Ernest W. Steele & Co Ltd

Another unsafe empty property in the slough of despond that is the rancid centre of Hull. This one on Osborne Street, a broad thoroughfare running as fast as it can away from Princes Quay and yet another victim of the blight caused by the failure of redevelopment. Clearly there has been a name board removed to reveal Ernest W. Steele. At least I hope there has been since E W. Steele, according to records, went into liquidation in 1968 and surely this building hasn't been standing empty since then, though anything is possible in this squalid little town.

Hull Boys' Club

Across the road from the Hull Braves' building on Roper Street is the Hull Boys' Club. As the sign says it was founded in 1903 as one of the pioneer boys' clubs in the country to "Train the boys and youths of Hull & district to become good and useful citizens. Organise instructional, recreational and athletic classes. Promote and foster the spirit of amateur sportsmanship and to encourage and develop a high physical and moral standard". To achieve this they offer a variety of sports and physical training and weight training. I'm not going to pretend that sports and training is my thing (nor that I'm a good and useful citizen) so I'll just wish them good luck They are going to need it if the developers ever come back with plans for 'improvement'. They have a neat little website here.

Waterhouse Lane

Waterhouse Lane now runs from Castle Street and joins on to Osborne Street but formerly it ran on to the waterworks situated roughly where the City Hall now stands. As it ran alongside Princes Dock with that mix of sailors and alcohol it rightly had a reputation that lasted well after the dock had closed (just search 'Hull red light district' and you'll see what I mean). Now it's a sorry sight with planning blight hanging over it and only ugly depressing buildings serving little purpose remaining and that's the bit they're going to keep.

Old warehouse

Staying in the same area as yesterday's post there's this old warehouse with a sign saying it's unsafe and do not enter. At first sight I couldn't see anything untoward until I noticed this impressive crack on the end wall (You'll have to click on the picture to see it enlarged). Don't think they'll have to knock very hard for this to fall down.
More from this zone of doom tomorrow.

The Hull Braves' Guild

I can't see anyone nowadays setting up a charity to help disabled people giving it the title of Hull Guild of Brave Poor Things but back in 1898 you could get away with that kind of patronising attitude. The guild was abbreviated to Hull Braves and acquired this rare cast iron framed Victorian warehouse on Roper Street in 1925; it was a refuge for children affected by polio. Thanks to Jonas Salk and his vaccine polio is all but eliminated from the world and I suppose inevitably the Hull Braves disbanded in 2010. But not before selling this building in 2004 for over £100,000. If J P Morgan et al. hadn't stolen all the world's money this place would have been demolished to make way for the Quay West redevelopment. I suppose every cloud has a silver lining. 

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men

Over the past few days I've posted from various points on Castle Street today I've reached the end with the junction of Waterhouse Lane and this scaffold clad remains known as Castle Buildings or Castle Street Chambers depending on where you look. It's a Grade 2 listed former office block probably connected with the foundry that used to operate from Princes Dock in the mid 19^th century. Anyhow it's under protection and was, I think, being restored and so was wrapped up under plastic sheeting as you see in the top photo taken about three years ago. That is until a mighty storm ripped up the sheeting and completely destroyed it leaving it to thole the winter's sleety dribble, an' cranreuch cauld as it were. 

And, looking forward at the prospect dreary, if I've read the plans for Castle Street's 'improvement' correctly then this place and the Earl de Grey which is close by are both due for demolition. Some might say not before time.

Myton Gate

In 1322 the city of Hull was granted the right to collect murage, a tax to build and repair the city walls. Within thirty or so years the city was surrounded by walls on all sides except on the river Hull. There were five main entrances through which traffic could pass, North Gate, Beverley Gate, Myton Gate, Hessle Gate and Watergate. (I know the plaque says four but just because a gate leads to the city dump doesn't mean you can ignore it). You can get an idea of how the walls looked from the title picture at the top of this blog. The walls and gates were maintained up until the establishment of the Hull Dock Company in 1774, the next few years saw the demolition of all these medieval defences. I couldn't find any accurate contemporary images of Myton Gate, the image below comes from a series drawn in 1951 by somebody called T Armstrong and is on display in the robing room of the Guildhall. I cannot vouch for its accuracy.

This plaque is on a converted warehouse at the Castle Street end of Princes Dock. I've posted bits of this building before here and here.

From Hull Museums Collection