Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull,usually shortened toHull,is aport cityandunitary authority areain theEast Riding of Yorkshire,England.It lies upon theRiver Hullat itsconfluencewith theHumberEstuary, 25 miles (40 km) inland from theNorth Seaand 37 miles (60 km) south-east ofYork,the historiccounty town.With a population of 268,852 (2022), it is the fourth-largest city in theYorkshire and the Humberregion afterLeeds,SheffieldandBradford.Hull has more than 800 years of seafaring history and is known as Yorkshire's maritime city.

Kingston upon Hull Hull
Cityandunitary authority area
City of Kingston upon Hull
The city's views and landmarks:the City Hall,Wilberforce Monument,Hull Marina,Queen's Gardens,The Deep (aquarium)andThe Minster
Coat of arms
Shown within theEast Riding of Yorkshire
Kingston upon Hull Location within England Kingston upon Hull Location within the United Kingdom Kingston upon Hull Location in Europe
Coordinates:53°44′40″N00°19′57″W
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	England
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Ceremonial county	East Riding of Yorkshire
Founded	12th century
City status	1897
Administrative headquarters	Guildhall
Government
• Type	Unitary authority
• Body	Hull City Council
•Leadership	Leader and cabinet
•Council control	Liberal Democrat
•Members of Parliament	Emma Hardy(L) Diana Johnson(L) Karl Turner(L)
Area
• Land	27.59 sq mi (71.5 km2)
Population (2022)
• City	268,852 (Ranked 63rd)
• Rank	(Ranked 63rd)
• Density	9,410/sq mi (3,633/km2)
•Urban	314,018
•Metro	573,300 (LUZ)
• Ethnicity (2011 Census)	89.7% White British 4.1% White Other 2.3% East Asian 1.3% Mixed 1.1% South Asian 1.2% Black 0.3% White Irish
Demonym	Hullensian
Time zone	UTC+0(Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1(British Summer Time)
Postcode Area	HU
Dialling codes	01482
ISO 3166-2	GB-KHL
ONS code	00FA (ONS) E06000010 (GSS)
NUTS3	UKE11
Police	Humberside
Ambulance	Yorkshire
Fire	Humberside
Website	hull.gov.uk

The town of Wyke on Hull was founded late in the 12th century by the monks ofMeaux Abbeyas a port from which to export their wool. RenamedKings-town upon Hullin 1299, Hull had been amarket town,military supply port,trading centre,fishing and whaling centre and industrial metropolis. Hull was an early theatre of battle in theEnglish Civil Wars.Its 18th-century Member of Parliament,William Wilberforce,took a prominent part in the abolition of theslave tradein Britain.

More than 95% of the city was damaged or destroyed in theblitzand suffered a period of post-industrial decline (social deprivation, education and policing).The destroyed areas of the city were rebuilt in the post–Second World War period.In the early 21st century spending boom before thelate 2000s recessionthe city saw large amounts of new retail, commercial, housing and public service construction spending.

The city offers a variety of museums, art galleries, stunning architecture, and a thriving arts scene.Due to Hull's growing appeal as an outdoor film location, particularly for period dramas using the Old Town's historic streets and buildings, plans for a purpose-built film studio complex have been approved by Hull City Council. The £3m complex could open by the end of 2025.The city has earned the nickname "Hullywood" in recent years, after productions includingThe Crown,Enola Holmes 2,The Personal History of David Copperfield,VictoriaandBlitzhave been filmed in the city.A senior council official has said that interest from the film industry was almost non-stop at the moment.

In 2017, it was theUK City of Cultureand hosted theTurner Prizeat the city'sFerens Art Gallery.Other notable landmarks in the city arethe Minster,the tidal surge barrier,the Paragon InterchangeandThe DeepHull's award-winning aquarium. Areas of the town centre include theold town(including its museum quarter) and themarina.Hull Universitywas founded in 1927 and had over 16,000 students in 2022.Rugby league football teams include clubsHull F.C.andHull Kingston Rovers.The city's association football club isHull City(EFL Championship).Hull RUFCandHull Ioniansboth play in theNational League 2 Northof rugby union.

The city came 2nd in theTime Outlist of the 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2024, with the guide commenting that the city has got "The Deep, an enormous aquarium with 3,000 species, a picturesque old town which survived the city's relentless WWII bombings, and lots of up and coming indie art galleries like Ground and Artlink. Don't sleep on Hull".In 2016, it was named as one of the top 10 cities in the world to visit byRough Guidesalongside cities such as Seoul, Vancouver, Amsterdam and Reykjavik.In 2017, the city was featured inThe Sunday TimesBest Places to Live Guide and in 2024 was named as one of the UK's most "up and coming" places to move to.

History

See also:Timeline of Hull,Fortifications of Kingston upon Hull,andList of Governors of Kingston-upon-Hull

Wyke and wool trade

Kingston upon Hull stands on the north bank of theHumber Estuaryat the mouth of its tributary, theRiver Hull.The valley of the River Hull has been inhabited since the earlyNeolithicperiod but there is little evidence of a substantial settlement in the area of the present city.The area was attractive to people because it gave access to a prosperoushinterlandand navigable rivers but the site was poor, being remote, low-lying and with no fresh water. It was originally an outlying part of the hamlet of Myton, named Wyke. The name is thought to originate either from a Scandinavian wordVikmeaning inlet or from the SaxonWicmeaning dwelling place or refuge.

The urban growth of Hull between the 13th and 14th centuries

The River Hull was a good haven for shipping, whose trade included the export of wool fromMeaux Abbey,which owned Myton. In 1293, the town of Wyke was acquired from the abbey by King Edward I, who, on 1 April 1299, granted it aroyal charterthat renamed the settlementKing's town upon Hullor Kingston upon Hull. The charter is preserved in the archives of theGuildhall.When first created, the borough straddled theancient parishesofHessleandNorth Ferriby,but was remote from either parish church. Achapel of easededicated to Holy Trinity was built to serve the part of the borough in Hessle parish; that church subsequently becameHull Minster.St Mary's Churchsimilarly began as a chapel of ease for the part of the borough in North Ferriby parish.

In 1440, a further charterincorporatedthe town and instituted local government consisting of a mayor, a sheriff and twelvealdermen.

In hisGuide to Hull (1817),J. C. Craggs provides a colourful background to Edward's acquisition and naming of the town. He writes that the King and a hunting party started a hare which "led them along the delightful banks of the River Hull to the hamlet of Wyke... [Edward], charmed with the scene before him, viewed with delight the advantageous situation of this hitherto neglected and obscure corner. He foresaw it might become subservient both to render the kingdom more secure against foreign invasion, and at the same time greatly to enforce its commerce". Pursuant to these thoughts, Craggs continues, Edward purchased the land from the Abbot of Meaux, had a manor hall built for himself, issued proclamations encouraging development within the town, and bestowed upon it the royal appellation,King's Town.

Prospering port

The port served as a base for Edward I during theFirst War of Scottish Independenceand later developed into the foremost port on the east coast of England. It prospered by exporting wool and woollen cloth, and importing wine and timber. Hull also established a flourishing commerce with theBalticports of theHanseatic League.

From its medieval beginnings, Hull's main trading links were with Scotland and northern Europe. Scandinavia, the Baltic and the Low Countries were all key trading areas for Hull's merchants. In addition, there was trade with France, Spain and Portugal.

SirWilliam de la Polewas the town's first mayor.A prosperous merchant, de la Pole founded a family that became prominent in government.Another successful son of a Hull trading family was bishopJohn Alcock,who foundedJesus College, Cambridgeand was a patron of the grammar school in Hull.The increase in trade after the discovery of the Americas and the town's maritime connections are thought to have played a part in the introduction of a virulent strain ofsyphilisthrough Hull and on into Europe from theNew World.

Hull in 1866

The town prospered during the 16th and early 17th centuries,and Hull's affluence at this time is preserved in the form of several well-maintained buildings from the period, includingWilberforce House,now a museum documenting the life ofWilliam Wilberforce.

During theEnglish Civil War,Hull became strategically important because of the largearsenallocated there. Very early in the war, on 11 January 1642, the king named theEarl of Newcastlegovernor of Hull while Parliament nominated SirJohn Hothamand asked his son, Captain John Hotham, to secure the town at once.Sir John Hotham and Hull corporation declared support forParliamentand deniedCharles Ientry into the town.Charles I responded to these events bybesieging the town.This siege helped precipitate open conflict between the forces of Parliament and those of theRoyalists.

Parliament Street,aGeorgianthoroughfare in the city centre, withWhitefriargatein the distance

After the Civil War, docks were built along the route of thetown walls,which were demolished. The first dock (1778, renamedQueen's Dockin 1854) was built in the area occupied by Beverley and North gates, and the intermediate walls, which were demolished, a second dock (Humber Dock,1809) was built on the land between Hessle and Myton gates, and a third dock between the two was opened 1829 asJunction Dock(laterPrince's Dock).

Whalingplayed a major role in the town's fortunes until the mid-19th century.As sail power gave way to steam, Hull's trading links extended throughout the world. Docks were opened to serve the frozen meat trade of Australia, New Zealand and South America. Hull was also the centre of a thriving inland and coastal trading network, serving the whole of the United Kingdom.

City status

Throughout the second half of the 19th century and leading up to the First World War, thePort of Hullplayed a major role in the emigration of Northern European settlers to the New World, with thousands of emigrants sailing to Hull and stopping for administrative purposes before travelling on to Liverpool and then North America.

Parallel to this growth in passenger shipping was the emergence of theWilson Line of Hull(which had been founded in 1825 byThomas Wilson). By the early 20th century, the company had grown – largely through its monopolisation of North Sea passenger routes and later mergers and acquisitions – to be the largest privately owned shipping company in the world, with over 100 ships sailing to different parts of the globe. The Wilson Line was sold to theEllerman Lines– which itself was owned by Hull-born magnate (and the richest man in Britain at the time) SirJohn Ellerman.

Hull's prosperity peaked in the decades just before theFirst World War;it was during this time, in 1897, thatcity statuswas granted.Many of the suburban areas on the western side of Hull were built in the 1930s, particularly Willerby Road and Anlaby Park, as well as most ofWillerbyitself.

Bombed and battered

Main article:Hull Blitz

The city's port and industrial facilities, coupled with its proximity tomainland Europeand ease of location being on a major estuary, led to extremely widespread damage by bombing raids during theSecond World War;much of the city centre was destroyed.Hull had 95% of its houses damaged or destroyed, making it the most severely bombed British city or town in terms of number of damaged or destroyed buildings, apart from London, during the Second World War.More than 1,200 people died in air raids on the city and some 3,000 others were injured.

The worst of the bombing occurred in 1941. Little was known about this destruction by the rest of the country at the time, since most of the radio and newspaper reports did not reveal Hull by name but referred to it as "a North-East town" or "a northern coastal town".Most of the city centre was rebuilt in the years following the war. As recently as 2006 researchers found documents in the local archives that suggested a non-exploded wartime bomb might be buried beneath a major new redevelopment, the Boom, in Hull.

After the decline of the whaling industry post the Second World War, emphasis shifted to deep-seatrawlinguntil theAnglo-Icelandic Cod Warof 1975–1976. The conditions set at the end of this dispute started Hull's economic decline.

City of Culture

Main article:UK City of Culture

Hull City Hall during the opening event for Hull City of Culture 2017 event

In 2017 Hull was awarded the title of 'City of Culture'by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Within the city there was a series of festivals in public spaces to promote the city and its newly given title. At the start of the year there was a huge firework display attracting a crowd of 25,000.

Governance

See also:Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority

Municipal

Main article:Hull City Council

County		Borough/ district				Notes
Name	Type	Type	Dependent on county	From	Until
Yorkshire	Ancient	Borough	Y	1299	1440	Town status from 1299
	County-at-large	County Corporate	N	1440	1835
	Historic	Municipal borough	Y	1835	1889
East Riding of Yorkshire	Geographic	County borough	N	1889	1974	City status from 1897
Humberside	Non-metropolitan	Shire district	Y	1974	1996
East Riding of Yorkshire	Ceremonial	Unitary authority	N	1996	Current

TheGuildhall

Following theLocal Government Act 1888,Hull became acounty borough,a local government district independent of the East Riding of Yorkshire. This district was dissolved under theLocal Government Act 1972,on 1 April 1974 when it became anon-metropolitan districtof the newly createdshire countyof Humberside. Humberside (and itscounty council) was abolished on 1 April 1996 and Hull was made aunitary authority area.

The single-tier local authority of the city is nowHull City Council(officially Kingston upon Hull City Council), headquartered in theGuildhallin the city centre.The council was designated as the UK's worst performing authority in both 2004 and 2005, but in 2006 was rated as a two star 'improving adequate' council and in 2007 it retained its two stars with an 'improving well' status.In the 2008 corporate performance assessment the city retained its "improving well" status but was upgraded to a three star rating.

TheLiberal Democratswon overall control of the City Council in the2007 local elections,ending several years in which no single party had a majority.They retained control in the2008 local electionsby an increased majorityand in the2010 local elections.Following the UK'slocal elections of 2011,theLabour Partygained control of the council,increasing their majority in the2012and retained this following the2014 local elections.They increased their majority by one in the2015 local elections,but lost it in the 2016 local elections.In the2018 local electionsall of the council was up for election following boundary changes that reduced the number of seats by 2.Labour retained control of the council but with a much reduced majority, while in the2019 local electionsthere was no change to the make-up of the council.In the2021 local electionstheLiberal Democratsgained a couple of seats but Labour retained control by just three seats.On 3 March 2022, Labour councillor Julia Conner defected to the Liberal Democrats, reducing the Labour majority to one.TheLiberal Democratswon overall control of the City Council in the2022 local electionsto end ten years of Labour rule,increasing their majority in the2023 local elections.

Parliament

Panorama of Hull from further along the north bank of theHumbernearPaull,with theYorkshire Woldsrising behind the city

Hull constituencies' general election results, 1918–2019.

The city returned three members of parliament to theHouse of Commonsand at the last general election, in2019,elected three Labour MPs:Emma Hardy,Diana JohnsonandKarl Turner.

William Wilberforceis the most celebrated of Hull's former MPs. He was a native of the city and the member forHullfrom 1780 to 1784 when he was elected as an Independent member forYorkshire.

Geography

See also:List of areas in Kingston upon Hull

Place	Distance	Direction	Relation
London	155 miles (249 km)	South	Capital city
Lincoln	37 miles (60 km)	South	Nearby city
Doncaster	36 miles (58 km)	South-west	Nearby city
York	34 miles (55 km)	North-west	Historiccounty town
Beverley	8 miles (13 km)	North	County town
Brough	12 miles (19 km)	West	Town

TheRiver Hulltidal barrierand the Millennium Bridge

Kingston upon Hull is on the northern bank of theHumber Estuary.The city centre is west of the River Hull and close to the Humber.The city is built uponalluvialand glacial deposits which overlie chalk rocks but the underlying chalk has no influence on the topography. The land within the city is generally very flat and is only 2 to 4 metres (6.5 to 13 ft)above sea level.Because of the relative flatness of the site there are few physical constraints upon building and many open areas are the subject of pressures to build.

The parishes ofDrypool,Marfleet,Sculcoates,and most of Sutton parish, were absorbed within the borough of Hull in the 19th and 20th centuries. Much of their area has been built over, and socially and economically they have long been inseparable from the city. Only Sutton retained a recognisable village centre in the late 20th century, but on the south and east the advancing suburbs had already reached it. The four villages were, nevertheless, distinct communities, of a largely rural character, until their absorption in the borough—Drypool and Sculcoates in 1837, Marfleet in 1882, and Sutton in 1929.The current boundaries of the city are tightly drawn and exclude many of themetropolitan area's nearby villages, of whichCottinghamis the largest.The city is surrounded by the rural East Riding of Yorkshire.

The expansion of Kingston upon Hull

Some areas of Hull lie on reclaimed land at or below sea level. The Hull Tidal Surge Barrier is at the point where the River Hull joins the Humber Estuary and is lowered at times when unusually high tides are expected. It is used between 8 and 12 times per year and protects the homes of approximately 10,000 people from flooding.Due to its low level, Hull is expected to be at increasing levels of risk from flooding due to global warming.

Historically, Hull has been affected by tidal and storm flooding from the Humber;the last serious floods were in the 1950s, in 1953, 1954 and the winter of 1959.

Many areas of Hull were flooded during theJune 2007 United Kingdom floods,with 8,600 homes and 1,300 businesses affected.

Further flooding occurred in 2013, resulting in a new flood defence scheme to protect homes and businesses, stretching 4 miles (6.4 km) fromSt Andrews Quay Retail ParktoVictoria Dock,linking to other defences atPaullandHessle.Started in 2016, it was completed in early 2021.The scheme was officially opened on 3 March 2022, byRebecca Pow.

At around 00:56 GMT on 27 February 2008, Hull was 30 miles (48 km) north of theepicentreof anearthquakemeasuring 5.3 on theRichter Scalewhich lasted for nearly 10 seconds. This was an unusually large earthquake for this part of the world.Another notable quake occurred early in the morning of 10 June 2018.

Climate

Located inNorthern England,Hull has a temperate maritime climate which is dominated by the passage of mid-latitude depressions. The weather is very changeable from day to day and the warming influence of theGulf Streammakes the region mild for its latitude. Locally, the area is sunnier than most areas this far north in the British Isles, and also considerably drier, due to the rain shadowing effect of the Pennines. It is somewhat warmer than west coast areas at a similar latitude such asLiverpoolin summer due to stronger shielding from maritime air but also colder in winter and North Sea breezes keep the city cooler than inland areas during summer. It is also one of the most northerly areas where the July average maximum temperature exceeds 21.5 °C (70.7 °F), although this appears to be very localised around the city. Flooding in June 2007 caused significant damage to areas of the city. Droughts and heatwaves also occur such as in 2003, 2006 and recently in 2018.

The absolute maximum temperature recorded is 36.9 °C (98.4 °F),set in July 2022. Typically, the warmest day should reach 28.8 °C (83.8 °F),though slightly over 10 daysshould achieve a temperature of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or more in an "average" year. All averages refer to the 1991–2020 period.

The absolute minimum temperature is −11.1 °C (12.0 °F),recorded during January 1982. Winters are generally mild for the latitude with snow only occurring a couple of times a year on average and mostly only staying for a day or two before melting. It is frequently cloudy and the North Sea winds make it feel colder than it actually is. An average of 32.5 nights should report an air frost. Heavy snowfalls do occasionally occur such as in 2010.

On 23 November 1981, during the record-breakingnationwide tornado outbreak,Hull was struck by two tornadoes which passed through, and caused damage to residential buildings across the north-eastern suburbs of Hull and uprooted trees.

Climate data for Kingston upon Hull: Average maximum and minimum temperatures, and average rainfall recorded between 1991 and 2020 by theMet Office.
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	7.7 (45.9)	8.5 (47.3)	10.8 (51.4)	13.6 (56.5)	16.6 (61.9)	19.5 (67.1)	22.0 (71.6)	21.8 (71.2)	18.9 (66.0)	14.7 (58.5)	10.6 (51.1)	7.9 (46.2)	14.4 (57.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	2.1 (35.8)	2.2 (36.0)	3.4 (38.1)	5.1 (41.2)	7.7 (45.9)	10.5 (50.9)	12.7 (54.9)	12.5 (54.5)	10.5 (50.9)	7.8 (46.0)	4.6 (40.3)	2.4 (36.3)	6.85 (44.33)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	54.3 (2.14)	47.6 (1.87)	43.3 (1.70)	47.5 (1.87)	48.3 (1.90)	69.7 (2.74)	61.3 (2.41)	64.6 (2.54)	61.3 (2.41)	66.4 (2.61)	68.2 (2.69)	60.4 (2.38)	693.4 (27.30)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm)	11.7	10.4	9.8	9.5	9.3	9.8	9.7	10.1	9.1	11.2	12.6	11.7	124.8
Mean monthlysunshine hours	55.4	79.0	117.6	159.1	200.1	189.3	197.0	183.2	147.3	109.2	65.7	55.3	1,558.7
Source: Met Office

Demography

Population pyramid of Kingston upon Hull (unitary authority) in 2021

Population growthin Kingston upon Hull since 1801
Year	Population
1801	21,280
1811	28,040
1821	33,393
1831	40,902
1841	57,342
1851	57,484
1861	93,955
1871	130,426
1881	166,896
1891	199,134
1901	236,722
1911	281,525
1921	295,017
1931	309,158
1941	302,074[a]
1951	295,172
1961	289,716
1971	284,365
1981	266,751
1991	254,117
2001	243,595[c][d]
2011	256,406
2021	267,014
Source:Vision of Britain Through Time,Hull Daily Mailand ONS

According to the2001 UK census,Hull had a population of 243,589 living in 104,288 households. The population density was 34.1 per hectare.Of the total number of homes 47.85% were rented compared with a national figure of 31.38% rented.The population had declined by 7.5% since the 1991 UK census,and has been officially estimated as 256,200 in July 2006.

In 2001, approximately 53,000 people were aged under 16, 174,000 were aged 16–74, and 17,000 aged 75 and over.Of the total population 97.7% were white and the largest minority ethnic group was of 749 people who considered themselves to be ethnically Chinese. There were 3% of people living in Hull who were born outside the United Kingdom.In 2006, the largest minority ethnic grouping wasIraqi Kurdswho were estimated at 3,000. Most of these people were placed in the city by the Home Office while their applications for asylum were being processed.In 2001, the city was 71.7% Christian. A further 18% of the population indicated they were of no religion while 8.4% did not specify any religious affiliation.

Historically, minorities of many faiths and nationalities have lived around the docks, Old Town and City Centre, coming in from European ports like Hamburg, aided by continental railways and steam-ships from the mid-1800s.Over 2 million passed through Hull between 1850 and 1914, on the way to a new life in America and elsewhere, but some planned or decided to stay. Dutch,Jews,Germans, Scandinavians and others were sometimes prominently involved in the life of the port city. They found opportunity but endured discrimination at times, such that these communities have now largely dispersed.

Also in 2001, the city had a high proportion, at 6.2%, of people of working age who were unemployed, ranking 354th out of 376 local and unitary authorities withinEngland and Wales.The distance travelled to work was less than 3 miles (4.8 km) for 64,578 out of 95,957 employed people. A further 18,031 travelled between 3.1 and 6.2 miles (5 and 10 km) to their place of employment. The number of people using public transport to get to work was 12,915 while the number travelling by car was 53,443.

Men in the University ward had the fourth lowest life expectancy at birth, 69.4 years, of any ward in England and Wales in 2016.

Ethnicity

Ethnic Group	Year
	1991		2001		2011		2021
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
White:Total	250,934	98.7%	237,939	97.7%	241,321	94.1%	244,989	91.8%
White:British	–	–	234,716	96.4%	229,920	89.7%	223,962	83.9%
White:Irish	–	–	761		550		455	0.2%
White:Gypsy or Irish Traveller	–	–	–	–	284		451	0.2%
White: Roma							286	0.1%
White:Other	–	–	2,462		10,567		19,835	7.4%
Asian or Asian British:Total	1,644	0.6%	2,656	1.1%	6,471	2.5%	7,515	2.9%
Asian or Asian British:Indian	318		613		1,086		1,259	0.5%
Asian or Asian British:Pakistani	237		509		882		1,292	0.5%
Asian or Asian British:Bangladeshi	235		387		755		1,279	0.5%
Asian or Asian British:Chinese	537		749		2,124		1,234	0.5%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian	317		398		1,624		2,451	0.9%
Black or Black British:Total	862	0.3%	872	0.4%	2,996	1.2%	5,065	1.9%
Black or Black British:African	356		640		2,472		4,292	1.6%
Black or Black British:Caribbean	137		155		236		232	0.1%
Black or Black British:Other Black	369		77		288		541	0.2%
Mixed or British Mixed:Total	–	–	1,619	0.7%	3,454	1.3%	4,513	1.7%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean	–	–	340		871		948	0.4%
Mixed: White and Black African	–	–	338		821		1,144	0.4%
Mixed: White and Asian	–	–	453		945		1,172	0.4%
Mixed: Other Mixed	–	–	488		817		1,249	0.5%
Other: Total	677	0.3%	503	0.2%	2,164	0.8%	4,931	1.8%
Other: Arab	–	–	–	–	1,134		1,443	0.5%
Other: Any other ethnic group	677	0.3%	503	0.2%	1,030		3,488	1.3%
Total	254,117	100%	243,589	100%	256,406	100%	267,013	100%

Industry

The traditional industries of Hull are seafaring (whaling and later seafishing) and laterheavy industrywhich both have since declined in the city. CompaniesBPandReckitt Benckiser,have facilities in Hull.The city is part of theHumber Enterprise Zone.

Port

The Isis Oil Mill Complex, now owned byCargill

Although the fishing industry, includingoilseedproduction, declined in the 1970s due to theCod Wars,the city remains a busy port, handling 13 million tonnes of cargo per year.The port operations run byAssociated British Portsand other companies in the port employ 5,000 people. A further 18,000 are employed as a direct result of the port's activities.The port freight railway line, theHull Docks Branch,operates 22 trains per day.

Energy

In January 2011Siemens Wind PowerandAssociated British Portssigned a memorandum of understanding concerning the construction of awind turbine blademanufacturing plant at Alexander Dock. The plan would require some modification of the dock to allow the ships, used for transporting the wind turbine blades, to dock and be loaded.Planning applications for the plant were submitted in December 2011,and affirmed in 2014, concerning 75-metre (246 ft)bladesfor the 6 MWoffshoremodel. A 12.5-acre (5.1 ha) sitewaste-to-energycentre costing in the region of £150 million is also planned to be built by the Spencer Group. Announced in mid-2011, and named 'Energy Works',the proposed plant would process up to 200,000 tonnes of organic material per year, with energy produced via a waste gasification process.Commissioning of the plant was undertaken in 2019 with full operation expected to be late 2019.

Other

Hull Marina

Hull Marinawas developed on land formerly occupied by the railway docks in the centre of the city. It was repurposed and opened in 1983, it has 270 berths for yachts and small sailing craft.

In July 2014, the former Fruit Market was demolished with a technology hubC4DI (Centre for Digital Innovation)built in December 2015.

The city has chemical and health care sectors,Smith & Nephew's founderThomas James Smithbeing from the city. The health care sector has research facilities provided by theUniversity of Hullthrough the Institute of Woundcare and theHull York Medical Schoolpartnerships.

Port of Hull Ferry Terminal

Ferry services started after the decline in fishing by the introduction ofRoll-on Roll-off ferryservices to the continent of Europe. These ferries handle over a million passengers each year.

Commerce

Trade

Merchant's houses such asBlaydes Houseand some warehouses survive in the Old Town, where trade was centred on the River Hull, later shifting to the Humber docks.

One Humber Quays

Humber Quays incorporates the World Trade Centre Hull & Humber and offices for The Spencer Group, RBS, and Jonathan Oliver Lee. The quays was a late 2000s development costing £165 millionwith office buildings, housing, a 200-bedroom hotel and a restaurant.

Retail

In March 2017, the Old Town area was designated as one of 10 Heritage Action Zones byHistoric Englandwith the benefit that the area would get a share of £6 million. Retailers such asHeron Foods,andJacksonsbegan their operations in Hull.The former electrical retailerComet Groupwas founded in the city asComet Battery Stores Limitedin 1933; the company's first superstore was opened in Hull in 1968.

King Edward Street

Hull has many shopping streets, both inside and outside the city centre. The main non-city-centre shopping streets are Hessle Road, Holderness Road, Chanterlands Avenue,Beverley Road,Princes Avenue,and Newland Avenue.

Trinity Market Hall

Additionally, two covered shopping arcades, Paragon and Hepworth. The latter was modernised and renovated in the late 2000s.The city also has the Trinity Market Hall, a grade IIlisted buildingEdwardian era indoor hall with 50 stalls, it was last renovated in 2016.

The city centre has three shopping centres,St Stephen's,Princes Quay,and the Prospect Centre. TheProspect Centreon Prospect Street is the smaller and older shopping centre which benefits from large footfall; having chain stores, banks, fashion retailers and the city's main post office.

Prince's QuayShopping Centre built over Prince's Dock

Princes QuayShopping Centrewas built in 1991 on stilts over the closedPrince's Dock.It has a mixture chain stores and food outlets. It was built with four retail floors, known as "decks", with the uppermost deck converted to a cinema from December 2007.

St Stephens Shopping Centre, Hull

TheSt Stephen'sshopping centre development on Ferensway adjacent toHull Paragon Interchangeis a 560,000-square-foot (52,000 m²) scheme, that opened in 2007. It is anchored by asuperstoreand provides many shop units, food outlets, a hotel, and a 7-screen cinema. Since its opening, shopping patterns within the city centre have shifted to the centre from around Princes Quay.

TheNorth Point Shopping Centre(also known by as Bransholme Shopping Centre which is the area of the city it's in) contains a similar range of popular chain and budget retailers includingBoyesand Heron Foods. There are also other outer centres for shopping and retail parks, includingSt Andrews Quay retail parkon the Humber bank andKingswood retail park(Kingswood).

Nightlife, bars and pubs

Spiders Nightclub, first opened in 1979

The George Hotel in the city centre

The main drinking area in the city centre is the Old Town. One pub has Hull's smallest window (The George Hotel).

Spiders, which opened in 1979, is analternative rocknightclub on Cleveland Street, situated in a building that was once The Hope and Anchor pub.

'ATIK' nightclub(formerly The Sugarmill) is situated adjacent toPrinces Quayshopping centre and the historic Princes Dock which dated back to 1829.

Culture

Museums Quarter corner of garden

Hull has several museums of national importance. The city has a theatrical tradition with some famous actors and writers having been born and lived in Hull. The city's arts and heritage have played a role in attracting visitors and encouraging tourism in recent efforts at regeneration.Hull has a diverse range of architecture and this is complemented by parks and squares and a number of statues and modern sculptures. The city has inspired authorVal Woodwho has set many of her best-selling novels in the city.The Wilberforce Lecture and award of the Wilberforce Medallion, which has taken place annually since 1995, celebrates the historic role of Hull andWilliam Wilberforcein combating the abuse of human rights.

In April 2013 Hull put forward a bid to be theUK City of Culturein 2017,reaching the shortlist of four in June 2013 along withDundee,LeicesterandSwansea Bay.On 20 November 2013,Maria Miller,theCulture Secretary,announced that Hull had won the award to become theUK City of Culture 2017.

Monopolyhave released a version focusing on Hull, with attractions such as the Deep and St Stephens included.

Museums

Wilberforce House, home of the museum dedicated to William Wilberforce.

The Museums Quarter is a development on theHigh Streetin the heart of the Old Town. It combines four museums around a leisure garden. The work cost £5.1 million and was carried out from 1998 to 2003, being formally opened by theDuke of Gloucester.

The Museums areWilberforce House,the birthplace ofWilliam Wilberforce(1759–1833), theBritish politician,abolitionistandsocial reformer;theArctic Corsair,adeep-sea trawlerthat was converted to a museum ship in 1999, on the adjacentRiver Hull;theHull and East Riding Museum,showing the archaeology and history of the region; and theStreetlife Museum of Transport,which includes a sizeable collection of vintage cars, preserved public transport vehicles and horse-drawn carriages.

Other museums include theHull Maritime Museumin Victoria Square, theSpurn Lightship,andThe Deep,apublic aquarium.

Art and galleries

Ferens Art Gallery

The civic art gallery is theFerens Art Galleryon Queen Victoria Square, a Grade II listed building.It is named afterThomas Ferenswho provided the funds for it.Other galleries include the three-storeyHumber Street Gallery,in the former Fruit Market building which was opened in 2017 as part of Hull City of Culture.There are other smaller exhibition spaces.

Creations

Marine painterJohn Ward(1798–1849) was born, worked and died in Hull and a leading ship artist of his day. Artist and Royal AcademicianDavid Remfry(born 1942) grew up in Hull and studied at the Hull College of Art (now part of Lincoln University) from 1959 to 1964. His tutor, Gerald T Harding, trained at the Royal College of Art, London and was awarded the Abbey Minor Travelling Scholarship in 1957 by the British School in Rome.Remfry has had two solo exhibitions at the Ferens Art Gallery in 1975 and 2005.

King Billy Statue

Hull has a number of historical statues such as the Wilberforce Memorial inQueen's Gardensand the gilded King William III statue on Market Place (known locally as "King Billy" ). There is a statue of Hull-bornAmy Johnsonin Prospect Streetand Hull's Paragon Interchange has a statue ofPhilip Larkin,the latter unveiled on 2 December 2010.

In 2010 a public art event in Hull city centre entitledLarkin with Toadsdisplayed 40 individually decorated giant toad models as the centrepiece of theLarkin 25festival. Most of these sculptures have since been sold off for charity and transported to their new owners.

In recent years a number of modern art sculptures and heritage trails have been installed around Hull. These include a figure looking out to theHumbercalled 'Voyage' which has a twin in Iceland. In July 2011, this artwork was reported stolen.There is a shark sculpture outsideThe Deepand a fountain and installation called 'Tower of Light' outside Britannia House on the corner of Spring Bank.

Part of the Seven Seas Fish Trail, on Lowgate

The Seven Seas Fish Trail marks Hull's fishing heritage, leading its followers through old and new sections of the city, following a wide variety of sealife engraved in the pavement.Running along Spring Bank there is also an elephant trail, with stone pavers carved by a local artist to the designs of members of the community. This trail commemorates the Victorian Zoological Gardens and the route taken daily by the elephant as it walked from its house down Spring Bank to the zoo and back, stopping for gingerbread at a shop on the way. The animals are further represented on the Albany Street 'Home Zone' a project involving local residents and resulting in sculptures of a hippo ('Water Horse') at the bottom of Albany Street; an elephant balancing on its trunk on an island in the middle; and two bears climbing poles and reaching out to each other to form an open archway across the entrance to Albany Street from Spring Bank. Other sculptural details of animals along the street represent the participation of street residents, either through workshops with artists and makers, or through independent work of their own.

In 2019 a series of blue plaques appeared around Hull as part of theAlternative Heritageproject. The art project was designed to celebrate the little known and quirky facts that make Hull the city it is. A variety of tongue in cheek and humorous blue plaques appeared over night celebrating everything from Chip SpicetoThe Beautiful South.New plaques continue to appear on a regular basis and their content has occasionally divided opinion in the city.

"Dead Bod"mural in original location on a jetty at Alexandra Dock

The "Dead Bod", a graffito originally painted on the Alexandria Dock, became a local landmark.It is now located in the Humber Street Gallery.

Three Ships mural

Three Shipsmosaicmural on the old Co-Op building

Main article:Co-op Mosaic

The mural is on a curved screen attached to the end-wall of the old city centre Co-operative store building sited at the intersection where Jameson Street meets King Edward Street, now a mainly pedestrianised area created for theCity of Culture 2017.

Built by 1963 and later home toBHS,the building closed in 2016 with the collapse of BHS retail stores and was scheduled for demolition due toasbestoscontent. The building was listed asGrade IIafter lobbying by local pressure group Hull Heritage Action Group, potentially preventing demolition of the mural-wall. Specialist spraying to seal the building's internal structure has enabled moves to determine the actual level of asbestos in the mural-wall itself and provided a possible solution to incorporate the wall into a new development.

Theatres

Hull New Theatre

The city has two main theatres.Hull New Theatre,which opened in 1939,with a £16 million refurbishment in 2016–17, is the largest venue which features musicals, opera, ballet, drama, children's shows and pantomime. TheHull Truck Theatreis a smaller independent theatre, established in 1971, that regularly features plays, notably those written byJohn Godber. Since April 2009, the Hull Truck Theatre has had a new £14.5 million, 440 seat venue in theSt Stephen's Hulldevelopment.This replaced the former home of the Hull Truck Theatre on Spring Street, a complex of buildings demolished in 2011.The playwrightAlan Platerwas brought up in Hull and was associated with Hull Truck Theatre.

Hull has produced several veteran stage and TV actors. SirTom Courtenay,Ian CarmichaelandMaureen Lipmanwere born and brought up in Hull.Younger actorsReece ShearsmithandDebra Stephensonwere also born in Hull.

In 1914, there were 29cinemas in Hullbut most of these have now closed. The first purpose-built cinema was the Prince's Hall in George Street which was opened in 1910 by Hull's theatre magnate,William Morton.It was subsequently renamed the Curzon.

Connexin Live Arena, opened July 2018 as the Bonus Arena

On 25 July 2018, a new 3,000 seatarenawas opened to the public in the centre of the city.It was officially opened on 20 August 2018, with aVan Morrisonconcert.

Festivals

Hull Fair taken from the top of the Big Wheel, 2006

The Humber Mouthliterature festival is an annual event and the 2012 season featured artists such asJohn Cooper Clarke,Kevin MacNeilandMiriam Margolyes. The annual Hull Jazz Festival takes place around theMarinaarea for a week at the beginning of August.

From 2008 Hull has also held itsFreedom Festival,an annual free arts andlive musicevent that celebrates freedom in all its forms.Performers have includedPixie Lott,JLSandMartha Reeves and The Vandellas,Public Service BroadcastingandThe 1975as well as featuring a torchlight procession, local bands like The Talks and Happy Endings from Fruit Trade Music label and a Ziggy Stardust photo exhibition including photos of the late-Hull-bornMick Ronsonwho worked withDavid Bowie.Former United Nations Secretary-GeneralKofi Annanwas awarded the Wilberforce Medallion at the 2017 festival.

Early October sees the arrival ofHull Fairwhich is one of Europe's largesttravelling funfairsand takes place on land adjacent to theMKM Stadium.

The city'sPride in Hullfestival is one of the largest free-to-attend LGBT+ Pride events in the UK, attracting in excess of 50,000 attendees.Headline performers have includedAdore Delano,Louise Redknapp,Marc Almond,Nadine CoyleofGirls Aloud,andB*Witched.

The Hull Global Food Festival held its third annual event in the city's Queen Victoria Square for three days – 4–6 September 2009.According to officials, the event in 2007 attracted 125,000 visitors and brought some £5 million in revenue to the area. In 2007 the Hull Metalfest began in the Welly Club,it featured major label bands from the United States, Canada and Italy, as well as the UK. The firstHull Comedy Festival,which included performers such asStewart LeeandRussell Howardwas held in 2007.

In 2010, Hull marked the 25th anniversary of the death of the poet Philip Larkin with theLarkin 25Festival. This included the popularLarkin with Toadspublic art event.The 40 Larkin toads were displayed around Hull and later sold off in a charity auction. A charity appeal raised funds to cast a life-size bronze statue of Philip Larkin, to a design by Martin Jennings, atHull Paragon Interchange.The statue was unveiled at a ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of Hull on 2 December 2010, the 25th anniversary of Larkin's death.It bears an inscription drawn from the first line of Larkin's poem, 'The Whitsun Weddings'.

In 2013, from 29 April to 5 May, Hull Fashion Week took place with various events happening in venues in and around Hull's City centre. It finished with a finale on 5 May atHull Paragon Interchange,when recently reformed pop groupAtomic Kittenappeared in a celebrity fashion show.

Yellow Day Hull, 24 June 2017

The first Yellow Day Hull event, organised by Hull-born Preston Likely, was staged on 24 June 2017. Likely invited everybody in the city to participate in the event, encouraging all participants to either wear, carry or make something yellow in order to celebrate the city's history and culture.

On 3 August 2013, the second Humber Street Sesh Festival took place celebrating local music talent and arts, with several stages showcasing bands and artists from the Fruit Trade Music Label, Humber Street Sesh and Purple Worm Records.The festival has taken place yearly, with the exception of 2021 where the festival took place in September being renamed 'Inner City Sesh' and taking place inQueens Gardens.

In 2018, the 16thPride in Hullfestival saw attendees take part in the annual celebration of LGBT+ culture.

Charity

Kingston is home to the charity groupThe Society of M.I.C.E.,modelled after theGrand Order of Water Rats.MICE stands for Men In Charitable Endeavour.

Cultural references

Poetry

Hull has attracted the attention of poets to the extent that Australian authorPeter Porterdescribed it as "the most poetic city in England".

Philip Larkin set many of his poems in Hull, including "The Whitsun Weddings","Toads ", and" Here ".Scottish-bornDouglas Dunn'sTerry Street,a portrait of working-class Hull life, is one of the outstanding poetry collections of the 1970s. Dunn forged close associations with such Hull poets asPeter DidsburyandSean O'Brien.The works of some of these writers appear in the 1982 Bloodaxe anthologyA Rumoured City,which Dunn edited.Andrew Motion,pastPoet Laureate,lectured at the University of Hull between 1976 and 1981,andRoger McGoughstudied there. Both poets spoke at the Humber Mouth Festival in 2010.Contemporary poets associated with Hull areMaggie Hannan,David Wheatley,andCaitriona O'Reilly.

17th-centurymetaphysicalpoet and parliamentarianAndrew Marvellwas born nearby, and grew up and received his education in the city.There is a statue in his honour in the Market Square (Trinity Square), set against the backdrop of his alma materHull Grammar School.

Music

Hull City Hall,completed in 1909

Classical

In the field of classical music, Hull is home to Sinfonia UK Collective (formerly Hull Sinfonietta, founded in 2004), a national and international touring group that serves Hull and its surrounding regions in its role as Ensemble in Residence at University of Hull,and also theHull Philharmonic Orchestra,one of the oldest amateur orchestras in the country.and formerly The Hull Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, established in 1952, the Hull Choral Union, the Hull Bach Choir – which specialises in the performance of 17th- and 18th-century choral music – the HullMale Voice Choir,the Arterian Singers and twoGilbert & SullivanSocieties: the Dagger Lane Operatic Society and the Hull Savoyards are also based in Hull. There are two brass bands, the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band, who are the currentNorth of EnglandAreaBrass BandChampions,and East Riding of Yorkshire Band who are the 2014 North of England Regional Champions within their section.

Hull City Hall annually plays host to major British and European symphony Orchestras with its 'International Masters' orchestral concert season.During the 2009–10 season visiting orchestras included theSt Petersburg Symphony Orchestraand theCzech National Symphony Orchestra.Internationally renowned touring pop, rock, and comedy acts also regularly play the City Hall.

In September 2013 a five-year partnership with theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestrawas announced by the City Council.

Rock, pop and folk

Grafton Street, birthplace of theHousemartinsandthe Beautiful South

On the popular music scene, in the 1960s,Mick Ronsonof the Hull bandRatsworked closely withDavid Bowieand was heavily involved in production of the albumThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.Ronson later went on to record withLou Reed,Bob Dylan,Morrisseyandthe Wildhearts.There is a Mick Ronson Memorial Stage inQueen's Gardensin Hull.The 1960s were also notable for the revival of English folk music, of which the Hull-based quartet,the Watersonswere prominent exponents.The Whoperformed and recorded a concert, at the Hull City Hall, on 15 February 1970.

In the 1980s, Hull groups such as theRed Guitars,the HousemartinsandEverything but the Girlfound mainstream success, followed byKingmakerin the 1990s.Paul Heaton,former member ofthe Housemartinswent on to frontthe Beautiful South.Another former member of the Housemartins, Norman Cook, now performs asFatboy Slim.In 1982, Hull-born Paul Anthony Cook, Stuart Matthewman and Paul Spencer Denman formed the groupSade.In 1984, the singerHelen Adusigned to CBS Records and the group released the albumDiamond Life.The album had sales of four million copies.

The pioneeringindustrialbandThrobbing Gristleformed in Hull;Genesis P-Orridge(Neil Megson) attended Hull University between 1968 and 1969, where he metCosey Fanni Tutti(Christine Newby), who was born in the city, and first became part of the Hull performance art groupCOUM Transmissionsin 1970.

The record labelPork Recordingsstarted in Hull in the mid-1990s, and has released music byFila Brazillia.

The New Adelphiis a popular local venue for alternative live music in the city, and has achieved notability outside Hull, having hosted such bands asthe Stone Roses,Radiohead,Green Day,andOasisin its history,while the Springhead caters to a variety of bands and has been recognised nationally as a 'Live Music Pub of the Year'.

In the 2000s, Hullindie rockbandthe Paddingtonssaw mainstream success with two UK Top 40 singles in 2005,later reforming in 2014 and performing at the Humber Street Sesh.

In the 1990s, the duoScarletfrom Hull had two Top 40 hits with "Independent Love Song"and" I Wanna Be Free (To Be With Him) "in 1995.

The Humber Street Sesh night has released four DIY compilations featuring the cream of Hull's live music scene, and there are currently a few labels emerging in the city, including Purple Worm Records based atHull College,with bands such as The Blackbirds showing a promising future.

See also:Bands and musicians from Yorkshire and North East England

Religion

Hull Minster

Religion	2001		2011		2021
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
No religion	44,627	18.3	89,336	34.8	131,424	49.2
Holds religious beliefs	178,386	73.3	148,665	58.0	118,635	44.4
Christian	174,758	71.7	140,753	54.9	106,411	39.9
Muslim	2,116	0.9	5,447	2.1	9,285	3.5
Buddhist	374	0.2	771	0.3	746	0.3
Hindu	257	0.1	439	0.2	646	0.2
Sikh	227	0.1	289	0.1	277	0.1
Jewish	265	0.1	172	0.1	146	0.1
Other religion	389	0.2	794	0.3	1,124	0.4
Religion not stated	20,576	8.4	18,405	7.2	16,957	6.4
Total population	243,589	100.0	256,406	100.0	267,013	100.0

Unlike many other English cities, Hull has no cathedral. Since 13 May 2017, the Holy Trinity Church (dating back to 1300) became aMinster,known asHull Minster.It is a part of theAnglicanDiocese of Yorkand has asuffragan bishop.

Hull forms part of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough's southern vicariate.St Charles Borromeois the oldest post-Reformation Roman Catholic church in the city.

There are several seamen's missions and churches in Hull. TheMission to Seafarershas a centre at West King George Dockand the St Nikolaj Danish Seamen's Church is located in Osborne Street.

Parks and green spaces

View ofPearson Park

Hull has a large number of parks and green spaces. These includeEast Park,Pearson Park,Pickering Park,Peter Pan Park (Costello Playing fields), and West Park. West Park is home to Hull'sMKM Stadium.Pearson Park contains a lake and a 'Victorian Conservatory' housing birds and reptiles. East Park has a large boating lake and a collection of birds and animals,the latest additions being a pair of rehomedShetland ponies.East Park and Pearson Park are registered Grade II listed sites byHistoric England. The city centre has the largeQueen's Gardensparkland at its heart. This was originally built as formal ornamental gardens used to fill in the formerQueen's Dock.It is now a more flexible grassed and landscaped area used for concerts and festivals, but retains a large ornamental flower circus and fountain at its western end. In February 2022, the first phase of a £11.7 million redevelopment of the gardens began.The second phase started in June 2023 and is expected to take 14 months to complete.

A report by The Countryside Charity in October 2023 found that no Local Green Space designations had been made to protect any of the cities open spaces, butHull City Councilindicated that protection was offered in the 2017 Hull Local Plan.

The streets of Hull's suburban areas also lined with large numbers of trees, particularlythe Avenuesarea around Princes Avenue, and Boulevard to the west. Many of the old trees in the Avenues district have been felled in recent years with the stumps carved into a variety of 'living sculptures'.

East Park's Khyber Pass Folly in Kingston upon Hull as of 15 January 2011.

West Hull has a district known as 'Botanic'. This recalls the short-lived Botanic Garden that once existed on the site now occupied byHymers College.Elephants once lived nearby in the former Zoological Gardens on Spring Bank and were paraded in the local streets.The land has since been redeveloped. There was also a former Botanic Garden between Hessle Road and the Anlaby Road commemorated by Linnaeus Street.

Media

TheBBCbuilding in Hull

Hull's local daily newspaper is theHull Daily Mail. The city was once served by three competing daily newspapers, all operating from the Whitefriargate areaEastern Morning News,Hull NewsandHull and East Yorkshire Times.On 17 April 1930 the last edition ofEvening Newswas published after the paper was taken over by theHull Daily Mail.

Local listings and what's-on guides includeTenfoot City MagazineandSandman Magazine.The BBC has itsYorkshire and Lincolnshireregional headquarters atQueen's Gardens.

Radio services broadcasting from the city arecommunity radiostations, Hull Kingston Radio, 106.9 West Hull FM (formerly WHCR FM) andhospital radiostationKingstown Radio.TheBBC's regional stationBBC Radio Humbersideis based in Hull and broadcasts to East Yorkshire &Northern Lincolnshire.Commercial stations for the cityHits Radio East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire(formerlyViking FM) andNation Radio East Yorkshire(formerlyKCFM) broadcast from outside of Hull and are now part of a national network likeCapital Yorkshirewhich has a base over 60 miles (100 km) away inLeeds. The Hull University Union's student radio stationJam 1575,stopped broadcasting on MW.

Sport

TheMKM Stadium

Sports in the city include professionalfootball,rugby league,rugby union,golf,darts,athletics,andwatersports.

The city's professionalfootballclub,Hull City A.F.C.,play in theChampionship,the second tier of theEnglish football league system,after promotion, as champions, fromLeague One,at the first time of asking, in the2020–21 season.The team play at the MKM Stadium. There are also two non-league clubs based in the city,Hall Road Rangers,andHull United,who play at Haworth Park. The latter play in theHumber Premier League.

A popular sport in Hull isrugby league,with the city supplying two teams in to theSuper Leaguecompetition. The first isHull FC,who were founded in 1865, and are one of the founding clubs of rugby league. They play at theMKM Stadium.Also in Super League areHull Kingston Rovers,who play atSewell Group Craven Park Stadiumin East Hull, following promotion from theChampionshipin 2017. There are also several lower league teams in the city, such asEast Hull,West Hull,Hull Dockersand Hull Isberg, who all play in theNational Conference League.

Rugby unionis catered for byHull Ionianswho play atBrantinghamPark.andHull RUFCwho are based in the city.From the 2023–04 season, both clubs will play in theNational League 2 North.

The city has two athletics clubs based at the Costello Stadium in the west of the city – Kingston upon Hull Athletics Cluband Hull Achilles Athletics Club.

Hull Cycle Speedway Club is at the Hessle raceway near the Humber bridge. The side race in the sports Northern league and won both the league titles in 2008. Other cycling clubs also operate including Hull Thursday, the area's road racing group.

Hull Arena,is anice rinkand concert venue, which is home to theHull Seahawksice hockeyteam who play in theNIHL National Divisionfor the 2022–23 season.It is also home to the Kingston Kestrelsice sledge hockeyteam.In August 2010,Hull Daily Mailreported that Hull Stingrays was facing closure, following a financial crisis.The club was subsequently saved from closure following a takeover byCoventry Blaze.But on 24 June 2015, the club announced on its official website that it has been placed into liquidation.

TheHull HornetsAmerican footballexisted from 2005 until 2011. The club, which acquired full member status in theBritish American Football Leagueon 5 November 2006, played in the BAFL Division 2 Central league for 5 years. TheHumber Warhawksformed in 2013 became Hull's American football team. Greyhound racing returned to the city on 25 October 2007 whenThe Boulevardstadium re-opened as a venue for the sport. In mid-2006 Hull was home to the professional wrestling companyOne Pro Wrestling,which held the Devils Due event on 27 July in theGemtec Arena.From 16 May 2008, Hull gained its own homegrown wrestling company based at the Eastmount Recreation Centre—New Generation Wrestling—that have featuredEl Ligero,Kris Travis,andAlex Shane.

Hull Lacrosse Club was formed in 2008 and was in 2012 playing in the Premier 3 division of the North of England Men's Lacrosse Association.

The city played host to theClipper Round the World Yacht Racefor the 2009–10 35,000-mile (56,000 km) race around the globe, which started on 13 September 2009 and finished on 17 July 2010.The locally named yacht, Hull and Humber, captained by Danny Watson, achieved second place in the 2007–2008 race.

The city hostedThe British Open Squash Championshipsatthe KC Stadiumin 2013 and 2014,before moving to the adjacentAirco Arenain 2015, as part of a three-year deal.

Swimming is hosted at Beverley Road Baths, Woodford Leisure Centre, the Ennerdale Centre, and Albert Avenue Baths.Albert Avenue pools were established in 1933, with an outdoor pool which shut to swimmers in 1995, but has been used for canoe training.A major refurbishment to upgrade the complex and return outdoor swimming was announced in 2021, this included a fitness studio, gym and general upgrades.The £10.5 million refurbished facilities opened in August 2023.

Transport

See also:Trams in Kingston upon Hull,Trolleybuses in Kingston upon Hull,andKingston upon Hull City Transport

Hull Paragon Interchange,opened on 16 September 2007, is the city's transport hub, combining the existing main bus and rail termini in an integrated complex. In 2009, it was expected to have 24,000 people passing through the complex each day.

Railway

Original entrance to Hull Paragon station, dating from 1847

Hull Paragon Exchange is served by fourtrain operating companies:

• Hull Trainsoperates regular express services toLondon King's Cross
• London North Eastern Railwayruns one service per day to London King's Cross in each direction
• TransPennine Expressoperates a route toManchester PiccadillyviaLeeds
• Northern Trainsoperates regular local stopping trains toHalifaxviaSelby,Leeds andBradford Interchange;toYorkviaBroughand Selby; toSheffieldviaDoncaster;and toScarboroughviaBeverleyandBridlington.

In the 1960s,Hull and Hornsea RailwayandHull and Holderness Railwaybranch lines closed, with all goods traffic transferred to thehigh-level linethat circles the city.

Buses

Bus services in and around the city are provided byEast Yorkshire,aGo-Ahead Groupcompany which was previously known asEast Yorkshire Motor Services,and byStagecoach in Hull.

To provide greater travel flexibility, bus users can obtain aHull Cardwhich can be used on services run by either operator.

Bridges

The Humber Bridge from the south bank

Hull is close to theHumber Bridge,which provides links to south of the river Humber. It was built between 1972 and 1981, and at that time was the longest single-spansuspension bridgein the world. It is, as of 2024, twelfth on thelist.Before the bridge was built, those wishing to cross the Humber had to either take aHumber Ferryor travel inland as far asGoole.

Murdoch's Connection

In March 2021, a newfootbridgewas opened connecting the city toPrinces Quaywaterfront, marina and fruit market over Castle Street, adual carriagewayroad also designatedA63.NamedMurdoch's Connectionafter Hull's first female doctor, GPMary Murdoch,the name was nominated by pupils fromNewland School for GirlsinNewland,Hull. Works began in autumn 2018 but progress was delayed due to thecoronavirus pandemic.There was no opening ceremony due to distancing restrictions; instead, videos were compiled.Members of the public have been requested not to attachlove locks.

Ports

Hull to Zeebrugge ferry at King George Dock

P&O Ferriesprovide daily overnight ferry services from King George Dock in Hull toRotterdam. Services to Rotterdam are worked by ferries MSPride of RotterdamandMSPride of Hull.Previous Services to Zeebrugge were worked by ferries MSPride of Brugesand MSPride of York(previously namedMSNorsea). BothPride of RotterdamandPride of Hullare too wide to pass through the lock at Hull.Associated British Portsbuilt a new terminal at Hull to accommodate the passengers using these two ferries. TheRotterdam Terminalat thePort of Hull,was built at a cost of £14.3 million.In January 2021,P&O Ferriesceased their overnight ferry to Zeebrugge.

Airports

The nearest airport isHumberside Airport,20 miles (32 km) away inLincolnshire,which provides a few charter flights but also has high-frequency flights to Amsterdam withKLMand Aberdeen withEastern Airwayseach day.

The nearest airport with intercontinental flights isLeeds Bradford Airportis 70 miles (110 km) away.

Cycling

According to the 2001 census data cycling in the city is well above the national average of 2%, with a 12% share of the travel to work traffic.A report by theUniversity of East Londonin 2011 ranked Hull as the fourth-best cycling city in the United Kingdom.

Roads

The main road into and out of Hull is theM62 motorway/A63 road,one of the main east–west routes inNorthern England.It provides a link to the cities ofLeeds,ManchesterandLiverpool,as well as the rest of the country via the UK motorway network. The motorway itself ends some distance from the city; the rest of the route is along the A63 dual carriageway. This east–west route forms a small part of theEuropean road route E20.

Road transport in Hull suffers from delays caused both by the many bridges over the navigable River Hull, which bisects the city and can cause disruption at busy times.

The city has three railwaylevel crossingsin the city; it formerly had more with bridges built to go over the tracks onHessleRoad in 1962andAnlabyRoad in 1964.A nearby road was renamed from Garrison Road toRoger Millward Wayin 2018, after rugby playerRoger Millwardwho played forHull Kingston Rovers.The developments are part of a wider improvement and redevelopment scheme.

Infrastructure

Telephone system

A HullK6telephone box

Hull is the only city in the UK with its own independent telephone network company, KCOM, formerly KC and Kingston Communications, a subsidiary ofKCOM Group.Its distinctive creamtelephone boxescan be seen across the city. KCOM produces its own 'White Pages' telephone directory for Hull and the wider KC area. Colour Pages is KCOM's business directory, the counterpart toYellow Pages.The company was formed in 1902 as a municipal department by the City Council and is an early example of municipal enterprise. It remains the only locally operated telephone company in the UK, although it is now privatised. KCOM's Internet brands are Karoo Broadband (ISP serving Hull) and Eclipse (national ISP). Initially Hull City Council retained a 44.9 per cent interest in the company and used the proceeds from the sale of shares to fund the city's sports venue, the MKM Stadium, among other things.On 24 May 2007 it sold its remaining stake in the company for over £107 million.

KCOM (Kingston Communications) was one of the first telecoms operators in Europe to offerADSLto business users, and the first in the world to run an interactive television service using ADSL, known as Kingston Interactive TV (KiT), which has since been discontinued due to financial problems.In the last decade, the KCOM Group has expanded beyond Hull and diversified its service portfolio to become a nationwide provider of telephone, television, and Internet access services, having close to 180,000 customers projected for 2007.After its ambitious programme of expansion, KCOM has struggled in recent years and now has partnerships with other telecommunications firms such as BT who are contracted to manage its national infrastructure.Telephone House, on Carr Lane, the firm's 1960s-built headquarters, in stark modernist style, is a local landmark.

In October 2019, Hull became the first UK city to have full fibre broadband available for all residents.

Hydraulic power

The first publichydraulic power network,supplying many companies, was constructed in Hull. TheHull Hydraulic Power Companybegan operation in 1877, withEdward B. Ellingtonas its engineer and the main pumping station (now a Grade II listed building) in Catherine Street.Ellington was involved in most British networks, including those in London,Liverpool,Birmingham,ManchesterandGlasgow,but the advent of electrical power combined with wartime damage meant the Hull company was wound up in 1947.

Public services

Policing in Kingston upon Hull is provided byHumberside Police.In October 2006 the force was named (jointly withNorthamptonshire Police) as the worst-performing police force in the United Kingdom, based on data released from theHome Office.However, after a year of "major improvements", the Home Office list released in October 2007 shows the force rising several places (although still among the bottom six of 43 forces rated). Humberside Police received ratings of "good" or "fair" in most categories.

HM Prison Hullis located in the city and is operated byHM Prison Service.It caters for up to 1,000Category B/Cadult male prisoners.

Statutory emergency fire and rescue serviceis provided by theHumberside Fire and Rescue Service,which has its headquarters near Hessle and five fire stations in Hull. This service was formed in 1974 following local government reorganisation from the amalgamation of the East Riding of Yorkshire County Fire Service, Grimsby Borough Fire and Rescue Service, Kingston Upon Hull City Fire Brigade and part of the Lincoln (Lindsey) Fire Brigade and a small part of the West Riding of Yorkshire County Fire and Rescue Service.

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trustprovides healthcare from three sites,Hull Royal Infirmary,Castle Hill Hospitaland, until 2008,Princess Royal Hospitaland there are several private hospitals including ones run byBUPAand Nuffield Hospitals.TheYorkshire Ambulance Serviceprovides emergency patient transport.NHS primary health care services are commissioned by the HullClinical Commissioning Groupand are provided at several smaller clinics andgeneral practitionersurgeries across the city.NHS Mental health services in Hull are provided by Humber NHS Foundation Trust. It runs amemory clinicin Coltman Street, west Hull designed to help older people with early onsetdementia.

Waste managementis co-ordinated by the local authority. TheWaste Recycling Groupis a company which works in partnership with the Hull City and East Riding of Yorkshire councils to deal with the waste produced by residents.The company plans to build an energy from waste plant atSalt Endto deal with 240,000 tonnes of rubbish and put waste to a productive use by providing power for the equivalent of 20,000 houses. Hull'sdistribution network operatorfor electricity isCE Electric UK(YEDL); there are nopower stationsin the city.Yorkshire Watermanages Hull'sdrinkingandwaste water.Drinking water is provided by boreholes and aquifers in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and it is abstracted from the River Hull atTophill Low,nearHutton Cranswick.Should either supply experience difficulty meeting demand, water abstracted from theRiver Derwentat bothElvingtonandLoftsome Bridgecan be moved to Hull via the Yorkshire water grid. There are many reservoirs in the area for storage of potable and non-potable water. Waste water and sewage has to be transported in a wholly pumped system because of the flat nature of the terrain to asewagetreatment works at Salt End. The treatment works is partly powered by both awind turbineand abiogasCHPengine.

Education

See also:Education in Kingston upon HullandList of schools in Hull

Higher education

University of Hull

The Esk Building at theUniversity of Hullcampus on Cottingham Road

Kingston upon Hull is home to theUniversity of Hull,which was founded in 1927and received its Royal Charter in 1954. It now has a total student population of around 20,000 across its main campuses in Hull andScarborough.The main University campus is in North Hull, on Cottingham Road. Notable alumni include former Deputy Prime MinisterJohn Prescott,social scientist LordAnthony Giddens,Woman's Hourpresenter and writerJenni Murray,Professor of Vaccinology at the University of Oxford and co-developer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine DameSarah Gilbert,Nobel Prize laureate and Professor of Economics atStanford Graduate School of BusinessGuido Imbens,and the Oscar winning film directorAnthony Minghella.The University of Hull is a partner in the new University Centre of theGrimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education(GIFE) being built in Grimsby, North Lincolnshire.

University of Lincoln

TheUniversity of Lincolngrew out of the University of Humberside, a formerpolytechnicbased in Hull. In the 1990s the focus of the institution moved to nearbyLincolnand the administrative headquarters and management moved in 2001.The University of Lincoln has retained a campus in George Street in Hull city centre whilst Hull University purchased the adjacent University of Lincoln campus site on Cottingham Road.

Specialist

Hull York Medical Schoolis a joint venture between the University of Hull and theUniversity of York.It first admitted students in 2003 as a part of the British government's attempts to train more doctors.

The Northern Academy of Performing Artsand Northern Theatre Schoolboth provide education in musical theatre, performance and dance.

TheHull School of Art,founded in 1861, is regarded nationally and internationally for its excellence as a specialist creative centre for higher education.

Colleges

Wilberforce College

There is afurther educationcollege,Hull College,and two largesixth form colleges,Wyke CollegeandWilberforce College.East Riding Collegeoperates a small adult education campus in the city,andEndeavour Learning and Skills Centreis anadult educationprovision operated byHull Training & Adult Education.

Schools

Hull has over100 local schools;of these, Hull City Council supports 14 secondary and 71 primary schools.The highest achieving state school in Hull isMalet Lambert School,Schools which are independent of the City Council includeHymers CollegeandTranby School.The latter, which is run by the United Church Schools Trust, was formed by the merging of Hull Grammar School and Hull High School.Hull Trinity House Academyhas been offering pre-sea training to prospective mariners since 1787,which was a boys only school until September 2022, when it began to admit girls.This leftNewland School for Girlsthe only single-sex school in the city.

The city has had a poor examination success rate for many years and is often at the bottom of government GCSE league tables. In 2007 the city moved off the bottom of these tables for pupils who achieve five A* to C grades, including English and Maths, atGeneral Certificate of Secondary Educationby just one place when it came 149th out of 150 local education authorities. However, the improvement rate of 4.1 per cent, from 25.9 per cent in 2006 to 30 per cent in summer 2007, was among the best in the country. They returned to the bottom of the table in 2008 when 29.3 per cent achieved five A* to C grades which is well below the national average of 47.2 per cent.There are insufficient places in referral units for school children with special needs or challenging behaviour due to squeezed budgets and cuts to children's services.

Dialect and accent

The localaccentis quite distinctive and noticeably different from the rest of the East Riding; however it is still categorised amongYorkshire accents.The most notable feature of the accent is the strongI-mutationin words likegoat,which is[ˈɡəʊt]instandard Englishand[ˈɡoːt]across most of Yorkshire, becomes[ˈɡɵːʔt̚]( "gert") in and around parts of Hull (cf. similarrefinedpronunciations inLeeds/York), although there is variation across areas and generations. In common with much of England (outside of the far north), another feature is dropping the H from the start of words, for example Hull is more often pronounced 'Ull in the city. The vowel in "Hull" is pronounced the same way as in northern English, however, and not as the very short/ʊ/that exists in Lincolnshire. Though the rhythm of the accent is more like that of northern Lincolnshire than that of the rural East Riding, which is perhaps due to migration from Lincolnshire to the city during its industrial growth, one feature that it does share with the surrounding rural area is that an/aɪ/sound in the middle of a word often becomes an/ɑː/:for example, "five" may sound like "fahve", "time" like "tahme".

TheSQUARE–NURSEmerger is a feature of Hull's dialect.The vowel sound in words such asburnt, nurse, firstis pronounced with an/ɛ/sound, as is also heard inMiddlesbroughand in areas ofLiverpoolyet this sound is very uncommon in most of Yorkshire. The word pairs spur/spare and fur/fair illustrate this. The generational and/or geographic variation can be heard in word pairs like pork/poke or cork/coke, or hall/hole, which some people pronounce almost identically, sounding to non-locals like they are using the second of the two variations – while others make more of a vocal distinction; anyone called "Paul" (for example) soon becomes aware of this (pall/pole).

Notable people

Main article:List of people from Kingston upon Hull

Most of the notable people associated with the city can be found in thePeople from Kingston upon HullandPeople associated with the University of Hullcategories.

Statue ofWilliam Wilberforce,Wilberforce House, Hull

People from Hull are called "Hullensians"and the city has been the birthplace and home to many notable people. Amongst those of historic significance with a connection to Hull are former city MPWilliam Wilberforcewho was instrumental in the abolition of slavery andAmy Johnson,aviator who was the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia.

Entertainers from the city include;Dorothy Mackaill,1950s singerDavid Whitfield,sports commentatorTony Green,actors SirTom Courtenay,Ian Carmichael,John Alderton,actressMaureen LipmanandReece Shearsmith. PlaywrightsRichard Bean,John GodberandAlan Platerhave close connections with Hull.

Musicians associated with Hull includePaul HeatonofThe HousemartinsandThe Beautiful South, guitaristMick Ronsonand bassistTrevor Bolder,who worked withDavid Bowie,and more recently 2000s indie bandThe Paddingtons.

The astrophysicistEdward Arthur Milneand logicianJohn Vennboth hailed from Hull. The poetPhilip Larkinlived in Hull for 30 years and wrote much of his mature work in the city. An earlier poet,Andrew Marvellrepresented the city in Parliament during the 17th century.ArtistDavid RemfryRA studied at Hull College of Art before moving to London and New York.

ChemistGeorge Gray,who had a 45-year career at the university, developed the first stableliquid crystalsthat became an immediate success for the screens of all sorts of electronic gadgets.

Notable sportspeople includeEbenezer Cobb Morley(16 August 1831 – 20 November 1924), an English sportsman who is regarded as the father of the Football Association and modern football.Clive Sullivan,rugby league player, who played for both of Hull's professional rugby league teams, was the first black Briton to captain any national representative team.The main A63 road into the city from theHumber Bridgeis named after him (Clive Sullivan Way).Nick Barmbyplayed for Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough, Everton, Liverpool, and Leeds United before returning to play for his hometown club Hull City. He also won 23 England caps and played in the famous 5–1 victory over Germany in 2001. Another footballer isDean Windass,who had two spells with Hull City.

Hull-bornKarl Bushbyis a British author and ex-paratrooper, walking fromPunta Arenasto Hull.

On accepting apeerage,Welsh-born Baron Prescott of Kingston-upon-Hull (former MP and Deputy Prime MinisterJohn Prescott) took his title from his adopted home city of Hull.

International relations

Hull has formaltwinningarrangements with

• Chișinău,Moldova
• Freetown,Sierra Leone
• Fengtai, Beijing,China
• Niigata,Japan
• Raleigh, North Carolina,United States
• Reykjavík,Iceland
• Rotterdam,Netherlands
• Szczecin,Poland

The following cities are named directly after Hull:

• Hull, Massachusetts,United States
• Hull, Quebec,Canada

Freedom of the City

The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Cityof Kingston upon Hull.

Individuals

• Desmond Tutu:2 July 1987.
• Helen Suzman:2 July 1987.
• Nelson Mandela:2 July 1987.
• John Prescott:1 August 1996.
• Kevin McNamara:16 January 1997.
• Jean Bishop – "Bee Lady": 23 November 2017.
• Sir Thomas Courtenay:18 January 2018.
• Yvonne Blenkinsop:15 November 2018.
• Carol Thomas:22 September 2022.
• Patrick Doyle: 17 November 2022.

Military units

• TheEast Yorkshire Regiment:1 June 1944.
• ThePrince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire:20 February 1959.
• TheYorkshire Regiment:16 November 2006.
• 440 (Humber) light Anti-Aircraft RegimentRoyal Artillery(TA): 24 September 1960.
• 440 (Humber) light Anti-Aircraft RegimentRoyal Artillery(Territorials): 3 August 1967.
• RAF Patrington:16 May 1970.
• 150(N) Transport RegimentRoyal Corps of Transport(Volunteers): 1 February 1990.
• RRH Staxton Wold:3 March 1994.
• 150 (Yorkshire) Transport RegimentRoyal Logistic Corps(Volunteers): 3 March 1994.
• HMSIron Duke,RN:3 March 1994.
• 250th Field Ambulance (Volunteer Unit): 15 July 1999.
• Hull UnitSea Cadet Corps:27 February 2014.
• Humberside and South YorkshireArmy Cadet Force:21 March 2024.
• 152 (City of Hull) SquadronAir Training Corps:21 March 2024.

See also

• Grade I listed churches in the East Riding of Yorkshire
• History of the Jews in Hull
• Hull triple trawler tragedy (1968)
• Land of Green Ginger
• List of Jews from Kingston upon Hull
• Rollits LLP
• Sculcoates power station

Notes

^aThere was no census in 1941: figures are from National Register. United Kingdom and Isle of Man. Statistics of Population on 29 September 1939 by Sex, Age and Marital Condition.

^bTheHull Daily Mailarticle indicates the 1991 population was 254,117.

^cThere is a discrepancy of 6 between Office for National Statistics figures (quoted before) and those on theVision of Britainwebsite (quoted here).

^dTheHull Daily Mailarticle indicates the 2001 population was 246,355.

References

Bibliography

• Georgian Hull.William Sessions Ltd. 1979.ISBN978-0900657436.
• History of the Town and Port of Kingston upon Hull.Lightning Source UK Ltd. 2011.ISBN978-1241324797.
• Gillett, Edward; MacMahon, Kenneth A. (1989).A History of Hull.Hull University Press.ISBN978-0859584814.

External links

• Hull City Council
• Hull City CouncilonFlickr
• Hull City Council photo archive—Wayback Machine version
• "Hull's City of Culture bid film revealed to the public"–BBC Newsarticle, 12 November 2013
• Hull History Centre – A Brief History of Hull