Red Lion

Although Red Lion is the commonest name for a pub in England this particular specimen, one of a pair, adorns a gate post on the Boulevard close to the mermaid fountain.

Rise and slow decline of Albion Street

Albion Street was built as Hull expanded in the early 19th century and could be said to have been the intellectual hub of the city at that time. It had at one end Hull General Infirmary, a Church Institute built "to promote the study of literature and science ...in subordination to religion", the Royal Institution Hull's first museum finally finishing with the Assembly Rooms on Kingston Square. Hull Central Library was built at the western end in 1900. Since then the ravages of time, war and city planners have taken their toll. The Hospital was demolished in the 1970s and replaced by the Prospect Centre shopping mall, The Church Institute is now a hotel, the Royal Institute was destroyed by bombs in 1943 and is now a car park and health centre, and the Assembly Rooms are now the New Theatre. 

When I first came to Hull 30 or so years ago these houses in a once fine early Victorian terrace were pretty run down and neglected but over the years they've been done up and converted to apartments or flats as we call them over here. So much so that supply now appears to be exceeding demand.

What? Who? When?

Try as I might I can find no information on this piece of pavement art. I can however tell you it's on High Street near the Olde Black Boy. The four whales are a reference to Hull's whaling past after that I'm at a loss. Clearly the the three crowns and a bird have some meaning but what I don't know. Personally I think it's a fairly ghastly item that has quite rightly been ignored by history.

The things people get up to ...

I know you all think of Hull as a place of wonder and amazement and I do nothing to dispel you from that notion but today unfortunately I have to show you a less salubrious side of this magnificent city. Here on George Street is a lap dancing club that goes by the name of Fantasy. Now purely for research purposes, you  understand, I have looked this place up on the internet and it appears to operate on the principle of a fool and his money soon being parted.

Rose Villa

Rose Villa stands at the entrance to Pearson Park on Beverley Road. It's now a care home for the elderly but must have been some rich man's fantasy back in the early 1900's when Beverley Road looked like the picture below taken from almost the exact spot as the above.

Finishing touch

Up above the shoppers on Whitefriargate this neat little boat and dolphins nicely finishes off the Marks and Spencer's building. M&S are the last remaining major chain on Whitefriargate which is rapidly declining into a mix of pawnbrokers, betting shops and charity shops. It used to be the main shopping area in the city and with competition from the glass and steel monsters down the road it looks doomed.

Past and present

Or more properly present and past. Above we have the entrance to Princes Quay shopping mall viewed across the Hull hole. Below how it used to be many years back, well before I came to Hull and before pedestrianisation. Yep, that's a ship parked up against a shop.

I don't know who took this photograph, I 'borrowed' it from a Facebook group and where it came from before then is anyone's guess. Isn't sharing awesome?