One Hull Of A Story: Hull's Dark History Museum

Plague, witchcraft, smugglers, murder, public executions, and Jack the Ripper. Just a few words that you hear mentioned in any discussion about the creation of Hull's very own museum of the macabre. The idea for Hull's Dark History Museum is that of local businessman John Hemingway. I recently met John and his wife Daniella, who are passionate about creating a unique museum experience in Hull, that will lay bare the grisly side of our city's history. Spanning over 700 years, the plans for the museum are to have a full immersion interactive experience for visitors, that will not only entertain, but inform and educate people about the blood curdling dark-side of our city's history.

John, who has run the Chocolate Factory Studios on Wincolmlee for over 15 years was in part inspired by the spooky goings on at the old factory the studios are housed in. Various ghost hunting groups, including TV's Most Haunted team have spent time at the factory investigating paranormal activity. Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, there is no denying that Hull has a long and dark history that hasn't been explored fully. The museum aims to bring that history together under one roof, with a unique interactive journey through the murky depths of the city's horrific heritage.

Currently looking for a permanent home for the museum, which will feature scenes that visitors will pass through on their entertaining and educational journey, as well as facilities for visiting school groups. Until that home is found, John has set-up a pop-up version of the museum in one of the unique first floor stable blocks of the Annison Building on Witham, to give people a flavour of what is to come. The museum can be viewed by arrangement and during the building's weekend community gallery opening times (10am-1pm), where tours can be arranged for a small donation. I've written about the Annison Building before, and Hull's Dark History Museum is a great addition to the already quirky and eccentric nature of the building as a whole.

Currently the three scenes that John has set-up in the stables cover history from the plague and cholera epidemics in the city, through witch trials to the story of Mrs. Ethel Major, the last person and only woman to be hanged at Hull Prison, in 1934. Ethel who was 43 at the time of her execution, was convicted of murdering her husband by lacing his corned beef with strychnine. She was executed by Britain's most famous hangman Albert Pierrepoint just weeks after being convicted.

Some of the props used in the scenes were built by John himself at his home. His wife Daniella explained to me how the neighbours were a bit disconcerted and confused by the appearance of a spiked torture chair in their back garden. John had put the chair in the garden to weather, so that the dozens of nails sticking out of the seat would rust up, to give it that aged look. Along with the set of stocks and grave stones he'd made for the pop-up museum display. John said that the museum is a work in progress, so I expect neighbours peeping into his and Daniella's back garden maybe seeing some more macabre oddities appearing in the near future.

I hope that a permanent home is found for the museum soon, as after talking to John and Daniella, the project sounds like it will be great addition to the attractions that will draw visitors to the city as we near our City of Culture year.

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One Hull Of A Story: The Syphilitic Monks - Evidence that points to Hull being the epicentre of the Great Pox of the Middle Ages, syphilis! Pre-dating the Columbus theory by decades.