Category: Facebook Archive

An archive of posts created for Facebook by ‘Friends of Hull General Cemetery’ stalwart Bill Longbone

Henry Hodge

by Bill Longbonein Facebook Archive, General, History1 Comment on Henry Hodge
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.
Henry Hodge
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.
Henry Hodge mill advert
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.
henry hodge advert for cattle feed

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.
Henry Hodge
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.
Henry Hodge tomb

Next month

by Pete Lowdenin Events, Facebook Archive, General, History, News, Volunteers, Wildlife1 Comment on Next month

Next month in the June newsletter, the second part of the Creation of Hull General Cemetery will be posted. I’m also hopeful of posting the first part of a work on one of the master stonemasons of the Company. I’d love to title it Stoned but Search Engine Optimisation would throw a fit. I’ll come up with something.

Helen will grace this newsletter with more of her stunningly beautiful photographs of the natural world that lives and thrives in the cemetery.

Also, we’re hoping to add more stuff to the website. One will be called Facebook Archive and it will feature the research of Bill Longbone and Karen Towner. Both post on Facebook such interesting stories around the people buried in the cemetery. Unfortunately, Facebook ‘loses’ them by, in effect, moving on. Well now, the stories will be found here too so no more searching.

Also next month in the June newsletter there will be another anniversary, and, of course, whatever news there is.

See you then.

William Gemmell

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History1 Comment on William Gemmell

Birth

William Gemmell was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland in 1848, but his parents moved to Hull soon after his birth.

He worked as a ship builder at Earles’ Shipyard and married Eleanor Brown in Holy Trinity Church in 1868. They had 3 children, and the family lived at 3 Wilberforce St.

Business

In 1882 William, and two of his workmates, Charles Keen Welton and James Cook, formed their own company, Cook, Welton & Gemmell. They had a yard on South Bridge Road on the Humber Bank. In 1901 the company moved to Grovehill in Beverley, on a site purchased from Cochrane, Hamilton & Cooper.

(Around this time the family moved to 507 Anlaby Rd, where they lived until William’s death. The house was the last in the block. It was later incorporated into Humber St Andrew’s Club and is now the William Gemmell pub. His wife died in 1906 aged 64.)

The company built hundreds of ships, specialising mainly in trawlers and employing over 600 people. As their shipyard was on the banks of the River Hull, they famously had to launch their ships sideways into the river. It was a common sight on the road to Beverley to see ships travelling down the River Hull, apparently in open fields!

Liquidation

The company went into liquidation in 1963. It was purchased by CD Holmes Ltd, and renamed Beverley Shipbuilding & Engineering. It then became Whitby Shipyard and then Phoenix Shipbuilding, before closing in 1976. The area is now an industrial estate.

Burial

William died at Withernsea in 1926 aged 79, and is buried with his wife in Hull General Cemetery. Sadly their gravestone no longer remains. Some of their grandchildren are also buried in a separate grave in Hull General Cemetery, but the headstone does not remain.

  • Launch of ‘Vera’ 1907, Beverley
  • William Gemmell public house

Thomas Holmes

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History

Another famous Hull personality, and relative of FoHGC Facebook member Dave Morecombe, who is buried in Hull General Cemetery. Thomas Holmes (1802-1870) was the son of Hull currier (tanner), John Holmes, who had established a tannery business in Church St (now part of Wincolmlee) in the early 19th century. By 1835 John Holmes & Sons were listed as having a tannery on Anlaby Road, near Tan Yard Lane (later becoming Campbell St). The family lived at Shalam House adjacent to the works, which dressed fine leather, whilst the Wincolmlee site specialised in manufacturing leather for shoe soles.

Holmes tannery Hull

The company also established another tannery at the bottom of Providence Row, occupying a large site midway between Brunswick Ave and Fountain Rd, on what became Holmes St. The tannery effectively split the street in two, causing the anomaly of there being a Holmes St on Fountain Rd, and one on Brunswick Ave!

Thomas married Elizabeth Barton of Doncaster on 8/7/1830 and they had 7 children, (4 sons and 3 daughters). The eldest son, John, became a minister of the church, one daughter, Mary, married the Rev Green and died in 1859, she is also buried in Hull General Cemetery.

Thomas died in 1870 and is buried in Hull General Cemetery along with his wife Elizabeth who died 3 years later. After his death, Thomas’ second son, Thomas Barton Holmes, along with his younger brother Samuel Henry, continued and developed the business into the 20th century, whilst the youngest son, Charles Denton Holmes, formed the ship repair business of CD Holmes.Ltd.

The family continued to live in Shalam House in Campbell Street until well into the 20th century, the house survived the war but was eventually demolished in the late 1940’s.

Many will remember the rancid smell of the tan yard down Air St and Wincolmlee but the business suffered, along with other tanneries in the country, through cheap imports and began to run down, and after a series of take overs and name changes it became Holmes Hall (Processors) Ltd in 2010.

With acknowledgements to Paul Gibson’s definitive book, ‘The Anlaby Road‘, a great source of information for anyone interested in local history.

Brown's Bookshop

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History

Most people in Hull are familiar with, and have an affection for, Brown’s Bookshop in George St, few will be aware that the graves of the founders family are located in Hull General Cemetery, although unfortunately their headstones no longer remain.

Anthony Brown was born in 1829 in Holme on Spalding Moor, where he married Mary Ann Raney in 1850 and had one son, John, who was born on 1 December 1850, the family moved to Hull, but sadly Mary Ann died on 19 August 1853 aged 25. Anthony later married Sarah Ann Sharp on 20 May 1858, and they had a daughter and a further 4 sons (3 of whom died whilst young). In 1860 Anthony established a booksellers and publishing business in Prospect St.

The eldest son, John, trained as a publisher in London, joining his father’s business in 1870, the same year that the Education Act (Forster Act) was introduced to provide free, compulsory and non-religious education for all children. Anthony immediately saw the opportunities, and rapidly expanded his business, opening a school outfitters. John became a partner in 1872 when the company became A Brown & Son. When the company opened larger premises at 26/27 Saville St in 1877, John’s brother, Walter, also joined the company, becoming A Brown & Son(s).

Anthony died of bronchitis at his home at 74 Peel St on 2 January 1880 aged 51, and was buried in Hull General Cemetery. His wife Sarah Ann died in Newcastle on 11 May 1919 aged 82, and is also buried in HGC.

After his death, the business continued to expand under the stewardship of John and his brothers, and in 1895 they expanded into 28 & 29 Savile St, and also opened printing works in West St. (Brown Brothers). John became the company’s first chairman in 1905, when they opened new printing works at 15 Dock St backing onto the rear of their George St premises.

John had married Annie Elizabeth Strapps on 16 March 1876, initially living at 38 Peel St, before moving to Hazeldene at 34 Pearson Park, where they had a daughter Lilian.

John became active in local politics, becoming a JP, Alderman, Sheriff and eventually Mayor of Hull in 1912/1913. The same year, the company created a new School Stationery manufacturing department at 19-21 Dock St, and in 1929 opened purpose built printing works and warehouse in Perth St West.

John died at his home in Hazeldene of a cerebral thrombosis on 19 January 1920, and was buried in the Strapps family grave in Hull General Cemetery. His wife Annie (incorrectly recorded as Amy), died of cancer on 18 August 1925, her cremated remains were buried in HGC. After Annie’s death, the house was left derelict for a number of years until it was purchased by local builder and entrepreneur, Robert Tarran in 1937.

Mr Tarran renovated the house at his own expense to accommodate a number Basque refugee children who had been evacuated from northern Spain after the the German attacks on Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.. The children remained in the house until after the war, when they were repatriated, although some remained in Hull. The house received a blue plaque in 2017 to commemorate its role in housing the Spanish children.

Hohenrein Butchers

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History

The story of the Hohenrein family of butchers and it’s tribulations during WW1 is well documented. Many of the family are buried in Hull General Cemetery, and are commemorated with an impressive marble monument. The family originated in Mosbach, Baden- Wũrttemburg, Nr Heidelburg, Germany, Georg Friedrich Hohenrein (1832-1902) emigrated to Hull in 1848, and established pork butchers shops in Waterworks St and Princes Ave.

This story relates to one of Georg’s gt grand children, Jean Bartel, who, although not buried in Hull General Cemetery, has direct links to it, and is another of the inspirational women associated with HGC.

Georg and his wife Katherina (Myer) had 6 children, 2 of which died in infancy. During WW1 the family suffered from anti-German sentiment, and Charles Henry (1883-1974) changed the family name to Ross.

Charles Henry’s brother, George William (always referred to as William) (1865-1933), married Julie Bierman, and had a son, William born 1897, and a daughter, Else, born in Hull 3/2/1898. Becoming increasingly concerned at the anti-German sentiment during WW1, he emigrated to Germany with his family. However, as British subjects, George William. and his teenage son, William were immediately interred in the Ruhleben Internment Camp, near Berlin until the end of the war.

After the war, his daughter Else, married Alfred Leonhardt Bartelmeh, and in 1922, the family moved to America. They had a daughter, Jean who was born in Los Angeles 26/10/1923. Jean shortened her name to Jean Bartel and became Miss America in 1943, becoming the first college student to be crowned Miss America. She worked on Broadway as an actress/singer, and later worked in films and TV. She once claimed that “I was never beautiful, but I had vitality and looked healthy”. She married William Hogue but had no children. She died 6/3/2011 aged 87.

Sadly, her brother William, who became a doctor, was killed in an allied bomb attack in Germany in WW2.

You can read more about the problems faced by the Hohenreins during WW1 on the excellent humberfirstworldwar website.

Richard Hunter Jeff

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History

Richard Hunter Jeff was born in 1856 the son of Hull wine & spirit merchant Richard Jeff (Geo. Jeff & Co), and Anne Hedley Hunter, both of whom died whilst he was still relatively young.

In 1880 he formed a Seed & Corn Merchant company at Baltic Buildings in High St with his friend George Johnston, which became very successful, and continued trading in Hull until quite recently. The company of Johnston & Jeff still trade in bird seed to this day.

He married his wife Florence (nee Allison) in 1884 and they had 3 children, he lived the majority of his life on Anlaby Road primarily at West Parade Tce near Landsdowne St, adjacent to the Western General Hospital, and later at 341 Anlaby Road adjacent to St Matthew’s Church at the top of Boulevard.

Both Richard Hunter Jeff and his partner, George Johnston, were active members of the Fish St Memorial Congregational Church on Princes Ave. Richard retired from the business in 1924, he died at 341 Anlaby Road in September 1936 aged 80, his business partner, George, had died 2 years earlier. His wife, Florence died in London in 1945 aged 86.

Richard’s and his wife’s ashes were placed in the family grave in Hull General Cemetery and are recorded on the headstone which still exists near the Thomas Holmes grave.

Grave Adoption

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History

Wendy Kirkross recently requested to adopt the Kirk grave No 469 in MI Book 1. I have now allocated it to her, the Kirk family were a large family of shoe makers and printers in the Derringham St area. Here is the information that I have on the family:

Joseph Kirk was a shoemaker born in North Wheatley, Nottingham in1792, he married Jane Crowage (1800-1885) in Blidworth, Nottingham on 1 Jan 1821.

They had 2 children, Joseph William, (known as William), b 1821 and Thomas b1839, moving to Hull around 1838, and living in Providence Row, Beverley Rd.

Joseph William was a printer and married Cecilia Brewis at the Salem Chapel, Cogan St on 14 Aug1841, they had at least 11 children. He started a printing business at premises on Holderness Rd, nr Williamson St, and in the 1851 census the family are recorded as living at 10 Holderness Rd. By the time of the 1861 census the business had moved to Victoria St off Derringham St, and was employing 3 men and 8 boys. His sons William Bruce and George Sanderson followed their father’s footsteps and joined the printing business. William was married to Sarah Ann Johnson, and lived at 25 Crystal St, George married Anna Maria Wreghitt and lived at 46 Derringham St.

Their mother Jane, died of decay of nature at Providence Row in 1865 aged 64, their father, Joseph, also died of decay at Derringham St 1867 aged 75, both are buried in the family grave.

George and Anna lost 3 of their children in childhood, Stanley George died on 4th Jan 1873 aged 6 days, Florence Mary died on 13 July 1875 aged 15 months, and Cecilia died of meningitis on 7 Nov 1877. All of the children are buried in the family grave, along with another child, Alice, who was the daughter of Thomas Kirk, decorator, and the grand daughter of George & Anna, she died on Boxing Day1886 at 11 Colonial St aged 6 years 6 months.

The Fallen Obelisk

by Adminin Facebook Archive, History

This once impressive granite monument with a fallen obelisk is the grave of Charles Gibson and his wife Ann. They were, like most people buried in Hull General, just every day working class people who led unremarkable lives.

Charles was born on 9 November 1810 at Bassingthorpe in Lincolnshire, he married Ann Newstead, (b 23/3/1809) the daughter of labourer John Newstead and his wife Anne, at St Wulfran’s Church, Grantham on 17 Feb 1834.

The couple moved to Hull and Charles was recorded as a ‘fishman’, living at Duncan’s Place, Manor St in the 1841 census. The couple had no children, and in 1851 they were living at 6 St James’ Place. By 1861 he had a business as a fishmonger, and had moved to the more up market address of 30 Coltman St, where they remained for the rest of their lives. He is recorded in the 1861 Post Office Directory as trading as a fishmonger (oysters) from 5-6 The Shambles in Market Place. The Jones’s Mercantile Directory of 1863/4 gives his business as 6-7 The Shambles.

His wife Ann died of heart disease at their home in Coltman St on 12 June 1870 aged 61. Charles remarried in 1873 to Mary Ann Harvey, and is living with her at 30 Coltman St in the 1881 census.

Charles died of natural decay on 17 Aug 1884 aged 73.

Interestingly, 30 Coltman St, shown on the right of the attached photo, was purchased by John Henry Fenner, the founder of JH Fenner Ltd of ‘V’ belt fame.

The monument needs the obelisk re-erecting, but is otherwise in good condition, although a little clearing is required around the grave.