Bill Longbone, Author at Friends Of Hull General Cemetery

Dr. William Gordon was known as the ‘The People’s Friend’.

Dr. Wm Gordon

William Gordon was born at Fountains Hall near Ripon on 2nd August 1801. He was educated at the Ripon Grammar School. He studied medicine at London and Edinburgh. After qualifying he set up a medical practice at Welton, near Brough around 1825. He married Mary Ann Lowthrop of Welton Hall in 1826, pictured below. They had one daughter, Charlotte, who was born 1828.

Welton hall

His father-in-law was Sir William Lowthrop. He had been the Mayor of Hull when Victoria came to the throne. Sir William was one of the original Committee that instigated the creation of Hull General Cemetery. He and his son-in-law, Dr. Gordon, were early shareholders in this venture.The Creation of Hull General Cemetery: Part One

The family moved to 29 Albion Street in Hull where he set up his medical practice. Albion Street at that time was the ‘Harley Street’ of Hull. Many medical men lived there including Dr. Alderson.

Dr. Gordon was very involved with Christian movements and an active supporter of the working classes. He was also President of The Christian Temperance Society and became known as ‘The People’s Friend’. Chris Ketchell once said that he could not understand why Dr Gordon earned this title as, at that time, alcoholic drink was a better friend to the working man but Chris always had a personal view upon alcohol and its benefits.

All through Dr. Gordon’s short life he had an affinity with the working class and poor people of Hull, and would help them in whatever way he could.

Dr. Gordon’s daughter Charlotte, married the Albion Street Chapel pastor, the Rev Christopher Newman Hall.

His death

Dr. Gordon contracted a wasting disease during 1848 and eventually died at his home in Albion Street in February 1849 aged 47.

His son-in-law wrote a rather morbid detailed account of his death in a booklet which he published the same year.

Dr. Wm Gordon narrative

His funeral was a well attended event. It commenced at the Albion Street Chapel with a procession of five Mourning coaches. Hundreds of people followed on foot. Police officers, six abreast, accompanied the cortege to Hull General Cemetery.

It was well reported in the local press at the time.

doctor gordon eulogy

He was buried in the centre of the newly opened cemetery. His grave was just east of the central willow tree as he had requested. At that time the plot’s shrubbery had been planted in the shape of a Maltese Cross.

Dr. Wm Gordon funeral

The monument

The newspapers of the day prompted the idea of a public subscription for a monument to him. The working class of Hull contributed greatly to this public subscription to erect a large monument to Dr Gordon. They collected the full £80 for the monument. Only Dr. Gordon’s monument, Captain Gravill’s and the Cholera Monument were erected after calls for a public subscription.

Many local sculptors put forward designs for the monument, including William Keyworth. The commission, however, was given to Aaron Shaw. The total cost was £80.

The monument was erected in November 1849 and took the form of an obelisk of white marble modelled on the one that Napoleon had brought from Luxor.

It stood twenty-five feet high and was inscribed: ‘Erected by public subscription, to William Gordon, M.D., F.L.S. – the People’s Friend. Ob. Feb. 7 1849 aet 47’.

The monument still exists in Hull General cemetery. It is still in good condition if a little moss covered.

However, it needed reducing in size at the turn of the 20th century. The monument was becoming unstable. The Cemetery Company contacted Dr. Gordon’s daughter, Charlotte Hall, regarding this.

Dr. Wm Gordon memorial

She and the Cemetery Company came to an arrangement and the Monument was lowered by about a third. Early maps of the cemetery show it and the Cholera Monument marked.

Shortly after Dr Gordon’s death his wife, Mary Ann, moved from Albion St to Carlton Terrace. This was near Park Street on Spring Bank. She died in 1886. She is buried in the same grave with her husband.

Their daughter remarried Mr Frank Richardson after the death of the Rev Newman Hall. She died in 1903 and is also commemorated on the monument.

Bill Longbone

Bill Longbone has had a long relationship with the Hull General Cemetery. He is an active member of the FOHGC and manages the work of the volunteers on the site. His biographical sketches of some of the people buried in the cemetery are one of the highpoints of the success of the Facebook site.

Henry Hodge was born at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire in 1812. He was the son of a small farmer and one of 12 children. Henry Hodge can truly be described as a self-made man.

In 1826 the Hodge family moved to Hull and took on a dairy farm at Newland Tofts. As a young man Henry worked at Bell’s flour Mill on Holderness Rd. This was situated near what is now Morrill Street. The access to the mill was along a track which eventually became the entrance to the Morrill Street clinic.

Seed crushing industry

At this time seed crushing was becoming an important industry in Hull. As a result, the mill changed from a flour mill to a seed crushing mill. Around 1831 the hydraulic press was invented for crushing seed. This soon replaced the old stamper mill. The firm of Rose, Down & Thompson were one of the early fore-runners in this development.

Henry accumulated a little capital whilst working at a mill in Louth. Along with his brother, William who was now a foreman at Bell’s Mill, they purchased a former mustard and flour mill. This stood on what was then William St in Drypool. It later was renamed Hodge Street. They then installed 2 hydraulic presses to crush seed.

In 1852 the nearby Tower Mill at the junction of Holderness Rd and Clarence St was purchased. However, although the business was successful, the two brothers dissolved the partnership. William took the Tower Mill whilst Henry kept the mill in William St.

Family life

He married Jane Simpson in 1842 and they had 6 children. One of them was Emma Hodge, who married Joseph Robson. Emma became a very active member of the Primitive Methodist church. Henry’s family originally lived in East Parade on Holderness Rd between Williamson St and Field St. They also lived and worked at Blaydes House at 6 High St for a time.

In 1869 his daughter Emma died at the young age of 32. This devastated Henry. His wife, Jane had already died in 1867 aged 54 years. In 1871 Henry married his housekeeper, Emma Graves.

Henry’s business continued to expand. He erected the huge Alexandria Mill in High St, in 1884. He also purchased the adjoining Phoenix Mill. This was followed three years later by the Globe Mill on Church St, which was part of what is now Wincolmlee.

Pioneer

Henry was a pioneer in the seed crushing industry. Prior to 1861, the only seeds imported into Hull for oil and cake were linseed, rapeseed and nigerseed. Henry began to experiment with Egyptian cottonseed. He found that it made an ideal oil for use in the manufacture of soap, paint, culinary purposes and also for cattle feed. It soon became one of the major seed imports into the city.

He subsequently purchased Bell’s Mill near Morrill St, where he had previously worked.

The family lived at Ivy House adjacent to the mill until his death in 1889.

In addition to being a mill owner he was also a very active member of the Primitive Methodist Church in Hull. He was also a benefactor of many good causes, and subscribed to the erection of several churches. This included the Holderness Rd chapel near Bright Street, and the Henry Hodge Memorial Chapel in Williamson Street.

He was also a member of the East Hull Conservative Club and an alderman. His brother William was twice mayor of Hull.

Henry, his wives Jane & Emma, daughter Emma, son Edwin and son in law Joseph Robson are all buried in the ‘Prim Corner’ of The Hull General Cemetery. His brother William Hodge, and his family, also have a large monument in the cemetery.

Bill Longbone