More Spooky things you might not know about Hull

As you know I love all things paranormal, especially about my home town "Hull". 
I have recently come across more stories and pictures on the Hull Daily Mail website that may be of interest to you all. Please take a look and feel free to post any stories you have to share. 

Ghosts of the Guildhall

Ghosts of Hedon Graveyard

9 Ghost Stories with Photos (Hull)

39 De Grey Street

Escape The Room

For those looking to immerse themselves in a spooky but fun team building experience or just a bit of a laugh with friends, look no further than Escape Hull.

You have 60 minutes to escape the room by solving clue, riddles and puzzles. Choose from 5 Games.

• Contagion
• 221B Baker Street
• Taken
• Escape Casino
• EMCU Trails

For corporate events and groups with 15 or more, please contact us via info@escape-hull.co.uk prior to booking to ensure we can tailor an experience to suit your requirements.

For bookings at short notice please contact us on 07966567781 and we will try our best to accommodate you.

Team Size - Price per person

Five - £14pp, Four - £16pp, Three - £19pp, Two - £24pp 

Hull Fair 2016

It's that time of the year again when Hull Fair comes to town for 8 days. This traditional travelling fair is one of the largest in Europe and has been coming to Hull for over 700 years. It was opened this year by the Lord Mayor Sean Chaytor and first opened in 1278AD. You can read all about the history of the fair here.

There's an abundance of food stalls where you can get anything from  hotdogs, burgers, kebabs, noodles and the famous "Bob Carvers" Chips. Over the past few years there's even steak sandwiches, cajun chicken, wraps, and tortilla's. 

For those with a sweet tooth they are sweet stalls for your Wrights Brandysnap, Candyfloss, Toffee Apples, Cinder Toffee and fudges. There's even chocolate fountains, cakes and  muffins. 

The classics such as roasted chestnuts are still around and don't forget to visit a Fortune Teller!

This year there are about 300 rides, ranging from children's rides like Carousels, Mini Trains, The Caterpillar, Teacups and Ghost Trains to extreme rides like the Walzers,  Bomber, Star Flyer, Superbob, Hopper and Bungy Ball.

For game lovers take your pick from 115 game stalls like Bingo, Hook-a-Duck, Penalty Shoot Out, Darts and Rifle games where you can win giant cuddly toys and other prizes.

You check out this drone footage of this years fair on the Hull Daily Mail site Here.

Please note that Hull Fair opens at 5pm on Friday 7 October and 2pm every other day and is closed on Sunday.

For Bus time tables click here for EYMS or here for Stagecoach.

The Maltings and Anchor Brewery

I've been working down Silvester Street, Hull for the part 12 years in Anchor House and have always wondered about it's history. Unfortunately my company has announced it's closure and this will probably be the last time I walk down this quaint street for some time.  

Based in Anchor House, we have definitely all felt some kind of presence in this building at some time or another, be it on the top floor, the car park or even the toilets! We like to call our ghost "Fred" and people have seen figures, smelled cigar smoke and heard whispering in their ears.

It's not surprising knowing how much history there is, and that's what I'd like to talk about today.

"The Hull Brewery Company Limited" was registered in 1888 and was taken over by Northern Foods in 1972 and bought by Mansfield Brewery in 1985.

John Firbank and Thomas Ward built the original brewery on the corner of Posterngate and Dagger Lane in 1782. Thomas Ward's granddaughters, Mary and Ann, inherited the brewery, and Mary married a shipbuilder, Robert Gleadow in 1796. Their son, Robert Ward Gleadow, continued the brewing business until 1846 when he went into partnership with another brewer, William Thomas Dibb, to form Gleadow, Dibb and Co. 

Gleadow died in 1857 and was succeeded by his son, Henry Cooper Gleadow. Gleadow, Dibb and Co. became a limited company in 1885.

The Maltings, was a new development on the site of the Anchor Brewery. The bridge (visible behind "The Maltings" sign) connected two of the brewery buildings and still stands to this day.

In 1866 Gleadow, Dibb and Co. started work on a new, purpose-built brewery in Silvester Street and the company moved to the new premises in 1868. 

The new brewery had the capacity of fermenting 24,000 gallons of wort at a time. William Thomas Dibb died in 1886 on a journey between Bridlington and Hull; he had rushed to catch a train at Bridlington, causing the guard to stop the train so that he could board. By the time the train arrived in Driffield he was found dead, still sitting upright in his seat. Frederic Gleadow was elected to the board of directors to replace him.

In 1887 Gleadow, Dibb and Co. Ltd. was wound up, and a new company, "The Hull Brewery Company Limited", was formed. The company embarked on a period of increased expansion, acquiring other brewers and bottlers, purchasing licensed houses and enlarging the Silvester Street site. By 1890 they were recorded as owning 160 licensed houses. Trade dropped off during the First World War, but by 1919 the company was able to buy two more local breweries along with their public houses. In 1925 it acquired Sutton, Bean and Company, a Lincolnshire brewery. Beer was transported by barge across the Humber.

World War II led to another drop in trade, and many of the company's properties were damaged or destroyed during the Hull Blitz. The Silvester Street brewery, however, remained intact, possibly because the German bomber pilots used its chimneys as a landmark.

In 1949 the company began producing "Anchor Export", a strong beer, designed to keep and travel well so that it could be taken aboard ships as part of their provisions. It was sold in bottles and cans.

The company was taken over by Northern Dairies in 1972 and the name was changed again to North Country Breweries. However, by 1982, due to the decline in consumption and the changing tastes of the beer-drinking public, the parent company decided to divest and North Country Breweries was purchased by Mansfield Brewery. Brewing at the Silvester Street site ceased in 1985.

Hull Brewery Labels

Maltings Photos - Lordline

Megan's Dream Fund

We have all heard of young Megan, however on the 14th Sept her and her Family received the devastating news of the return of the Cancer after treatment and that it had spread and is now terminal.

Megan is a fighter though, and is determined to enjoy what time she has left.

This Fund has been set up to give her the financial assistance to realise those dreams, please help her out.

As fans groups we have the ultimate crowd funding oppurtunity to assist, Meg wants to get to Spain to see her Grandfather and also to go to Butlins..... Lets make this happen for her!!!


Please donate and share on FB & Twitter x
Read Megan's Story

Megan's Dream Fund

Buried Hull

I've recently searched out a lot of unearthed history that I never knew existed in Hull via the Hull Daily Mail Website, and thought it easier to compile a comprehensive list of pages that have been featured with links for you to read at your own leisure.

Stories include Devil Dogs, Satanic Cults, Unknown Tragedies, Skeletal Remains and more......read here if you dare!

• Hull's Secret Underground Smoking Cafe
• 10 Relics in Hull you never knew about
• 5 Infamous Tragedies in Hull
• Hull's Ripper Street
• 10 Bone Chilling Discoveries - Skeletal Remains in Hull
• Hull Spontaneous Combustion
• Satanic-Panic
• Devil Dogs of the Docks
• Ferensway Tunnel
• 
  

Love Tea?

The GreatTea Blender

After a very disappointing encounter with some disgusting tea bags, Marion Ring has not drunk tea from tea bags since then  – "they were so disgusting I threw them away" – she has stayed away from all bagged brews and has set up a business selling "proper" tea in the Hull Trinity Indoor Market.

Ms Ring's loose leaf tea enterprise stocks about 120 blends and is growing all the time, she said.
"I have teas from all over the world – the latest one in this week is a Rwandan Rukeri tea,"

Marion stall stocks Earl Grey, Liquorice, Mango, Bergamot, Orchid and Rhubarb Green Tea that tempts the taste buds of tea drinkers.

The stall also sells orange cookies, chocolate and peanut butter, butter truffle, and jam flavours in the mix, Ms Ring reckons she can find a tea to suit anyone's taste – even someone who says they are not a tea drinker.

"I go to a UK supplier for my teas and they always have new ones. I've got access to about 900 different ones," said Ms Ring, who liveswith hr 16-year old daughter Molly in Beverley.

"You are not going to like every tea, but there is one out there for everyone.

The fruit teas are caffeine- free and the redbush teas are low in tannins – some people who have had surgery are advised not to drink tea because of the tannins, but they are allowed to drink redbush teas.

Ms Ring offers teas to suit the seasons – Christmas sees a number of varieties on sale, including a mulled wine tea, while in the summer, cucumber and marmalade come to the fore, perfect for serving iced.

Black teas need freshly boiled water, but green teas need water at 80 degrees or the leaves can be burned and that can lead to bitterness.

Marion developed a new East Yorkshire Brew to help celebrate her first year in business.

"The idea behind it was that Harrogate has its Yorkshire tea, why can't we have East Yorkshire tea?" said Ms Ring.

"It has been blended to cope with hard water and it is ideal for people who like their tea strong.

"It's a great everyday brew, made from Assam, Ceylon and Rwandan tea leaves."

The Tea Shop supplies teas to Urban 44 coffee shop in Hessle and the Travellers Rest in Beverley.

Trinity Indoor Market

Kingston upon Hull HU1 2JH

07491 157260

Photo's and story courtesy of Hull Daily Mail

More Ghost Hunts At Annisons Funeral Parlour

For those of you that missed the ghost hunt at Annison's Funeral Parlour, there are many other hunts taking place at this venue. Check out the below sites to book your place now!!

Annison's Building was a funeral parlour for over 100 years and was built on the same location as the North Blockhouse which was part of the fortifications of the River Hull during1540-1640. Here numerous Catholics were tortured and left to die in its cellars or hanged. In the 1700's the blockhouses and fortification were demolished. 

In 1876 the Annison family bough the land and built the building we see today. Originally built as a Wheelwright & Cart business (livery), the family built horse stables on the top floor with horse stairs. The Annison family has already lost most of their business interests in a fire and had operated as cycle makers, cabmen and mechanics.  

On July 30th, 1891, 20 year old Mary Jane Langley, visited the location to have her photo taken but later that day she was murdered. Her throat was slit and her body was found in a ditch in Long Lane, Preston. The killer was never  found

The building has also suffered a number of deaths. Mr. Edward Steward Annison and his daughter Sarah Annison died in the building, and a horse, that bolted during the Blitz, killed itself by running into the walls of the stable, leaving blood stains on its rampage.

A large amount paranormal activity has been recorded, from apparitions of male figures walking across the hayloft to loud heavy bangs on the wooden floor. Lights often turn themselves on and off, doors open on request, with knocks on the doors, and  a glass moved of its own accord across a coffin lid. 

During one investigation they caught what appeared to be legs on a thermal imaging camera and voices  are heard over the various spirit boxes, EMF fluctuations are recorded in empty rooms, temperature fluctuations, the sudden scent of flowers or perfume, whistling, and people getting nudged.

26 stables still survive upstairs and the livery stables on the second floor and courtyard are part of the tour.

Do you dare to visit??

September 2016

Friday 2nd September Yorkshire Ghost Nights
Friday 9th September Haunted Britannia
Saturday 10th September Haunted Britannia
Saturday 10th September 10am-6pm Heritage Open Day (FREE)
Friday 16th September Shadow Seekers Midlands
Saturday 17th September Pitch black Investigations
Friday 23rd September Black Magic
Saturday 24th September Xtreme Paranormal Events 

October 2016

Friday 7th October Simply Ghost Nights
Saturday 15th October Really Haunted
Friday 21st October Haunted Happenings
Friday 28th October GhostCallers

November 2016
Friday 11th November Lost Ghost Nights (Charity)
Friday 18th November Eerie Evenings

December 2016

Saturday 10th December Simply Ghost Nights

Updates

Hi Guys & Gals,

I have just updated the Paranormal Section and Hull Events with some upcoming Ghost Tours and Events in Hull, such as the Hull Colour Run, Freedom Festival, Photo Competition, HIP Photography Festival and Big Bus Day.

Please keep reviewing on a regular basis to find new and upcoming events in Hull and surrounding areas.

Ye Old Blue Bell Pub History

"Ye Old Blue Bell" in Hull's historic old town, is neatly tucked away beside Trinity Market and Hepworth Arcade. The date of this building is unknown, but we understand that local carrier carts left the Blue Bell on their way to Cottingham, Hornsea, Kimswell, Patrington, Rimswell and Roos from 1791.

Early records show that early ownership was to John Banks who leased to William Lambert (grocer), Betsey Fearne a spinster, John Fearne (Linen Draper), James Watson (Cheese Factor) and John Thompson (Gentleman) in 1798. It appears that Betsey Fearne sold her share to Lambert in 1798. 

The next occupier was a man named Henry Neve, who in 1774 tenanted the Blue Bell site until 1808 when Samuel King an Ironmonger bought the site and turned it into a public house know as "The Blue Bell Inn"

By 1889  it had passed to Rev. Edward Thomas Mortlock of Snailwell who then sold the pub on to J G Smithson (Brewer) and J W Tindall (Bottler). The property remained unchanged during this period, however some outbuilding where offered to let in 1884, including two workhouses and a workroom.

In 1899 J W Tindall was a ale and port merchant and the Blue Bell was occupied by James Tunbridge with James Jenkins as his tenant. Tindall then erected a sign in the form of an ornamental bell over the entrance in Market Place, constructed of metal and coloured glass, and was hung from an iron stay. As Tindall was an acting agent for Smithson's Tower Brewery, the Blue Bell was tied to them, so in 1901 Hull Brewery took over Smithson's but the Blue Bell passed to Allsopp & Sons who merged with Ind Coope & Co in 1934. After experiencing financial difficulties Ind Coope sold a lot of their properties in Hull to Linsleys in 1912 and the Blue Bell was bought by J W Cameron & Co before the early 1960's.

In 1962 the Hull City Council wanted to expand the market and these plan included demolishing the Blue Bell Public House. Luckily Cameron had applied to convert the first floor into a living accommodation. At first this was rejected on the grounds that the site was required as part of the markets development and that it was unsuitable for living accommodation. In 1964 the council approved plans after Cameron rejected an offer made for alternative lease on a building on the east side of Market Place. 

In 1967 Hull City Council agreed to rent part of the rear of Blue Bell, 13 Hepworth Arcade. As of today you can access the beer garden of the Blue Bell via the indoor market, 

Today you can see many changes including the demolished snug in the main bar, to the right, The original front entrance has been blocked up and entrance to the main bar is now oposite the snug on the left of the building at the front entrance. The telephone room as it was known is now where the darts board is with an extended staircase to the ladies toilets and pool room. The alcove between the snug and the lounge was originally where stairs lead up to the first floor and down to the cellar. And the scullery at the back has been split into two, creating a storeroom and the men's toilets which was originally just a urinal accessed by the passage.

In 1985 Sam Smiths took over the Blue Bell and refurbished it at a cost of £50,000. This included a redecoration of the lounge with Draylon upholstery, a larger service area in the lounge with hand pumps, the billiard tables where moved from the cabin in to the bar, and the cabin was turned into a snug. New bar back fittings and fixed seating where added and the pub re-opened in 1986.

Pictures to follow

Coltman Land and 114 Coltman Street

As I live off The Boulevard, this post will be dedicated to a piece of history I see on a daily basis during my route to work.

Based on Saner Street, this stone has both intrigued and fascinated me and lead me to look further into the history of the Coltman's.

Coltman Street itself was named after the Coltman family who owned the land. Reverend Joseph Coltman of Beverley left this land to his son, Sir Thomas Coltman, a Judge, when he died in 1837.

The street was developed in the 1840's from the Hessle Road end and was a thriving community, with Greek Revival style houses and a Gothic style Trinity Wesleyan Chapel, with an added Sunday School in 1895,  which was unfortunately destroyed in the II World War and demolished in 1953. The Coltman Street Day Hospital later occupied the site.

As there is already lots of information about this street and it's colourful past, I have provided some links here:-

Coltman Street History
Coltman Conservation
Coltmanstreet Directory

In 2013, BBC2's "Restoration Home" with Caroline Quentin featured a house on Coltman Street being renovated to its former glory. Built in 1953 and once home to Christopher Pickering, A fish merchant,  trawler owner and philanthropist, who also gifted Pickering Park in 1911.

In 1921 it became The City of Hull School Clinic until 1970.

The Kelsey Family now own this property and are currently in the process of renovating this grand building .After being turned into 5 flats the couple wanted to return the house back into a single dwelling, and after meeting with the council their plans have been approved.

Please check out their FB page below to see how they're getting on.

114ColtmanSt

Edwin Davis Company, Bond Street and Before..

The Edward Davis Company Shop on Bond Street is a familiar site to most people living in Hull, but many of us do not remember it being open, and have seen it derelict for decades.

I personally work across the road to this interesting building and see it on a daily basis. I wish someone would purchase it and bring it back to life, as the building itself looks solid. Currently a house for pigeons, It could be made to look rather nice, as either flats or another department store. (Come on John Lewis!!)

Delving into the history books, the actual company has a far greater history that precedes this particular site.

The original store was established in Hull's Market Place in 1840 and expanded to both sides of the street. It was re-fronted in 1910, but during World War I it was bombed by a Zeppelin and the building was completely destroyed.

The original store on Market Place / South Church Street Corner

A new store was constructed on Bond Street in the 1920's, but not in the place you see now. It was built on the corner of Bond Street and Albion Street and was bombed during the II World War.

The store we see today was constructed around 1952 and remained open until 1978. Revived during the 1990's as an Amusement Arcade  called "2 The Point" and then Evolution Nightclub.

In its hayday

Closure in 1978

August 3rd 2016

August 3rd 2016

Evolution club nights had such DJ appearance by the legendary Carl Cox and also held "Dreamscape 5" on the 18th December 1992 - check out this review of the night here. Playing mostly Rave and Acid House it was closed down due to numerous drug busts as have been closed ever since.

Hollybrook Ltd who previous owned the store did submit plans to build apartments and parking spaces but it never came to be. It was then put on the market in 2010 to the tune of £1.5 million (OMG!!)  In February of 2015, Hull City Council issued a legal notice, asking the current owners (Alpha Properties) to carry out repairs but we have yet to establish if any were done. It is currently being advertised by Garness Jones for £1 Million.

Recent speculation has implied they could be an Ice Arena built on the site and an Olympic sized swimming pool, however the latest news is that they are revisiting plans to use the site for accommodation for the up coming 2017 City of Culture.

Photos courtesy of Hull Daily Mail, & L. Abel

Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/pictures/flashback-edwin-davis-store-hull-s-bond-street/pictures-27515801-detail/pictures.html#ixzz4GMsJT4sm 

Hull Ghost Hunt - Annison Funeral Parlour 30th July 2016

Brought to you by Really Haunted

Annison Funeral Parlour £29 - Saturday 30th July 2016

Event Time: 9:00pm - 3:00am, Address: Witham, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire HU9 1AT

Available Qty: 27

This former funeral parlour in Hull, which can be found at the junction of Great Union Street and Witham Street, was once home to the City of Hull Mounted Police, and would certainly look at home in any horror film, the buildings reputation more than matches its grim appearance.

The funeral parlour which survived for over 100 years, closed more than 30 years ago and the ground floor of the building is now used by an Late Night Pharmacy. The pharmacy staff apparently refuse to go upstairs alone, and admit to feeling nervous when they alone in the building. At other times in its history parts of the building have been used by a photographer’s studio and Ringtons Tea.

Surprisingly, it was the Photographers studio that became the focus for one of the most gruesome tales connected to the building, the murder of 18 year old Mary Jane Langley. The young lady visited the studio to have her picture taken in 1891 and was not seen again until her body was discovered. Her was found laying dead in a ditch. Many suspect she became the victim of Frederick Bailey Deeming a notorious murderer who had recently been released after serving time for murdering his wife and children, and burying them under the floorboards of his home. Deeming was eventually hanged in 1892 for another, unrelated murder.

While the part of the building occupied by pharmacy looks like any other modern building, the first floor is an entirely different story. The mortuary room and the embalming room remain untouched since the funeral parlour closed its doors for the last time.

Mary Jane’s ghost is reputed to haunt the old funeral parlour to this day, but she is not alone. There are regular reports of poltergeist activity and a chair in one of the upstairs rooms is often found to have been moved, or in some cases thrown against the opposite wall. So often has this happened that tape markings are now left on the floor to allow staff to check whether the chair has shifted while they are out of the room.

Voices are over heard coming from rooms which are known to be unoccupied, and staff are frequently faced with the effects of supernatural activity. The old funeral parlour attracts visitors from around the world keen to experience a building with such a unique and macabre history.

What Happens on our Events 

• Ghost hunting vigils and séances.
• Lone ranger vigils for brave guests.
• Dowsing Rods
• Cool stuff including table tipping, ouija board, glass divination & rem pod experiments.
• Latest ghost hunting equipment, including EMF Meters, Mel Meters, K2 Meters, Rem Pods, Spitit Boxes etc.
• You are more than welcome to brings your own equipment with you on the hunt.

Also

Refreshments (tea, coffee, pop) will be available along with a designated smoking area (outside).

When travelling to your ghost hunt please allow for possible delays during your journey.

We recommend you bring enough layers of clothing with you to keep you warm throughout the night.

There are NO sleeping facilities at our events unless otherwise stated by Really Haunted.

Over 18’s only please.

Welcome to my Blog

Proud to be "The City Of Culture 2017",  Kingston Upon Hull, or 'Ull as we all fondly call our fantastic city has been a major part of my life having lived here for 34 years. As a young girl growing up on the West Side of the City, I have always been interested in our history and heritage, reading books from Harry Cartlidge, to looking at postcards from Kenneth F. Elsom. The well known "Memories of Hull" books filled me with excitement, pouring over the amazing photographs of our town in the II World War days and seeing buildings I never knew existed.

Born in 1981, I can remember the ABC Cinema on the right, next to Paragon Railway Station,  Although I never visited this cinema, I do recall it being demolished in 2004 when St Stephens was being built.  In the mid 1990's I regularly went to Cecil Cinema where I watched "The Brady Bunch", "Monkey Trouble" and "Baby's Day Out! I was also a regular visitor to the UCI on St. Andrew Quay before it's closure in 2004. Megabowl and Jazzbo Browns where a major part of  growing up in my teens, playing pool, drinking underage and playing on the punching machine. 

Before the days of  photo ID, my first ever drink was at Tower Nightclub, or "Tower for an Hour" Grab a Granny at the age of 15. I was drinking in town from about 1998. I loved the Marina at this time and used to go for Friday Night drinks in Pepis, Tropical Nights, Baltic Wharf and Green Bricks, before moving onto George Street to either visit Dram Shop, Venu, Biarritz, Room, Planet Earth or Sharkeys.  Another favourite of mine was Circus Circus, Oasis, LA's and the Eclipse Nightclub on Anne Street.  Do you remember the original "Retro" bar, Central Park" and "Chequers/Bedroom"? 

Hull Cheese and Macy's were also a popular destination, along with Yates and The Sandringham on Paragon Street. 

Living in Hessle later in life I enjoyed drinking in  Norland, Plonkers, Marquis Of Granby, Admiral and Top House.

As you can see I love a good drink and hope to bring you more information on Hull pubs and lost pubs of Hull, although you can visit, Paul Gibson's site for lots of Hull's old pubs and nightclubs.

I will also be dedicating posts to Hull Photographers, Authors, Hull City A.F.C,  Charities, Tradesmen and more, so feel free to contact me to have a feature spot on my blog. I will also be reviewing products, giving information on upcoming events, telling tales of hull ghost sightings and paranormal activity, posting photographs and reporting on all things Hull that I can find.

I really hope you will subscribe to my Blog, like the page on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, share with friends, family and relatives, and be proud to be from Hull.