Hull’s Old Harbour dated to 1864

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Old harbour Photographs 1864

The Images

The shipbuilder’s premises of Humphrey & Son can be plainly seen in the centre of the image, with Bridge Street to the right of that, and the terraced block including the public house called by the sign of the ‘Greenland Fishery’. North Bridge is located just out of image on the far right. On the extreme left is the Queens Dock Basin, of which there is only one of the knuckles shown beneath the Humphrey & Son sign.

This view, taken it seems either from the river, or the west bank of it, looks at the south knuckle of the Queens Dock Basin, with Spencer & Gardam Ship Smith and Dry Dock, in which is berthed a three-masted full-rigged sailing ship. The aspect of this is slightly misleading because it is looking almost due south rather than, as with the others, due west.

This depicts H. Hodge Seed Crusher at the rear of Blaydes House at 5 High Street. The small separation between that and W.W. Darlings Oil Mill, Phoenix Mill, which is the large six bayed building on the left centre, is Blaides Staith, at the other end of which at 6 High Street stood the Tigress public house. This more modern image of Blayde’s House was made in the 1990’s by the author. High Street can be clearly seen in the foreground, while Blaide’s Staith can be envisioned running down the side of the house from the white painted quoins at the corner of the house.

Plainly shows J. T. & N. Hill’s warehouses, to the left of which was Salthouse Lane Staith, and the later (1889) Drypool Bridge.

This cannot be mistaken for anything other than what it is, the Pease Warehouses, simply because the refurbished buildings of this complex remain one of the Old Town landmarks. This was taken of the same building in the 1990’s after the refurbishment, and the twin arched loading bays of the Pease warehouse, between 18 and 21 High Street are clearly defined.

The Union Three Crane Wharf is flanked to the extreme left by the Union Three Crane Staith, and to right, the premises of George Malcolm & Son, and further, John Good, Ship Chandler’s.

This shows the river frontage premises at numbers 23 to 25 High Street. At number 25 is the building at the rear of Wilberforce House, which has been long replaced by sections of Hull’s new Museum Quarter. This image extends south to include Ouston Staith. A relatively recent image (1992) taken from the same vantage point it appears, conveys a sense of Post-Modernist attempts to maintain some sense of heritage and scale, which should perhaps be applauded.

W7 8

This image shows in the centre, Chapel Lane Staith, now part of the Museum Quarter, with sections of the Globe grain warehouse complex to the right, and the premises of W. Grey, linseed mill to the left, later to be J. A. Scott Ltd. Castle Warehouse, which appears to be demolished, perhaps for the construction of the latter. Further left, set back from the frontage is the rear of the Corn Exchange at number 35 High Street.

Right and centre of this image is shown Christie’s Wharf up to and including the two buildings shown with pillared extensions over the timber walkway of the river front. Immediately to the left of this is Bishop Lane Staith. Further left yet flanking the building with the roof window is the little passageway that contains the façade of Crowle House c1664, one of Hull’s more hidden gems. The author, along with many others over the years attempted to photograph these two notoriously difficult features to properly portray, the contrasts being so very marked. Any readers can see from these I mean! Crowle House ‘Staith’ located at number 41 High Street, opposite Stewart’s Yard Entrance.

42 and 43 High Street, the large four loading bayed building right and centre is flanked to the left by Brockley’s Warehouse (Danish Buildings) at 44 to 46 High Street with Simpson’s Warehouse at 47 to the left of that, and Scale Lane Staith off image immediately left of that.

W10

This shows according to the Hall’s, Etherington Buildings south of Scale Lane Staith, depicted on the Goad plan however as Woodhouse & Co. Warehouses, which includes a profile of the roof-line at the river front, of which the main feature is the lantern at the top of it, and which is clearly marked.

W11

Looks to be a complicated little scene, of older buildings and warehouses as can be discerned from the plot frontages and the profiles of the buildings. At the extreme right is the three bayed frontage (only two showing) of King & Peach Coal Wharf, the extreme right (out of view) bay is 52 High Street. This 17 th century brick built warehouse, at least the northern wall of it, was photographed by the author in the 1990’s, it did not extend to the river front however as can be seen from the photo (later known as Johnston & Jeff Seed merchants). Next left, is the almost tower-like sack and matting warehouse, and beyond that G. Buckton & Son’s dry-salters. Wood Brothers grinding and crushing shed is the early Georgian façaded building with the parapet that abuts onto the property at number 59 High Street. Immediately beyond that is Browns Entry Staith.

W12

This claims to be 60 to 63 High Street that includes according to the Halls’ Georgian Hull, Church Lane Staith in the left-centre with W.H. Boden to the left (south). Goad suggests that Boden’s were two buildings north of the Staith at number 60 (1880’s), which equates to the only frontage on the right without an arched entrance. Goad however indicates that Boden’s were to the right (north) of the Staith. Dalton’s Wharf however is clearly marked at the far right.

W13

This clearly shows the premises of T.W. Palmer, wine merchants who were at 69 High Street. Later Goad’s lists the four bayed building to the right of this as being William Field & Co., Ltd., Grocers; and W. Gillott & Co. Ltd., No. 5 [warehouse]. The ‘square looking building at the extreme left is listed by a later Goad to John Good & Son Ltd., general warehouse.

W14

This view is interrupted by, for those of a nautical interest, the bows of two sailing vessels, the closest seemingly a sloop of some sort under sail, and the rear most, possibly a top-sail schooner moored alongside. Contemporary listings of premises is not provided by Georgian Hull for this image, but hopefully further research will be able to pinpoint it more securely in the near future.

W15

Immediately right of centre can be seen Morrison & Hawksley Brush Works. South of that to the left is shown Harker Brothers Kingston Wharf, which fronted 80 High Street. To its left, Rottenherring Staith, of which but a road sign remained in the 1990’s as shown by the modern photograph. And, on the far left, the only known photographic image of the public house known by the sign of the Brotherton Tavern, see Last Orders , which was located at 82 High Street.

W16

Arguably the most evocative of the entire set, this image shows predominantly, the Dog and Duck public house, which was located at 86 High Street, see Last Orders Please. It should perhaps be pointed out that the stairway from the river mud to the public house was not the sole means of entry, there was another, fronting High Street!

To the left of that can be seen the pilings for the South Bridge, which site was cleared for this purpose between 1862 and 1865. Also it can be made out, the change of direction of the harbour, as it begins its turn westwards to become what was known as the South End.

The four photographs of the east bank or the Drypool bank of the River Hull are here described by Mr. C. Ketchell.

1864 photographs – east side of Old Harbour

Garrison Side/Tower Street

South to north

This may be the same as the surviving Thompson’s Plastics building; it is in Tower Street. Currently the only surviving ‘old’ building in Tower Street apart from the former Trinity House Buoy shed. The 1876 directory shows it as J. Bilton & Co., wharfingers, with the address of Garrison Side (Tower Street does not feature in the directories until much later, i.e. it is not in Bulmer’s 1892)

This is shown as a Corn Warehouse on the 1853/`6 OS plan immediately north of Conduit Street, again in Tower Street. It is R. Oxtoby and Son, corn merchants and E.W. English, corn warehouse in the 1876 directory The building collapsed into the river after a fire. I think this is the reference in the Hull Times “Large Hull warehouse burnt down Old Harbour Gilyott (and photo) HT 15.5.1920 pp6 and 9”.

The lock entrance to Drypool Basin, or entrance to Victoria Dock, from the Old Harbour. St Peter’s church Drypool can be seen in the distance. I have always assumed that the double-fronted house was a Dock Office of some sort but do admit I cannot see it on the 1853/`6 or 1889 OS plan, although it is shown in F.S. Smith’s drawing of 1884. Note the large stands of timber piled up on the quayside. This view coincides almost exactly with Smith 2/133

This can only I think, show the southern end of Harcourt Street off Great Union Street/ Thornton Street (Thornton Street is now the western end of Clarence Street). The northern end of Harcourt Street survives on the ground today as a ‘dead-end’ to the west of the Waterloo Tavern, at the junction of Great Union Street and Clarence Street. Its southern end is under the 1950s extension to Ranks Mill. Compare with view of Harcourt Street in F.S. Smith 2/132

Note again large stands of timber

Once again, I would like to thank Mr. Chris Ketchell for permission to reproduce these images, and for his welcome contribution to the captions. These I have to re-emphasise have been made with every due consideration and comparison to all known sources in order to achieve total accuracy.

Richard Hayton 2006