"A handsome and spacious new establishment"

Mr Craft and his company it appeared had designs to have stores on the main roads into Hull. Starting in the mid 1880s with Beverley Road by 1912 they had one on Witham and one on Anlaby Road and by 1914 would have had one on Hessle Road had not an Archduke and his wife taken a wrong turn in Sarajevo. So anyhow Crafts' Ltd proudly opened their Hessle Road store in May 1919. The local paper, the Hull Daily Mail, was there and gave it a big write up. We are given a description of this "innovation for Hessle Road" that reads like an architectural review: "As one approaches the new premises, the impression is of an effectively designed building, of lofty proportions, with distinct architectural features. The design suggests a modern business establishment on the lines of the great London stores. The fabric is a Royal Doulton terracotta facade with alternate squares and graceful circular columns. On the ground floor are two large semi-island windows and two large side windows. The building is surmounted with an imposing dome." I'm guessing this was cut and pasted or whatever was the style in those days from a Crafts' Ltd press release. The ground floor we are told sold "goods in the carpet line, dress and cotton fabrics, gentlemen's outfitting goods, boots, etc.. The first floor we are informed ""will be of great interest to the ladies, for here are to be found the most modern underclothing, baby linen, smart blouses and the latest fashionable hats, effectively displayed at prices which appear to be most reasonable." It ends optimistically: "It is safe to say that Messrs Craft's new stores... will be quickly appreciated."...

Maybe the stores were appreciated I don't know. I can say that today there are no Crafts' stores in Hull. I can find no reference to what happened to these dreams stores, maybe the downturn in the 20s and 30s was too much, or maybe they spent too much on terracotta columns and imposing domes (which, by the way, seems to have disappeared). The handsome and spacious establishment now sells camping equipment and outdoor clothing: The store website informs us: "You’ll find everything from jackets, fleeces, t-shirts, trousers and shorts, hoodies, base layers (???) and workwear ." Maybe they should get the HDM to do them a write up.

"Amazing murals adding colour to Beverley Road ..."

So ran the headline in the local supplier of hyperbole aka the Hull Daily Mail a few months back and as it's Monday I can't be bothered to argue. This one depicts the courageous struggle of a yellow coffee cup with sword and shield against an army of red ones ... like I say it's Monday just go with the flow. There's another equally "amazing" mural up the road.... maybe some other time.

There are more Monday murals here.

New uses and abuses

On Spring Bank, the former waiting room for hell has been transformed into an ice cream parlour. I appreciate the grey and red decor and am glad that a good use has been found for this building. 

I do however have a slight concern about what this sign could possibly mean ... surely not.

On the turn

So to the Westwood where there was still plenty of greenery about but quite few trees giving up on the year and getting ready for an exceptionally early Autumn.

Of course I had to say Hi to that old chestnut that I always photograph whenever I come up here. There's still a bit of a problem with parked cars but not as bad as it was.

There were dozens of these Red Admirals, it's been a really good year for them from what I've seen. Also dozens of dragon flies which wouldn't sit still so could not be photographed.

And finally the mortal remains of that old lime tree which was hanging on to life by a thread last time I was here. I like the way it's been chopped up and left to rot away, no tidying up in these parts.

North Bar, Beverley

I posted about this remnant of Beverley's town walls so many years ago there's no harm in going back again. Back then I told the history of the North Bar but what I didn't mention and what few these days might credit is that the local bus company had special buses made with a sloped roof designed to pass under the Bar. Nowadays a single decker passes through with no bother but forty five or more years ago it was a much tighter squeeze. And yes I do remember seeing these buses when I was so much younger than today.

Photo 'borrowed' from here.

Trafalgar Street

There's nothing much about Trafalgar Street which runs for no particular reason off Beverley Road. There's a flint faced church long empty and for sale, fenced off and growing buddleia, but with some nice gargoyles. And there's a fading memorial to a senseless murder of a father of two on New Year's Day three years ago. And that's about it really.

Window Pain

I guess an eatery by the name of Roosters Plaice (sic) might not be to everyone's taste and so it came to pass that the business closed several years ago. Since when it's been empty and, as is the style in these parts, it has attracted the attention of those who think creation comes through destruction. I heard of plans for a gym for this building on Princes Avenue but that was some time ago and it's still empty.