Industrial River: The photographs of William Jackson
2 June-21 November, during History Centre opening hours
Free, all welcome
A talented amateur photographer, William Jackson (1893-1966) was captivated by the dramatic compositions and subjects he found along the rivers Hull and Humber. Taken in the years 1933-1949 these striking images are a snapshot of a maritime landscape in transition.
Also on display will be a collection of original material relating to the photographer and his life.
Heritage Open Days: Bransholme Castle Walking Tour
Tuesday 15 September 10.30am
Wednesday 16 September 10.30am
Thursday 17 September 10.30am
Free, booking required
Located just beyond the modern boundary of Hull, between the Holderness Drain and Swine is Castle Hill, which serves as the historical site of Bransholme Castle. As part of the Heritage Open Days in Hull, join Archivist/Librarian Neil Chadwick for this walking tour exploring the history of Bransholme Castle and family behind it.
Please note there is maximum number of 20 persons for each walking tour.
Contact the Hull History Centre on 01482 317500 (Tuesday to Thursday 9.30-4.30, the first and third Saturday of each month 9.30-12.30) or email us to book
Meet on Kestrel Avenue by the Hull/Hornsea cycle track, by Housemartin Drive. Suitable footwear required. There is challenging terrain on the site itself.
History Centre Behind the Scenes Tours: October
3 October, 11am-12pm
Free, booking required
Join us for a fascinating journey through the strongrooms and conservation areas of the History Centre, with a chance to look at some exciting historic documents along the way…
The tour will take 1 hour.
Places are limited so please book in advance. To book your place you can email us, call us on 01482 317500, or speak to a member of staff at the enquiry desk during our opening hours.
History Makers: Hull Fair
3 October, 10am-12pm
Free, all welcome
Make spinning ferris wheels from paper plates and build your very own mini fairground ride with Lego.
History Makers: free, self-guided drop-in Lego and craft sessions. No booking required. All ages welcome, under-16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Lunchtime Talk: "Words of Wisdom - Proverbs, sayings and commonplaces, from Shakespeare to the Present"
Mel Evans and Richard Meek
13 October, 12.30pm-1.30pm
Free, all welcome
This month's talk will be delivered by project researchers Mel Evans (University of Leeds) and Richard Meek (University of Hull). Drawing on literary history and local archival sources they will introduce the world of early modern proverbs. The talk will range from Shakespeare's plays and the pan-European commonplace tradition to the rich seam of regional and local material preserved in sources closer to home, including the farming notebooks of seventeenth-century East Riding gentleman Henry Best and Yorkshire dialect collections.
History Centre Behind the Scenes Tours: November
7 November, 11am-12pm
21 November, 11am-12pm
Free, booking required
Join us for a fascinating journey through the strongrooms and conservation areas of the History Centre, with a chance to look at some exciting historic documents along the way…
The tour will take 1 hour.
Places are limited so please book in advance. To book your place you can email us, call us on 01482 317500, or speak to a member of staff at the enquiry desk during our opening hours.
History Makers: Paper fireworks
7 November, 10am-12pm
Free, all welcome
Draw colourful firework art with scratch off card. Paper rockets and sparklers will also be available to make.
History Makers: free, self-guided drop-in Lego and craft sessions. No booking required. All ages welcome, under-16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Lunchtime talk: "'Straight on with the Humber Bridge': The Rise and Fall of the 1931 Humber Bridge Bill"
Tom White
10 November, 12.30-1.30pm
Free, all welcome
Drawing on current research, this talk describes the interwar plans for a bridge across the Humber. In October 1929, the Hull Corporation paid a retainer to the prestigious engineering firm Douglas Fox & Partners, which was tasked with investigating the feasibility and cost of different crossing options (bridge or tunnel? Road or rail, or both?). Ralph Freeman's plans for a road bridge were approved by Parliament, which promised to cover seventy-five percent of the cost. But the collapse of Ramsay MacDonald’s Labour government and the ensuing period of austerity, combined with a bitter local battle over the scheme, saw it shelved.
History Makers: Christmas
5 December, 10am-12pm
Free, all welcome
Personalise your own Christmas gift bag and made decorations for friends and family. Materials also available to make cards, baubles and transparent window decorations.
History Makers: free, self-guided drop-in Lego and craft sessions. No booking required. All ages welcome, under-16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Lunchtime talk: "Hull's Victoria Pier: some aspects of its social history"
Mark Richmond
12.30-1.30pm
Free, all welcome
Originally created as a working pier for passenger travel across the River Humber, over time Hull's Victoria Pier acquired a social role, especially as a venue for promenading, a viewing-point and a meeting-place. The social role of the pier came to be incorporated into its very design and operation. However, this social function brought with it not only popular entertainments such as regattas, swimming feats, aquatic stunts, and music, but also social problems like crime, rowdyism, and suicide. Having lost its transport function and no longer serving as a distinctive civic landmark, can a revitalised social and cultural role offer Victoria Pier a sustainable future?
History Centre Behind the Scenes Tours: December
19 December, 11am-12pm
Free, booking required
Join us for a fascinating journey through the strongrooms and conservation areas of the History Centre, with a chance to look at some exciting historic documents along the way…
The tour will take 1 hour.
Places are limited so please book in advance. To book your place you can email us, call us on 01482 317500, or speak to a member of staff at the enquiry desk during our opening hours.