It was great to welcome John Dean of Dean’s Marine to The Open Bridges: A River Full Of Stories memory sharing days on the river and at Hull Maritime Museum.
There were fascinating conversations all day. Here’s a short section of film from earlier this month, John in conversation with Andy Richardson.
Filmed in September 2018 by Humber Film Creative Community for Open Bridges Hull. Featured photograph Keith Eastwood and John Dean at Hull Maritime Museum.
The idea for A River Full Of Stories came about when many of the 2000 visitors to the Open Bridges exhibition inside Scale Lane Bridge told us fascinating tales of their lives working on and around the river. We’ve been collecting stories throughout July – September 2018 and are now preparing the River Full Of Stories film, exhibition and book. We’ll keep the website blog up to date with stories and memories as we go along.
Rich & Lou Duffy-Howard
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 to be met by 21st century tugs.
Open Bridges is an independent Hull/East Yorkshire based project.
Nice site, good to see my friend John Dean junior Hull’s most experienced riverman and someone we have worked alongside for over 25 years. We are a mooring company Hull Boatage Company Ltd, officially established in 1946 by my grandfather but in existence long before then. Today we carry out mooring work at BP and for all of Siemens vessels besides the other work at Hull docks. I also recognised Keith Eastwood who was our neighbour former Hull docker.
My great grandfather George Dinsdale was working as Boatmen and River Pilot before the Great War. In 1915 he enlisted, and because of his maritime experience was placed in the Inland water Transport a branch of the Royal Engineers, which involved operating barges and vessels along the canals of France in Belgium. In May 1922 Hull was experiencing a heatwave which probably meant many youngsters going to swim in the River Hull. He saved a boys life in the River Hull in May 1922 and was later awarded the Royal Humane Society award on vellum and a fobb watch at their offices in London. We still have both items.
Best Wishes
Simon Dinsdale
Hull Boatage Company Ltd.
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Thanks Simon, appreciated and really interesting. We’ll email you and hopefully speak soon, Rich & Lou
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