priest’s stockings from the hangman, as a holy relic. Identified as a Catholic, he was imprisoned.

On 11th March 1858, Brother John of the Yorkshire Catholic Reformatory took some boys, for a treat, to slide on the ice-covered Market Weighton Canal; 5 boys fell through and, attempting to save them, he also fell through the ice. They all had to be rescued by passing bargemen.

On 11th March 1859 at 6a.m., ostler John Sissons was found hanged in one of the stables of the George & Dragon Inn, Aldbrough. He was described as an aged man of respectable family. The inquest verdict was of suicide due to temporary insanity.

March 3rd

On 3rd March 742AD, Yolfrida, daughter of Earl Puch, Lord of the Manor of South Burton (now Bishop Burton), died and was buried at Beverley. She was a nun at Bishop Burton monastery.

On 3rd March 1195, Hugh de Puiset died, aged about 70, at the Bishop’s Palace, Howden.  He was Bishop of Durham for over 40 years. He had in 1190 been imprisoned in his palace at Howden for overstepping his authority. He supported the chronicler Roger of Howden.

On 3rd March 1642, James Watkinson, jnr, Hull Alderman, attended his last council meeting; considered a Royalist, he was ‘invited’ to leave town in April, his High St house was commandeered and he moved to York.

On 3rd March 1932, Albert Digby Willoughby committed suicide by gas inhalation in a hotel in Helensburgh. Chair of the Hull Housing and Town Planning Committee, he was due to be the chief witness in the Thorpe Enquiry into corruption on Hull Council, to give evidence into the purchase of land for housing estates in Hull. He also faced trial for demanding money with menaces. He had charged commission to owners of land which he knew the council wished to buy.

On March 1984, Harry Hudson Rodmell died in Hull aged 97. He studied at Hull School of Art, and was a marine artist and commercial artist. A series of his marine posters is available for sale by Hull Museums. (b 28.5.1896)

Harry Hudson Rodmell_

February 9th

On 9th February 1803, Burnett’s Shipping List reported the arrival in Hull of the Minerva, captain’s name McBride, from New York. 4 ships left, 2 for Shields, 1 for Rochester and 1 for Berwick.

On 9th February 1826, Joseph Robinson Pease, banker of Pease & Liddell, reported in his diary on rumours of local banks about to close, and alleged that the rumour mongers intended to drive down the value of the businesses in order to buy them up cheaply. The panic of 1825 eventually resulted in the closure of 6 London banks and 60 banks elsewhere in the country.

On 9th February 1828, Richard Arthur Worsnop of Howden Hall, Howden, recorded in his diary the celebrations for the first street lighting in the town. Church bells rang, and a band paraded round the streets. The lamps and stands were acquired second-hand from Doncaster, which had just installed gas lighting.

On 9th February 1896, 34 degrees of frost were recorded in Cottingham. (=-19deg C)

On 9th February 1995, Margaret Wilson, 66, housewife, was walking near her home at Burton Fleming when a car stopped, a man got out, and assaulted her. Her throat was cut and she died shortly after.  Derek Christian, 32, of Bridlington, was charged with her murder, found guilty and is currently serving a life sentence. Doubts have been cast on the validity of the verdict.

Margaret Wilson

January 28th

On 28th January 1450, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, was arrested and imprisoned for treason. King Henry VI saved him from execution and banished him for 5 years. On his way to Calais, he was captured and reportedly had his head cut off with a rusty sword.

On 28th January 1515, William Jakson of Belby, near Howden, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for the murder of John (rest of name blank in the register).

On 28th January 1525, Robert Smyth, husbandman of Anlaby, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for the murder of Robert Ekopp alias Hikkopp.

On 28th January 1700, Abraham de la Pryme, curate of Holy Trinity, Hull, reported of Swine that: ‘the town has formerly been very large and handsome, … though it is very mean and inconsiderable, nobody inhabiting the same but a few country clowns’.

On 28th January 1829, William Hurr of Roos was admitted to the Sculcoates Refuge for Pauper Lunatics; on 21 July that year his funeral is recorded.

minster - frith stool.JPG

December 26th

On 26th December 1220, William de Forz II, Count of Aumale and Lord of Holderness was with King Henry III at the Royal court at Oxford; the King made an appointment William hoped to get; disappointed, he left Oxford for Lincolnshire, and began a rebellion, known as the war of Bytham.

On 26th December 1489, George Gusterd, weaver of Bishop Burton, claimed sanctuary at Beverley for the murder of a servant of Edward Barnaby, a gentleman. He did not know the servant’s name.

On 26th December 1495, William Middleton was threatened with a pole-axe by John of Cottingham, John of Wawne, Thomas Warde, Robert Bate, and (- ) Mykill, and was so afraid for his life that he took sanctuary in Wawne church and stayed there for 10 hours, afterwards leaving the area. He applied to the Chancery Court for leave to prosecute his attackers, but the outcome is not recorded.

On 26th December 1645, Rev Nicholas Osgodby was reported to be using the forbidden Prayer Book in secret.

On 26th December 1750, the chapter house roof of Howden church collapsed, to join the rubble of the chancel which had collapsed in 1696.

On 26th December 1890, residents of Hornsea had a fair on the frozen surface of the Mere, and a sheep was roasted on the ice.

On 26th December 1955, Roy Francis played his last game after 6 years with Hull FC, and became UK’s first black professional sporting coach, and team manager 1971 to 1973.

roy-francis

December 21st

wm constable

On 21st December 1633, the Duke of Cumberland’s staff bought supplies of oysters (600 at 6d per 100) for Christmas at Londesborough House on his behalf when he was in York on business.

On 21st December 1721, William Constable was born at Burton Constable. He inherited the Constable estate, and is chiefly remembered for restoration work on the Hall, and as an amateur scientist and collector of art and artefacts; his Cabinet of Curiosities may be the most complete in any stately home. He became grossly overweight, suffering from gout, probable hypochondria and addiction to medication containing opiates. (d 18.5.1791) see photo with his sister Winifred

On 21st December 1824, Richard Arthur Worsop of Howden Hall recorded in his diary that he supported a charity which had been continued by the owners of the Hall since the 17th Century; he gave 6d each to 40 poor people of the parish, and a bushel each of wheat and coals to a further 10. He recorded several other charitable gifts in his diary, including a sheep to the workhouse.

On 21st December 1838, Hull banker Joseph Robinson Pease established, and was elected President of, Hull Labourers’ Friendly Society, having established a society in Hessle which had built a cottage there.  There were already dozens of friendly societies in Hull by this time, and this new group may have been more of a building society than a self help group. Pease was certainly no democrat (he described democracy as a ‘pestilent curse’).

On 21st December 1857, Henry Smith Bright, manager, Hull Cotton and Flax Mills, was found guilty at York Assizes of forging deeds of transfers of shares, and sentenced to 6 months’ penal servitude. His actions appear to have precipitated the closure of the Hull Flax and Cotton Mills and the bankruptcy of the partners in the Harrison Watson & Co bank on 24.9.1857.

On 21st December 1957, Edward Benn, 43, bosun, of Hull Rd, Hedon, died as result of accident aboard Hull trawler Cape Palliser off Iceland.