police – Hull & East Yorkshire History Calendar

8th May

On 8th May 1660, the day on which it was proclaimed in London that Charles II had been King since the execution of his father, Hull ordered the arms of the Commonwealth removed from Hull Town Hall, to be replaced with the King’s arms, and that the town’s maces be engraved with the King’s arms.

On 8th May 1926, mounted police on Monument Bridge, Hull, baton charged crowds trying to prevent volunteers signing up in the City Hall, on the 5^th day of the General Strike. 41 people needed hospital treatment.

On 8th May 1941, Hull suffered its worst air raid on of WW2 overnight; 420 people killed, 800 injured, more than 800 fires; the Prudential building collapsed on top of its basement air raid shelter; 3,000 houses were destroyed and a further 9,000 damaged. 35 churches were hit, 2 synagogues, 14 schools; 2 million sq ft of factory space damaged or destroyed; notable buildings such as House of Powolny restaurant; extensive damage to the docks, including the destruction of Riverside Quay. 40,000 people made homeless in the month. A large number of commendations for gallantry were made this night and the following night – too many to record here.

On the same night, a German landmine fell on Magdalen Lane, Hedon, killing 12 people and destroying 2 houses.

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 4th

Pat church

On 4th April 1654, Emmot Laykes, wife of John Laykes, was fined in Patrington manor court for striking Gregory Bilton with a rolling-pin.

On 4th April 1868, Frederick Parker of Hemingbrough was executed at York Castle and his body buried within the prison for murdering Daniel Driscoll, 27, at South Duffield on 29.2.1868.

On 4th April 1942, Laura Jaselli, Italian alien, of Barrow Lane, Hessle, was given a Travel Permit registered with the East Riding Police (cert 379095) as an Alien on moving from Ashton under Lyme; she was allowed 17 ½ hours to complete the move.

April 1st

On 1st April 1299, Edward I gave Hull the charter that created the new town of Kingston upon Hull. On the same day, he gave a charter to its rival port Ravenser Odd.

On 1st April 1577, Hull alderman John Thornton acquired a licence from the town to buy grain (wheat, malt, barley, beans and peas) in the counties of York, Lincoln, Norfolk and Kingston upon Hull, and to sell and transport the same abroad for 20 years.

On 1st April 1899, Hull Corporation opened a 6-day exhibition to celebrate the 6^thcentenary of the first charter from King Edward I. It included Hull seals and deeds, silver items, coins, medal and tokens made in Hull, paintings and documents.

On 1st April 1998, Christopher Ibikunle Alder died aged 37, in Queens Gardens Police Station, Hull, whilst in police custody . The coroner’s jury returned a verdict in 2000 that Alder was unlawfully killed. In 2011 the British Government formally apologised to Alder’s family for the way he was treated and for failing to carry out an effective independent enquiry. Trainee computer programmer and former Army paratrooper, Alder was born in Hull 26.6.1960

Christopher alder

March 20th

On 20th March 1735, London merchant Timothy Woolfe died aged 35, and was buried in Bridlington Priory church; he left the interest on £500 to the poor of Bridlington and area, not exceeding 5 miles distance.

On 20th March 1822, an earthquake at night shook beds, moved furniture and rang bells in Seaton Ross, Foggathorpe and Holme on Spalding Moor. It was also felt in Bielby, Everingham, Allerthorpe and Melbourne.

On 20th March 1905, Hull PC Thomas Nettleton died attempting to stop a runaway horse and van, which ran over him.

On 20th March 1947, Fred Stephenson, 36, rode the Kiplingcotes Derby course through 4-foot snowdrifts to ensure the continuation of the race since 1519. The clerk of the course, Harry Ruston, read the rules. It took 90 minutes to ride the course (it normally takes about 10 minutes).

On 20th March 1986, Deirdre Blakeston failed to win the Kiplingcotes Derby when she stopped to give assistance to Lorraine Bell, who was unconscious after her horse collapsed on the course. Horse and rider both recovered and Deirdre eventually finished the race.

Kiplingcotes

March 4th

On 4th March 1666, Edward Grey, Mayor of Beverley, and Robert Hildyard were in correspondence with the Mayor of Hull about plague in North Frodingham and the precautions taken in Beverley against infection; a week later, they sent a certificate that North Frodingham was clear of infection.

On 4th March 1752, Elizabeth Plaxton paid for 4 brass chandeliers to be installed in the choir of Holy Trinity, Hull, at a cost of £100.

On 4th March 1791, Sarah Metcalfe, originally of Hull, died in Humbleton aged 45. No cause of death is given; she was the mother of 13 children, 4 of which died in their infancy.

On 4th March 1903, Dorothy Mackaill was born in Newstead Street, Hull. She became a stage actor in London and Paris before moving to Broadway and, in 1920, making her first film. In 1932 she starred with Humphrey Bogart in “Love Affair’, and retired 5 years later, though she did return to acting on TV. She died aged 87 (12.8.1990)

On 4th March 1908, Cornelius O’Kelly, PC 249, later Olympic gold medallist, was one of 4 police fire officers injured when a 20ft wall collapsed during a fire at Frank Soulsby’s saw mill, Thomas Street, Hull. Unable to work for 27 days, he received £5 15s8d from his employer’s liability assurance. (and see 3.11)

dorothy-mackaill

December 13th

thwing meteorite

On 13th December 1760, John Courtney, gentleman, reported in his diary being awoken at midnight by the sound of bells ringing to announce that Hugh Bethell had declared himself a candidate for Parliament. The bells rang all day. A week later, Bethell changed his mind and withdrew his name. He served as Beverley MP 1768-72.

On 13th December 1795, at 3p.m., a meteorite weighing 56 pounds landed in a field near Wold Cottage, Thwing, home of Capt Edward Topham. It embedded itself 9 inches into the soil, weighing 56lbs, and 3 ft long. Capt Topham displayed the meteorite in London at a charge of 1shilling. He raised a brick obelisk on the landing site (see photo). The meteorite is now in the Natural History Museum, and is the origin of the name of Wold Top Brewery’s ‘Falling Stone bitter’.

On 13th December 1816, Frederick Brown, 60, was buried in Holy Trinity, Hull, after dying in the workhouse. Born in Guinea, he worked as a labourer in a number of jobs in Whitby and Hull. In 1794 he was acquitted of burglary by a Hull jury, apparently a case of being mistaken for another black man.

On 13th December 1830, Joseph Robinson Pease, JP, recorded in his diary an attempt to swear in special constables to deal with the ‘Swing Riots’ by agricultural labourers protesting about high rents, low wages, and the introduction of new machinery. However, they found it difficult to recruit in Cottingham.

On 13th December 1842, Moses Roper, student and escaped slave, gave a lecture at Beverley Guildhall on his personal experience of slavery in the USA, in which he exhibited instruments of torture used on slaves. He lectured extensively and published an autobiography.

On 13th December 1889, John Nicholson reported seeing the “Plough Lads’ (groups of men not hired on farms) going round Beverley, dancing and asking for money or drink. They dressed in ‘motley garb’, with one dressed as a woman with a broom, one (Blether Dick) with a bladder on a stick, one with a coat covered in strips of rag. “Often … at lonely houses they are rude and bold, demanding money or drink in such a way as to terrify the women who have been left at home”.

November 26th

On 26th November 1319, Geoffrey Fitz Hugh and John de Wetewang conveyed property in Lyle Street (Mytongate), Hull, to Hugh and Ellen Le Taverner.

On 26th November 1525, Richard Haton, gentleman, from Hayton, claimed sanctuary in St Mary’s Church, Hertford, and confessed to the coroner that in October he had broken into a parish church in Essex and stolen a silver chalice; and in January he had burgled a house in Bucks and stolen jewellery and money. He abjured, i.e. renounced his country, and left through the port of Southampton.

On 26th November 1597, Sir Francis Barrington, Lord of the Manor of Cottingham (and uncle by marriage of Oliver Cromwell) wrote objecting to Hull Corporation’s drainage plan to move surplus water through his clough at Cottingham, which he said would risk flooding in the area.

On 26th November 1831, Joseph Robinson Pease, JP, spent his third consecutive day swearing in Special Constables to deal with anticipated riots; various sources say between 800 and 2,000 were sworn. James Acland had formed the Hull Political Union, and held meetings critical of the Hull Corporation, and said the aldermen were of out of touch and did not live in the town.

On 26th November 1847, Pocklington Canal Company agreed, at the Feathers Hotel, Pocklington, to sell the canal to the York & North Midland Railway, which also purchased the Market Weighton and Leven Canals. The canal had never been a financial success, and the railway company subsequently raised canal tolls so as to drive freight traffic onto the trains.

November 20th

On 20th November 1893, the steamship Amcott was wrecked off Aldbrough with the loss of all 15 hands; a rider went 7 miles to Hornsea to bring the lifeboat, but too late to save the crew. One man tried to swim to shore, but was drowned before locals could reach him with a life-buoy.

On 20th November 1940, Hull PC Charles Christopher Winterbottom died aged 45, fatally injured when his cycle collided with a car at night in the blackout.

On 20th November 1943, Rev George Bramwell Evens, aka Romany, died aged 59. Methodist preacher, author and radio presenter, broadcasting on BBC from 1933 until 1943. (Born 1884 at 3 Argyll St, Hull to a romani mother)

'Romany'

November 16th

On 16th November 1503, Elizabeth of York, Duchess of Suffolk, died, aged 58. She was married to John de la Pole, 2^ndDuke of Suffolk. The lands she held in Hull and Myton reverted to the Crown, and in 1514 Henry VIII gave them to William Sidney, buying them back in 1539 to build his fortifications in the town. She held 1,000 acres of land, including meadow, pasture, 100 dwelling houses, a mansion and gardens and the patronage of the Charterhouse.

On 16th November 1857, ‘A Dissenter’ issued a campaign leaflet encouraging religious dissenters to oppose plans by the Church of England to close down the school run by the Leonard Chamberlain Charity, the trustees of which were all dissenters. The writer estimated that 1/3 of Hessle people were not CofE members. The school remained open for a further 45 years.

On 16th November 1918, PC244 Harry Burgess filed a statement at Hull Central Police Station, reporting on 3 US sailors and 1 American soldier being followed by a large crowd. The Americans used obscene language, threatened to fight, and refused to go to their billets. Police escorted them to the Grosvenor Hotel, guarded the gate and dispersed the crowd, who accused the Americans of attacking British and Canadian soldiers. The US commander later ordered his men, based at Killingholme US Naval Air Station, not to visit Hull without orders.

On 16th November 2017, Queen Elizabeth II visited Hull and met some of the City of Culture volunteers, had lunch with the Bee Lady among others, visited Siemens, and the new Allam Medical Centre at Hull University.

royal visit 2017