Who's Next?

Joseph Hepworth set up shop as a tailor with his brother-in-law in Leeds in 1864, twenty-five years later they employed 2000 people who sold their stock through over 100 shops. The firm went on to be the largest UK clothing manufacturer and is now known as Next. This old sign in Hepworth's Arcade possibly dates back to  the 1890's. It's a bit of a puzzle, what is that empty shield in the middle? And was obesity a problem back then that there was a demand for XL tailors?

Old School

At the north-east corner of Kingston Square stands this impressive building. It was once a school belonging to Christ Church which stood where the car park is on the left.  Nikolaus Pevsner in his architectural survey described the building and stated that "it should be saved" and so it was; though now it houses flats and not school children eager to learn.

Below a picture of Christ Church that I 'borrowed' from Hull Council's site. As you can see it was no small affair and came complete with full Gothic revival nonsense. The building, like much of Hull, was a victim of bombing during the war and put out of its misery in the early 60's. The space has since become dedicated to the new god: Car. 

Never mind the quality feel the width

Diagonally opposite the New Theatre on Kingston Square this hotel was built in the early 1800s restored in the 1980s and claims to be Hull's leading independent hotel. It's abuts the New Clarence that I posted about a few months back. In my search to find something (ok, anything) interesting to say about in this post I found that this was once the workshop of a Madam Clapham, described in the hotel's rather badly written website  as "Dressmaker and courtier to Royalty and nobility" (sic). I think they meant couturier but who can tell? Emily Clapham made glad rags for the rich and royal from the late 1800's 'til  she died in 1952. She's described as "Hull's Celebrated Dressmaker" though as dressmaking in Hull is something with which I'm  not overly familiar I feel unqualified to comment and will shut up right now ...

Reflecting

OK let's get this new year started. No looking back, just onwards and uppards! I've shown this warehouse/apartment block before (here and here) but I thought these reflections in the marina's murky waters were worth an airing.

Licensed for the sale of spirits

The Manchester Arms on Scale Lane in the old town was recently in the news (local news for local people) as being haunted. The landlady claims a spirit by the name of Beryl (you couldn't make this stuff up) is causing mischief by flickering lights, turning off machines causing floods and "playing with her hair". She, the landlady that is, even claims to have captured the ghost on CCTV. Well, whatever the truth of all this, it certainly got some publicity for the place.

This being the last post of the year I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year. I'd like also to think that next year will be better than the this but then I never learn from experience.  Cheers and all the best as they say round here.

Oompah! Oompah! Stick it up your jumper!

When you look back it was obvious that what Hull lacked was a really good bandstand. No self-respecting city can hold its head up without a place for the delightful oompah of collective brass instruments gently wafting in the afternoon air while gentlemen in boaters escort ladies in their long Summer dresses across the green lawns of Queens Gardens .... Well now that shortfall has been met with this glorious edifice. Installed exactly a year ago by apprentices from Hull Training and Point Engineering and opened by the Mayor in his fancy regalia (any excuse to dress up) it is supposed to "enhance the musical life of the city". The first band to play was the Humberside Police Concert Band celebrating their 150^th anniversary. The cost of £70-80,000 was met by a levy developers in the city pay towards community projects. Now far be it from me to rain on anyone's parade, least of all Humberside Police Band, but I seem to recall that when nearby streets were pedestrianised in the mid 80's a similar bandstand was erected then and lay idle for 10-15 years before being pulled down. 

Deep diving bell

Not really in the mood for posting today. Anyway here's what I assume is a diving bell parked up behind the Deep. This was taken early this year when they were installing the Tidal Power gizmo that you can see in the background. Right that's your lot, until tomorrow ...