March 21st

The spring equinox was the original date for April Fool’s day. Medieval rituals made fun of church figures, until they were outlawed in the 16thcentury. The date changed to April 1st, and the foolery lost its religious focus. Or have I just fooled you?

On 21st March 1863, Sir Tatton Sykes died at Sledmere aged 91. 4thbaronet, landowner, stock breeder and racehorse owner. He rode his own horse Hudibras at Malton in 1805, and won. 3,000 people attended his funeral. He continued to wear 18th Century dress all his life. (b Wheldrake 1772)

On 21st March 1955, Philip Larkin took up the post of Librarian at Hull University. photo shows part of the Larkin Trail.

Larkin trail Spurn

March 16th

Kiplingcotes

On 16th March 1589, Robert Dalby (or Drury), priest, was executed for treason as a Catholic priest. Born in Hemingbrough, he was a Protestant minister, then ordained as a Catholic priest at Chalons in 1588, and was arrested on landing at Scarborough.

On 16th March 1660, the ship of Richard Williamson of Scarborough rammed the dolphin at the entrance to the River Hull, and was sunk. Trinity House was entitled to charge for repairs, but were lenient and only fined him £3.

On 16th March 1695, John Roxby & John Field (Ferriby) and Henry Watson and Benjamin Galland (Swanland) were chosen by the parish as Overseers for the Highways for the following year, Ferriby and Swanland being in the same parish, but choosing separate officers.

On 16th March 1879, Colonel Sir Tatton Benvenuto Mark Sykes, (usually known as Sir Mark) was born in Sledmere. He was a traveller, author, MP for Hull Central, advisor to the Government on Middle East affairs, and co-author of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which partitioned the Ottoman Empire. (died of flu 16.2.1919)

On 16th March 1939, Jean Farrow of Hull was the first ever female winner of the Kiplingcotes Derby, on Masterful.

Sykes-Picotagmt1916

 

March 7th

On 7th March 1759, the allowance Hull Trinity House paid to retired grocer William Robinson was stopped as William was given a place in the Charterhouse.

On 7th March 1803, Mr William Iveson, Steward of Francis Constable of Burton Constable, agreed to Hull Trinity House’s proposal to establish a lifeboat at Spurn. No further action was taken until 1810.

On 7th March 1866, Archbishop of York called a ‘day of humiliation’ when East Riding ministers were instructed to ‘exhort the people to accept this grievous murrain as a chastisement from the hand of our loving Father’, in response to the Great Cattle Plague. Rinderpest had been introduced from Russia through Hull cattle imports, leading to widespread slaughter, and restrictions on the movement of cattle. Many areas of the country were affected.

On 7th March 1888, Rev Henry Kemp, Master of Hull Charterhouse, died after 20 years in post, having pressed for change, including an end to evicting widows when their husband died.

On 7th March 1919, after the death of her husband, Central Hull MP Sir Mark Sykes, the Hull Conservative Party unanimously voted to invite Lady Edith Sykes to stand as candidate in the by-election.  Lady Edith cited her responsibility to her family as the reason for refusing their offer.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

March 2nd

 

Flambro 'Danish tower'

On 2nd March 1406, James, Duke of Rothesay, son of Robert III of Scotland, was on his way to sanctuary in France, when he was captured by pirates, held in the Danish Tower in Flamborough for a time, then handed over to English King Henry IV. photo shows the Danish Tower

On 2nd March 1829, Rev John Scott, vicar of St Mary’s Lowgate, with many others, spoke at a public meeting in Hull Market Place to consider petitioning Parliament against Catholic Emancipation. Daniel Sykes, Whig MP for Hull, did not believe these vocal agitators were representative of the majority in Hull.

On 2nd March 1905, Cuthbert Brodrick died in Jersey aged 83. Nationally renowned architect of Leeds Town Hall, Scarborough’s Grand Hotel, Hull Town Hall (demolished 1912) and Hull’ s Royal Institution. (b Hull 1.12.1821)

 

February 26th

On 26th February 1381, Archbishop of York Alexander Neville announced his intention to visit Beverley, provoking a mass walk-out of Beverley clergy, most going to Lincoln or London. Neville replaced them with vicars choral from York but failed in his power struggle.

On 26th February 1552, Sir Michael Stanhope was executed on Tower Hill, London, for instigating rebellion, and conspiring to murder John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Stanhope was a Nottinghamshire knight, twice Governor of Hull, where the townspeople complained to the Privy Council of his high-handedness. He also acquired a great deal of land after the Dissolution, including in Sutton-on-Hull.

On 26th February 1671, Robert Constable, Viscount Dunbar of Burton Constable, was indicted at Middlesex Sessions Court with the murder of Peter Varnall and confessed. Hi accomplices were Peter Savage and John Fennick. It seems that Varnall was the innocent victim of young aristos on a drunken spree.

On 26th February 1869, Christopher Sykes, MP for the East Riding of Yorkshire, moved the Bill which later in the year became the Sea Birds Preservation Act, supported by Rev HF Barnes-Lawrence of Bridlington. Up to 232,000 seabirds and eggs were killed, often shot for sport, each breeding season. This earned Sykes the nickname ‘The Gulls’ Friend’. See cartoon below.  Link is to film of ‘climmers’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5ynIfnmVK0

On 26th February 1903, Martin Samuelson, marine engineer, died at Hessle, aged 78. Owner of Martin Samuelson & Co, of Neptune Street, Hull, and later Sammy’s Point, who built hydraulic presses, steel boilers and early steel vessels, and the North Bridge. Hull councillor from 1853, Sheriff 1857, Mayor 1858, first colonel of Royal East Yorkshire Volunteer Artillery and JP. (born 2.1.1825 in Liverpool).

On 26th February 1914, the Coverdale family of Hollym played a football match against another family with 11 sons, the Charlesworths of Scunthorpe. The Coverdales won 3: 0.

On 26th February 1935, Thomas Edward Lawrence, known as T.E.Shaw, (‘Lawrence of Arabia’) left Bridlington when discharged from the RAF; he had been supervising armour-plating power launches for target practice. Whilst in Bridlington, he had lived at the Ozone Hotel, Bridlington (now Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club). There is a sundial dedicated to him in South Cliff Gardens.

On 26th February 1942, Pilot F/Sgt Reginald Francis Robb and 5 crew of Wellington bomber Z8536 took off from RAF Pocklington and crash landed at Yapham due to an engine fire. They jettisoned their bombs, but were caught in the blast and all the crew were lost. 4 are buried in Barmby Moor.

Christopher Sykes MP

July 31st

Hull-trawler-memories-1900 steam trawlerOn 31st July 1332, King Edward III sailed from Ravenspurn to battle in Scotland. He also visited Hull, and was reported to be pleased with the progress of the fortifications there.

On 31st July 1899, Hull steam trawler Opal collided with trawler Toronto and was wrecked 160 miles NE of Spurn. photo shows a typical steam trawler of the period.

 

May 30th

On 30th May 1778, Frank Slaiter returned to work at Escrick Hall 4 ½ months after breaking his thigh at work. His employer, Beilby Thompson, paid his medical fees, and gave him an allowance of 2/3 his normal wage while he was off sick.

On 30th May 1782, Rev George Lambert and Mr Towers began a journey to London with a ferry crossing of the Humber, which took 3 hours; it took from 11a.m. to the evening to reach Lincoln by coach. They arrived in London about 50 hours after leaving Hull. This was probably typical for the time.

On 30th May 1820, William Bradley died aged 33 of tuberculosis in  Market Weighton. Known as the Yorkshire Giant, he grew to 7’9”. Travelled with shows and fairs, and later charged visitors to his home. Was presented to King George III. (b 10.2.1787)

On 30th May 1859, a Hull Coroner’s Court jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against Isabella Hewson.  On 27.5 she had hanged her son, aged 2, and then gave herself up to police. No evidence of insanity was found on medical examination.

On 30th May 1912, Brigadier Mark Sykes inspected the Yorkshire Catholic Reformatory, Market Weighton, and found lack of discipline, bullying, filth, poor food, lack of fire precautions and drill, and poor medical treatment. Recommended all staff but one be dismissed. The management of the school was changed later that year.

 

Yorks reformatory