12th May

On 12th May 1585, Dr Thomas Vavasour died of diseas in Hull Castle after being imprisoned in damp and overcrowded conditions with the whole of his household for many years. A physician and scholar, he was a prominent Catholic, was excommunicated and arrested. He was buried in Drypool churchyard, which stood within the garrison walls of Hull.

On 12th May 1698, Hull grassman Hugh Stringer was given a contract by the town council to cart away rubbish, clean the streets, and ensure that residents kept the street clean in front of their house.

On 12th May 1855, Sir (William) Alfred Gelder, FRS, FRIBA was born in North Cave. As  an architect, was involved in clearing Hull’s Victorian slums and reconstructing the city, in partnership with City Architect Joseph Hirst. Liberal, Mayor of Hull 1899-1903, later MP for Brigg and Hull alderman. Received the freedom of the city 1930. Died 26.8.41.

On 12th May 1859, Paull fisherman Thomas Marritt drowned whilst fishing in Whitebooth Roads, in the Humber. His body was found in the river between Hessle and Hull in June.

On 12th May 1874, Grace (8) and Lucy (7) Cuthbert of Easington died when their clothing became trapped in the machinery of the family mill, where they were playing.

On 12th May 1903, the Prince and Princess of Wales (later George V & Queen Mary) unveiled a statue to Queen Victoria in Hull; their escort was the first task of the newly created East Riding of Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry.

On 12th May 1915, an anonymous person wrote a letter addressed to George, at German Pork Shop, Waterworks Street, Hull, warning him that his shop was to be ‘broken up’ because of anti-German feelings as a result of the sinking of the Lusitania. Hohenrein’s Pork Butchers was attacked by a mob.

On 12th May 1945, retired Hull City Architect Joseph Hirst died aged 81 in Selby. Was responsible, with Mayor Alfred Gelder, for the transformation of Hull in the late 19thC, with the creation of Victoria Square, City Hall, and Alfred Gelder St. His designs include the Market Hall, Beverley Road Baths, Carnegie Library, Pickering Almshouses, Castle Hill Hospital. He was involved in planning new council estates in the 1920s. Wrote “The Blockhouses of Hull’ and ‘Armorial Bearings of KuH’. (b24.5.1863 South Milford) Hirst appears to have no memorial in Hull.

On 12th May 2013, Professor George William Gray, CBE, died aged 86. He moved to Hull in 1946 and worked as a laboratory demonstrator at Hull University. Went on to lead the research which resulted in LCD technology. Received many awards, including Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Kyoto International Gold Medallist. He is commemorated in the George Gray Room in Hull History Centre.

April 27th

On 27th April 1314, King Edward II stayed in Beverley on his way to fight the Scots at Bannockburn.

On 27th April 1681, John Baker, pewterer, known as ‘the Protestant tinker’ and a chamberlain of Hull, was working for the Ordnance Office to look into the misappropriation of lead, timber and other materials for use in Hull North Blockhouse. He alleged that materials had been delivered to the houses of the Governor (Bellasis) and the Lieutenant-Governor (Gilby). The Privy Council ordered Hull council to prosecute Baker for spreading false news.

On 27th April 1759, Mary Wollstonecraft was born in Spitalfields, London. Feminist writer and mother of Mary Shelley, she lived in Beverley for 6 years, aged 9-15.

On 27th April 1821, the Spurn lifeboat crew were assaulted while loading gravel for the Lord of the Manor, Francis Sheldon Constable, by local men who wanted to share the income from this work.

On 27th April 1918, former Reckitt’s employee Private Richard Wilson, 42, died on active service with 942ndArea Employment Co Labour Corps. He is buried in Rouen, France.

Mary Wollstonecraft

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 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 19th

 

charterhouse.JPGOn 19th April 1672, Rev John Shaw(e) died aged 64 . Puritan Lecturer at St Mary’s, Hull, then at Holy Trinity. In 1651 Master of the Charterhouse, where so many flocked to hear him preach that troops kept them out.  One Sunday more than 300 people camped out at night as the soldiers had closed all the town’s gates. (b 28.6.1608 Sykehouse)

On 19th April 1689, 4 Beverley aldermen recorded that they were considering prosecuting the vicar of St Mary and St Nicholas, Rev John Brereton. Before then, the town council had recorded their thanks to him for his generous gifts to the town. They then discovered that he had purloined several church collections, as well as money collected for the relief of persecuted French Protestants. 4 days later, Brereton resigned his posts and later left Beverley.

On 19th April 1821, an Act of Parliament approved lighting the town of Hull and adjacent places with gas (replacing lighting with whale oil). Gas manufactured from whale oil was used until 1830, when it was replaced with coal gas.

On 19th April 1891, former pupil of Hull Trinity House School Frank Dick, 23, died of yellow fever in Rio de Janeiro.

On 19th April 1902, Beilby, 3rdBaron Wenlock, of Escrick, spoke at a public meeting in Beverley to recruit for an East Riding Yeomanry Regiment; the meeting was poorly attended, as it was Market day.

 

April 14th

On 14th April 1511, Walter Rugbe of Paull, a cooper, claimed sanctuary at the church of St John, Beverley, for the murder of mariner Anthony Dowre of Boulogne.

On 14th April 1524, Sir Robert Constable of Flamborough, with 100 men, attacked the Rokebys’ manor house in Bishop Burton and abducted Ann Cresacre in a complex dispute over land and marriage agreements. Ann was 12 yearsold and an orphan. The case was heard in the Star Chamber. Ann eventually married the son of Sir Thomas More.  A descendant was the City Architect of Hull, Joseph Hirst. photo shows Holbein’s study for his picture of the More family – Ann is standing, rear.

On 14th April 1571, William Strickland of Boynton, MP, a leading Puritan, presented a Bill  to Parliament to reform the prayer book, including abolishing confirmation and the wearing of priests’ vestments.

On 14th April 1702, Jeremiah Northend was buried, aged 78 in Rowley. Aged 14, he had emigrated to Massachusetts with his Uncle Robert and cousin Ezekiel, with the dissenting community led by Rev Ezekiel Rogers, but returned home after about 9 years. Lived in Little Weighton. (b 26.9.1624).

Study_More_familyHans_Holbein

April 13th

On 13th April 1280, Richard de Vescy, also known as Kesham, was offered the post of Rector of North Ferriby by Lady Agnes de Vescy, but Archbishop Wickwane ran a campaign to remove illegitimate clergy, and declined.  Richard de Vescy and several supporters occupied the church, seized its property, and beat up priests and clerks trying to obtain possession ‘almost to death’. The archbishop did not recover the church until October, and ordered some of the supporters to perform penance.  2 years later, Richard de Vesci was appointed rector of Escrick.

On 13th April 1563, Hull Mayor John Smith presided over a council meeting that agreed that no ships in the Haven should carry a fire or lit candle at night on pain of a fine; this was imposed after a vessel called the Dragon was set alight by negligence, and put other ships nearby in danger. A further law was passed in 1584 prohibiting the heating of tar on board ships, and all gunpowder had to be offloaded within 24 hours of docking, on pain of 8 days in prison, and a 20shilling fine.

On 13th April 1743, Mary Maister (nee Cayley) , her baby son and 2 maidservants, died in a fire at the original Maister House, High Street, Hull, which spread quickly up the wooden staircase.  Henry Maister rebuilt the house the following year with a stone staircase. This National Trust property is currently closed.

On 13th April 1838, Hull & Selby Railway ran an excursion from Selby to Hull, returning the same day.  From Howdendike to Hull by packet boat, arriving Hull 1.00, leaving again 5.00p.m. First class and best cabin 8shillings, 2ndclass & common cabin 6shillings.

On 13th April 1886, Ethel Leginska, nee Liggins, was born in Pemberton Street, Sutton-on-Hull. A musical child prodigy,  she made her debut performance as a pianist on her 9thbirthday, at St George’s Hall, Hull, and was playing in London’s Queen’s Hall the following year. At 11, she went to study in Frankfurt. She was a concert pianist, conductor, teacher and composer. She established the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston English Opera company, and National Women’s Symphony Orchestra, and was director of Chicago Women’s Symphony Orchestra. (d 26.2.1970) . She was the first woman to conduct many of the world’s leading orchestras, first woman to conduct grand opera (her own opera), and a pioneer for women in music.

Ethel Leginska

 

March 30th

john-wilson-carmichael-the-shipyard-at-hessle-cliff-1820_a-l-10072237-8880731

On 30th March 1693, John Frame’s shipyard at Hessle Cliffs launched the man-of-war, the Humber, for the Navy, of 1205 tons, carrying 490 men and 80 guns. John Wilson Carmichael’s painting of the shipyard at Hessle Cliffs is in Ferens Art Gallery

On 30th March 1757, Mary Ellah of Broomfleet was hanged at York Castle, and her body burnt, for murdering her husband.

On 30th March 1782, scaffolding collapsed while builders were installing a roof beam in the new Congregational Chapel in Fish Street, Hull; 5 men fell to the ground, 3 of them seriously injured.

On 30th March 1851, the census figures recorded that more than half of the Hull population did not attend church on the given date, and that around 15% of the population described themselves as Church of England. (N.B. figures may have serious omissions, e.g. prisons, workhouses).

On 30th March 1860, the Turner’s Trust (Beverley) charity was registered as part of the will of printer Matthew Turner, to distribute sums of £10 10s each to well conducted, honest, deserving, sober and discreet domestic servants. At its first distribution in 1862, there were 240 applicants, of whom 68 were successful. The charity still operates. Turner is buried in Coronation Gardens.

 

 

March 29th

On 29th March 1241, William de Forz II, count of Aumale, Lord of Holderness, died of illness beside the Mediterranean, en route to Jerusalem, aged between 45 and 50. At times close to Kings John and Henry III, he changed sides and rebelled several times, was excommunicated twice, having to seek sanctuary in Fountains Abbey, but was pardoned.

On 29th March 1689, Sir John Hotham, 2ndbaronet, was buried, after dying aged 57 of a violent cold. He had just been greeted enthusiastically as the new governor of Hull, having come from Holland with William of Orange. He was the grandson of Sir John Hotham, the Hull governor who turned away Charles I.

On 29th March 1759, John Courtney recorded in his diary that the Beverley Assembly Rooms in North Bar Street/Lairgate hosted ‘a very splendid show of ladies and gentlemen and a very agreeable ball’; Beverley lacked industry, but was a desirable place for gentry to build large Georgian houses.

On 29th March 1776, Eliza Bordington and Thomas Akerman, 37, of Flambrough, were hanged at York Micklegate Bar for poisoning Mr Bordington (presumably Eliza’s husband), and Eliza’s body was also burnt.

On 29th March 1874, John William Duncan, aged 12, was a member of  Hull’s Spring Bank Orphanage’s new brass band. The band gave its first performance, marching from the Trinity House Almshouses, Beverley Road, to Victoria Pier and back. They only knew 4 tunes. They went on to play by request at cricket matches, school treats and concerts.

On 29th March 1972, Joseph Arthur Rank died aged 83. The son of Joseph Rank (see 28.3), he ran his flour milling company, and became interested in films began as a way of getting the Methodist message across. He set up The Rank Organisation in 1937, producing films, and owning 650 cinemas and 5 film studios. 1stBaron Rank. (B 22.12.1888 at Chestnut Villas, Holderness Rd, Hull).

joseph rank

March 27th

On 27th March 1349, an earthquake was recorded at Meaux and in Beverley, as in much of Eastern England. The monks were at prayer, and had reached the 2ndverse of Psalm 60 – ‘Thou hast made the earth to tremble; Thou hast broken it’.

On 27th March 1570, Thomas Bishop of Pocklington was tried at York Castle, and hanged, drawn and quartered for his part in the Northern Catholic rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. Anthony Langdale of Sancton escaped to Rome, and others may have fled to exile in Paris.

On 27th March 1575, Frederick Gottfried, aged 37, of Hull, was convicted of coining guineas and hanged in York.

On 27th March 1634, Mr Vavasour of Hesslewood (we don’t know if this was Thomas, 1stbaronet, Walter, 2ndbart, or another) was riding past Micklegate Bar in York when he saw moving earth, and helped convicted felon John Bartendale out of his grave. Bartendale was a travelling musician, who had been tried, hanged and buried. He was returned to prison, and at the next Assizes was given a full pardon.

On 27th March 1679, Mary Trot the daughter of Angel Trot died in infancy in Ellerker, and was buried, even though her father was a pauper, in a woollen shroud, following an Act passed to protect the woollen trade.

On 27th March 1615, Marmaduke Stutt of South Frodingham was buried in Winestead Lane after drowning whilst walking along the road.

On 27th March 1799, George Pycock died in Hull aged 50. He was the principal architect and builder in Hull at the time. He built Mytongate jail, the Infirmary, Prospect St, and St Giles Church, Marfleet. His only surviving building is the Neptune Inn, Whitefriargate.  (b1749)

Neptune Inn