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| After this, Hull's place in the political
affairs of the country was relatively quiet. although the Citadel
and fortifications were repaired and refurbished in 1715 and 1745
during the two Jacobite rebellion, while during the Napoleonic Wars
the Citadel housed a large garrison of militia. The growing trade
of Hull, fuelled by the Industrial Revolution in West Yorkshire, led
to a start on the first dock ( Queen's Dock) in 1775, completed in
1778, on the site of the walls and defences on the northern side (now
Queens Gardens). Two other docks, the present Humber Dock (part of
the Marina) and Princes Dock were opened in 1809 and 1820 respectively,
on the site of the walls on the west side. The North Blockhouse, which
stood near North Bridge was demolished in 1801-2. The Citadel remained
in use by the military until 1848, but was finally demolished in 1863-6.
The South Blockhouse, at the approximate site of the new Myton Bridge
was demolished in 1864, although even then the conservationists were
hoping it could be saved in memory of the past. The south eastern
corner of the Citadel was excavated in 1988 prior to the start of
work on the Victoria Dock housing development. It is hoped to partly
reconstruct this area of the Citadel eventually. Part of the South
Blockhouse was also excavated in 1988. |
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| Parallel to Hull's growth as a port was the growth of the whale "fishery"
in the 18th century and the fishing industry "proper" in
the 19th century. Hull had been quite prominent in whaling in the
17th century, but the industry had then declined, until a revival
took place from the mid-18th century, one of its main entrepreneurs
being Samuel Standidge, who sent three whalers to Greenland in 1768.
However, the industry did not fully develop in Hull until the early
19th century, the really prosperous period being 1815 - 1825 when
Hull had 2000 men employed in the trade. After this period the
number of whales at Greenland diminished and hunting transferred to
the Davis Strait. By l835 Hull Whaling was in severe decline and the
demise of the "Diana" in the 1860's spelled out the end of
the industry in the town. Between 1772 and 1857 about 4% of the
whalers which went out never returned. During the good year of 1820,
50 vessels sailed from Hull to go whale hunting, but by 1832 they
had declined to 28 in number. |
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| The fishing industry was hardly existent in Hull during the 18th
century, although the Corporation made very strong attempts to
increase it by offering large bounties for the largest catches of
fish. These were often claimed by boats from other towns, however.
In 1821 the Corporation actually had to employ two boats from
Plymouth to supply the town's fish. In the 1840's some trawlers
migrated from Ramsgate in Kent, and Brixham in Devon. In the 1851
census returns 313 men were employed in fishing, and in nearly every
case the birth places of the men, women and older children was given
as Ramsgate or Brixham. The discovery of the fish shoals of the
'Silver Pits' in the North Sea, only 50 miles from Hull led to a
great expansion. The number of Smacks rose from 29 in 1845 to 270 in
1863. Those employed as fishermen rose from 4 in 1841 to 313 in
l881, 924 in l871, 1,578 in 1881 and 1,299 in l891. In the late
1970's the circle was complete with the virtual demise of the local
fishing industry, caused mainly by political decision rather than
trade. |
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| Unlike other Yorkshire towns Hull's industries have always been
well diversified, oil-milling, paint making, engineering and
transport being other main traditional industries, with
pharmaceuticals developing last century, so that the town has never
had such depth of depression, nor heights of prosperity as other
single industry places. |
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| From the beginning of Hull to the turn of the 19th century the town
was dominated by its leading merchants and ship owners. Their civic
swan song was undoubtedly in the 18th century. As we have seen, the
port's trade was growing rapidly at that time and the merchant/ship
owner families bccame increasingly rich. The clique of families such
as Blaydes, Crowles, Wilberforces, Maisters and Sykes ran the town
for around a hundred years, holding most of the town's major offices,
mayor, sheriff etc., between them. Their homes and warehouses were
down High Street. Some of them are still there, the best known being
Wilberforce House, now a museum, but others such as Maister House,
Blaydes House and Crowle House are also open to view to a lesser extent.
The trade of the Hull merchants was with Europe and thus they never
joined the slave trade, as did rivals in London, Bristol and Liverpool.
Because of this Hull people were to the forefront of the campaign
against the slave trade. Foremost among them was, of course, William
Wilberforce, who steered the legislation ending the slave trade in
the British Empire through Parliament. He, like many members of the
merchant clique was one of the town's M.P's. But as the 18th century
ended, the scene in Hull began to change. The riches acquired by the
merchants were such that they left High Street, where merchant had
succeeded merchant for 700 years, and bought houses and estates in
the country. In time they became country gentlemen themselves - a
good example being the Sykes of Sledmere. |
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