The Day The City Split In Two / A River Full Of Stories
We've now posted all 42 of the 'Hull's River Bridges' chapters we had planned for this year's Heritage Open Days festival. Thank you to all our contributors, everyone who has followed the project throughout Heritage Open Days and beyond and to Charlotte and the Heritage Open Days team and Christine & John Netherwood (HODs in … Continue reading Thank you!
Hull's River Bridges: Engines and Insects - Richard Duffy-Howard Engines and Insects started life with the hydraulics in the spine of Scale Bridge in 2017. The idea is not new. The premise follows the famous 20th century fashion photographer Horst P Horst. Away from the high glamour and sensual sophistication of taking photographs for Vogue, Horst’s … Continue reading 25 Richard Duffy-Howard – Engines and Insects
Hull's River Bridges: Syd Young - Hull's Bridges from a Bicycle Syd Young is an artist and photographer. His most recent exhibition - Relics and Rails - at Goole Museum and Gallery and Nordic House in Hull, was a multi-media retrospective of over 40 years' work. The photographs below show how he's captured the beauty of … Continue reading 41 Syd Young – Hull’s Bridges from a Bicycle
Yesterday belied the thunderous downpour warnings as we ventured south to Newark to visit Les Reid, as part of our new Open Bridges Project for Heritage Open Days – Hull’s River Bridges. It turned out to be a glorious day as we met Les and jumped aboard Les’s workboat the Ruffian and headed down the … Continue reading Adventure on the Ruffian
We came across this fascinating message on the back of a Half Penny Packet Post Panoramic Card of Victoria Pier sent in 1905 to May Brewin in Burnley from her friend, W, who was having a great time in Hull. I've carefully restored the photographs below the letter from the original glass plate negatives. All … Continue reading Victoria Pier and a Postcard from 1905
Syd Young, Ferry Memories My mum had an Auntie who owned the Welbeck Guest House in Cleethorpes. In the 1960s and early 70s, we'd go and stay occasionally on a weekend when there were no guests. Her husband, "Uncle George", was a retired sailor and made wooden model boats, some of which he gave to … Continue reading Ferry Part 2 by Syd Young
It’s seven years today since Open Bridges night! We chose the autumn equinox for the event, to draw attention to, and celebrate the lifeblood of the city, the River Hull, by separating the city east and west, raising or closing all the bridges over the river simultaneously with priority to river vessels. The equinox is … Continue reading Open Bridges 7th Anniversary
Phil McNally My father Philip McNally worked for James W Cooks Tankers, with offices in Bowlalley lane in Hull. The manager was called Mr Cobby. The firm’s main operations were shipbuilding and lighterage at Wivenhoe in Essex. They established the oil tanker barges side of the business at Hull many years ago. All of their … Continue reading This Barging Life – George ‘Mac’ McNally
Our friend Andy Hazell contributed a chapter to our book 'A River Full of Stories', with some evocative photographs from Grosvenor Mill, and the Old Harbour and dry docks at night. Here Andy revisits his time living at the mill overshadowing Scott Street Bridge, with a great view from above, of the bridge and traffic, … Continue reading From Grosvenor Mill – Andy Hazell
Yesterday, and a flooded wharf and tow path at Beverley. A lovely bright morning and a swollen River Hull, drifting lazily by. The second gallery of photographs were taken on a hot midsummers day in 2015. Photo's by Richard Duffy-Howard Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard If you've enjoyed the post, we'd be grateful if you'd subscribe … Continue reading Beverley’s Historic Shipyard
By Richard Lewis The Copenhagen Connection In 1947 and 1948, 17 Open Barges built in Hull by Tarran Industries between 1944 and 1945 were sold to a Danish towage company, Det Forenede Bugserselskab A/S. of Copenhagen. Once in their ownership, they were confusingly prefixed F.B., which denoted ‘Forenede Bugserselskab’, but with new numbers. When built … Continue reading Hull’s World War II Concrete Barges Part 3
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. Part 4 is the final part of his story. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. DEcember 5, 2022 A cold and dull day as I ventured … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 4
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. This is the third of four parts. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. River Hull visit - November 16, 2022 A glorious sunny autumn day with … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 3
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. This is the second of four parts. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. About Swinderby Built in 1974 by the New Holland Ship Yard for the … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 2
Steven Oakden contacted us last year with his own personal story about the river. His story evocatively captures the last movements of the motor barge Swinderby in 2022. This is the first of four parts. All text and photographs copyright Steven Oakden. Urban Exploration My first sighting of the River Hull was on a very … Continue reading Chasing the Swinderby by Steven Oakden – Part 1
This is the third gallery of Brian Latus' photographs this time of the River Hull in the 1960s after Brian's story below. We recently came across these fantastically evocative photographs of the River Hull and Docks taken by Brian Latus in the 1960s. Brian’s son, Martin, tells his story: “My father was born in Lime … Continue reading Brian Latus River Hull 1960s
1982 - 1984 Bernard’s black and white photographs are all taken between 1982 and 1984 apart from the first photo in the gallery - a 1975 image taken with a Brownie. Along with the River in Colour posts Bernard’s documenting of the River Hull covers almost 50 years capturing the changing landscape with fantastic images … Continue reading The River in Black & White by Bernard Sharp
2005 - 2021 All of the images and accompanying text are copyright Bernard Sharp and used with permission and under licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). All of the photographs are numbered with the corresponding text by Bernard to accompany each photograph below the gallery. Humber Street, Kingston upon Hull Wednesday, 29 December, 2010. Central Dry Dock, 1820, extended … Continue reading The River in Colour by Bernard Sharp – Part 5
1982 - 1989 All of the images and accompanying text are copyright Bernard Sharp and used with permission and under licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). All of the photographs are numbered with the corresponding text by Bernard to accompany each photograph below the gallery. River Hull, Stoneferry, Kingston upon Hull Sunday, 15 August, 1982 Upstream of Ferry Lane … Continue reading The River in Colour by Bernard Sharp – Part 4
1990 - 2021 All of the images and accompanying text are copyright Bernard Sharp and used with permission and under licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). All of the photographs are numbered with the corresponding text by Bernard to accompany each photograph below the gallery. Old Harbour, River Hull, Kingston upon Hull. Friday, 16 March, 1990. At left, the … Continue reading The River in Colour by Bernard Sharp – Part 3
1978 - 1989 All of the images and accompanying text are copyright Bernard Sharp and used with permission and under licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). All of the photographs are numbered with the corresponding text by Bernard to accompany each photograph below the gallery. Old Harbour, River Hull, Kingston upon Hull. June 1978. A busy harbour, looking towards … Continue reading The River in Colour by Bernard Sharp – Part 2
The Launch of the Hoo Pride We stumbled across the image of the launch being photographed on-line and became particularly interested as the photographer in the suit bears a striking resemblance to my Dad. He set up and ran an industrial and marine switchgear and controls company from Scale Lane in the 70's and 80's, … Continue reading The River in Colour by Bernard Sharp – Part 1
By Richard Lewis Ferro-Concrete Barge Building in Hull – Tarran Industries In September 1943, the Ministry of War Transport placed an order for 40 Stem-head Open Barges to be built by Tarran Industries of Hull. The founder and Managing Director of Tarran Industries was Robert Tarran who had had been born in Kingston upon Hull … Continue reading Hull’s World War II Concrete Barges Part 2
By Richard Lewis The History of Concrete Shipbuilding In 1848, Frenchman, Joseph-Louis Lambot built a ‘ferro-cement’ dinghy. A second one following in 1849 and ‘Ferciment’, the methodologies and materials used to build his concrete boats, was patented, and presented at the 1855 ‘Exposition Universelle’ in Paris. His ‘Bateau Ciment’ dinghies were still afloat in 1901 and … Continue reading Hull’s World War II Concrete Barges Part 1
It's four years today since Open Bridges! We have great memories of the Open Bridges night and the subsequent River Full of Stories history events. Here's a gallery of some photos showing just a few of the many lovely people we met along the way who became part of the team that made it happen. … Continue reading Open Bridges fourth anniversary
Rich & I are thrilled that Open Bridges is featured in arts magazine The Critical Fish. It's full of fantastic photos and especially good to see Rich's Engines & Insects exhibition pieces described and displayed in the article. Thank you to all the team and to Jill Howett for putting this lovely piece together. https://thecriticalfish.co.uk/open-bridges/ … Continue reading The Critical Fish
First Day Of The Heatwave by Lou Loudhailer. This is my newest recording, a marriage of music, video, pictures and words telling of a meander along the headwaters of the River Hull, exploring it's sources in the Yorkshire Wolds. The narrative is one of the chapters in our Open Bridges - A River Full Of … Continue reading First Day Of The Heatwave
It three years since Open Bridges! Have a look through our gallery of photo memories: Comrade photo by SydpixA River Full of Stories book launchMemory sharing on board The SyntanBrigham Scows race on the River Hull through Emmotland by RDHKeith and JanetDrypool Bridge by RDHOpen Bridges by Phil WithersOpen Bridges Engines and Insects exhibitionRich & … Continue reading Open Bridges Third Anniversary Photos
Open Bridges made history when for the first, and only time, all the bridges over the River Hull were raised, swung or closed simultaneously splitting the city in two at 20:17 hours on the autumn equinox, 22nd September 2017. HMS Pickle at Open Bridges by Graeme OxbyDrypool Bridge by RDHSouth from Scott Street to North … Continue reading Open Bridges Third Anniversary
A River Full of Stories - the book! We are delighted that our book has had over 300 loans in Hull and East Riding libraries already, and it is available to order from UK libraries by inter library loan. There are also copies at The British Library, The Bodleian Library Oxford University, The Cambridge University … Continue reading A River Full of Stories Book News
The Open Bridges Hull UK award winning short film with musique concrète soundtrack is available in full, on line for the first time. To watch the film settle down in a comfy chair, turn the lights down & the volume up and soak it up, it’s an immersive experience. This 20 minute film produced for … Continue reading Open Bridges Film & Musique Concrète Soundtrack
The Open Bridges exhibition - A River Full of Stories - has had a great run in Hull Maritime Museum where it has been on display together with the films for the last six months. The museum has now closed to be refurbished as part of Hull: Yorkshire's Maritime City so we spent the morning … Continue reading A River Full of Stories Film
The last post of the HDM archive detail posts starts with an intriguing image. At first glance the picture of the BOCM building from 1911 appears deserted but on the bank-side on the left hand edge you can see what appears to be a man and a woman presiding over the contents of a bag, … Continue reading River Hull Archive #27
One of the main threads running through A River Full of Stories is that of the Lighterman. The following photographs and details from the HDM river archive focus on the lighters and Lightermen on the River Hull. The first images below show the lighter Tort and crew just North of the new Myton Bridge in … Continue reading River Hull Archive #26
This series of posts will complete our record of River Hull archive photographs from the Hull Daily Mail which we repaired and restored. They are published with many thanks to Angus Young, and used with permission. This next series of photographs of details were taken on and around the piers, Corporation - Victoria - and … Continue reading River Hull Archive #25
This series of posts will complete our record of River Hull archive photographs from the Hull Daily Mail which we repaired and restored. They are published with many thanks to Angus Young, and used with permission. They've all been published previously on here and some included in the River Full of Stories book. Whilst we were … Continue reading River Hull Archive #24
These next few posts will complete our record of River Hull archive photographs from the Hull Daily Mail which we repaired and restored. They are published with many thanks to Angus Young, and used with permission. This gallery of photographs contain images from 1885 to the 1990s. The following two posts will focus on the … Continue reading River Hull Archive #23
A River Full of Stories is getting a great response from the libraries. The book has been a labour of love to produce so we are delighted to find out how popular it is. There is still a chance to see the exhibition and films at Hull Maritime Museum this year, and we have news … Continue reading Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Just released! The River Full of Stories trailer featuring a trip down the River Hull on board MV Syntan with introductions from some of the people we met to record their memories of life on the River Hull, Janet Anderson (nee Webster), Edward Moore, Keith Eastwood, Neville Pinder, John Dean, Bill Midgley and John Drury. … Continue reading A River Full of Stories Film Trailer
A River Full of Stories - the book! We are delighted that we have now delivered copies to all Hull and East Riding libraries and it is available to order from all UK libraries by inter library loan. “The book is utterly fabulous, a real artefact and a joy to behold. Such images, such production … Continue reading A River Full of Stories at all UK Libraries
It was a special day on Saturday when the culmination of Open Bridges 'A River Full of Stories' book was launched at Hull Maritime Museum. It was marvellous that there were so many people there who have contributed stories and photographs to the book. It was a whirlwind for us and went by in a … Continue reading A River Full of Stories, book launch
We are delighted to announce that A River Full of Stories book of memories and photographs of life on and around the River Hull is now published and the first edition will be available in all Hull & East Riding Libraries from 14th October. Thank you to everybody who has contributed fascinating memories, stories and photographs, … Continue reading A River Full of Stories
Here's a selection of photographs taken of the working river this year. Click on an image to see the full picture and caption and scroll through. The Open Bridges: A River Full of Stories exhibition is open at Hull Maritime Museum until the end of the year. The films will be on continuous loop throughout the … Continue reading The Working River 2019
Thanks to John Drury for contributing the River Hull working river films, filmed in 1994 by M&M Maritime Video. Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: Part 4: The Open Bridges: A River Full of Stories exhibition is opening at Hull Maritime Museum on Saturday 6th July 2019 until the end of the year. The films will … Continue reading Journey Down the River Hull in 1994
All year we've been working with Martin Lewsley of Hull graphic design agency Atomluft on the River Full of Stories book. Martin's done an incredible job, piecing everything together meticulously and making the whole thing look fabulous. The final designs were delivered to Wyke Printers on Sutton Fields at the beginning of this week where Dave, … Continue reading Hot on the Press!
It's nearly two years since Open Bridges celebrated the importance of the River Hull and its bridges - on the autumn equinox 2017. This time two years ago we were making the final preparations for all of the bridges of the River Hull to swing, lift, close to traffic and open to vessels, separating Hull … Continue reading Open Bridges Second Anniversary
Open Bridges A River Full Of Stories, River Hull archive photographs #22 1985-1989
Open Bridges A River Full Of Stories, River Hull archive photographs 1981-1984
The Open Bridges: A River Full of Stories film and exhibition is opening at Hull Maritime Museum on Saturday 6th July 2019 until the end of September. We are delighted to let you know that A River Full of Stories exhibition and film is now open in Hull Maritime Museum. The free exhibition showcasing both Open Bridges … Continue reading Exhibition and Film in Hull Maritime Museum
Exploring the Sources of the River Hull Just where does the River Hull start? The Open Bridges exhibition inspired many discussions about its origins. We heard about places to explore the springs and streams – one couple spoke of the spring rising in their own back garden. So, our first outing for A River Full … Continue reading Meander along the Headwaters of the Hull