Open Bridges, the next chapter

Thank you to everyone who came to join us for the Open Bridges first anniversary evening and launch of A River Full Of Stories last night. Rich & I spent the afternoon hanging the first installment of the new A River Full Of Stories exhibition with the original Open Bridges exhibition in the theatre at Kardomah94 ready for the evening’s programme. After a drink and a chat as everyone looked round the exhibition the show opened with a lively taster of the River Full Of Stories films of the first memory sharing days on the river and at Hull Maritime Museum.

Lou’s welcome to the evening

John Stead diffusing Moments in Time

To celebrate the anniversary, we were delighted to introduce composer John Stead’s live quadraphonic diffusion of his composition, Moments in Time to accompany the Open Bridges film. The beautiful film, edited by Philip Codd was made by 16 film makers on the night at each bridge and from the bow of the Syntan as she sailed down the River. In perfect partnership, John’s composition was created using his recordings of the bridge movements from inside the bridges, sounds of the River and the landscape during the River journey from the East Yorkshire countryside through the industrial city and out into the Humber estuary. Moments in Time created the most atmospheric and mesmerising soundscape to the enchanting Open Bridges film.

Phil and Dave. Open Bridges: A River Full of Stories

Keith and John, Open Bridges: A River Full of Stories

In the Syntan engine room

John, Lou, Janet. Open Bridges: A River Full of Stories

The memory sharing days on the river and at Hull Maritime Museum have been amazing, with fascinating conversations about days gone by working and living on the River Hull. We have learned about evocative, moving and entertaining memories from tales of using highly skilled local knowledge to navigate the river and bringing up families on barges to colourful characters, poaching and even murder.

We’re working on the film, exhibition and book now and will keep the website blog up to date with stories and memories as we go along.  Here’s two great tales from the Hull Maritime Museum reminiscing days earlier this month…

John’s exhaust escapade

And in between River tales, Neville’s ghosts

Click on the River Hull memories page here for more of the latest stories.

Thanks to everyone who took part in the first memory sharing days: Dave Allam,  Varenka Allam, Janet Anderson, John Dean, John Drury, Keith Eastwood, Edward Moore, Neville Pinder, Anne Smith, Dave Tuck, Roy Heath, Alison Bateman; Iain Campbell, Dave Tulloch, Allan Lister, Norman Hardy and the crew of the M.V Syntan. Thanks to the Open Bridges workshop team and partners; Russ Litten, Andy Richardson, Philip Codd, Alex Davies, Andy Hopkin of Humber Film, Hull Maritime Museum, Heritage Lottery Fund; to Malcolm Scott, Matt Lund and the Kardomah94 crew. Thanks to Janet and Ted for the photographs and Killer for the 1958 Hull Daily Mail.

Rich & Lou Duffy-Howard

A River Full Of Stories

Looking south down the River Hull at Hull Bridge

Open Bridges made history when for the first time all 13 of the bridges over the River Hull in the UK’s City of Culture 2017 raised, swung or closed simultaneously splitting the city of Hull in two at 20:17 hours on 22nd September 2017.  Historic vessels sailed down the river, met by 21st century tugs, to the sound of a new musique concrète work by composer John Stead.

Open Bridges is an independent Hull/East Yorkshire based project.