Peter McClure – Cottingham Local History Society https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk All about local history Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:28:02 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 Heritage Open Days https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk/2025/08/18/heritage-open-days/ Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:28:02 +0000 https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk/?p=706 As part of the East Riding contribution to the National Heritage Open Days, The Cottingham Local History Society will open its History Room from 9.30 a.m. until 4.30 p.m. and display its recent exhibition exhibition on Cottingham in WWII, including VE Day. There will also be a circular guided walk with Peter McClure from Market Green via Hallgate and Finkle Street, starting a 2.00 p.m. Numbers are limited to 15 and booking is essential by email either to cottinghamlocalhistorysciety@gmail.com or to cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk. Bookings open on Septmeber 1st and close at midnight on September 12th.

]]> Cottingham Local History Society Talks Programme for 2025-2026 https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk/2025/08/18/cottingham-local-history-society-talks-programme-for-2025-2026/ Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:54:49 +0000 https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk/?p=692

October 1st: Paul Schofield, “The Avenues and Pearson Park”.

A journey through Hull’s oldest public park and the fascinating Avenues area, looking at the history, architecture and personalities of this unique part of the city.

November 5th: Mark Richmond, “A ‘German’ in Cottingham during the First World War.” The Annual Stamp Lecture.

Owner of Elm Tree House (now the Cottingham Memorial Club), Gunther Lutze was a naturalised immigrant from Germany who had made good in Britain as a coal exporter. The coming of the First World War, however, put his success in jeopardy due to Government regulations, widespread Germanophobia and the prejudices of local commercial institutions. Not passive by nature, he sought to defend himself, firstly by changing his German-sounding name to Lacey and then by responding to threats against his business interests, including through outspoken public statements that caught the attention of the national press. In the process, he disassociated himself from some leading figures in Hull’s German community.

December 3rd: Peter Connelly, “The Seeds of Change Project: celebrating the history of Hull’s oil seed crushing industry”.

Oil seed crushing was one of the major industries that Hull’s success was built upon. It was a key product for making lamp oil, soap, paints, varnishes and ink, not to mention cattle cake and fertiliser. The crushing mills date back to at least the 16th century on the banks of the River Hull, where it grew to considerable proportions in Wincolmlee and Wilmington. Cottingham owed some of its wealth in the 18th to the early 20th centuries to the Hull merchants who ran the mills and the associated factories and who built or bought themselves a fine house and grounds here. In December 2022, however, the industry all but came to an end.Peter Connelly, archaeology manager of Humber Field Archaeology, will illustrate its history and explain the Seeds of Change Project. This has been designed to promote a greater public understanding and appreciation of this often-overlooked industry and is funded by a grant from Historic England’s ‘Everyday Heritage’ scheme.

January 7th: Colin Bradshaw, “Medieval Beverley”.

One of England’s best medieval towns, Beverley has a long history, with royal connections and many existing buildings dating from the Middle Ages, including its churches, the guildhall, the friary and many more humble buildings. This talk approaches the topic by looking at the characteristics of a town of that period, when it prospered both as a religious and a trading centre, with its numerous guilds. Colin will discuss the town’s medieval defences and the threats that faced the townspeople, and he promises to reveal aspects of Beverley’s history that he thinks will surprise us.

February 4th: Michele Lewis, “The pavement that walked (and a few that didn’t)”. 

The talk examines the discovery of Roman remains in a Brantingham quarry during the 2nd World War and the subsequent excavation. What followed is Yorkshire’s biggest archaeological mystery! Michele will take us back to 4th-century Yorkshire and the rich legacy of Roman villa building in this area, as evidenced in the mosaics uncovered by archaeologists – and the occasional farm labourer. 

March 4th: Mike Rymer. “The Berry mug and the Hull whaling trade in the 18th century”.

In 2020 a ceramic tankard, painted under the glaze with a sailing ship, was discovered when Castle Street was being excavated prior to improvements to the A63. It had been the site of an additional graveyard for Holy Trinity Church. The suspicion is that it belonged to Peter Pierce Dobbyn, former master of the ‘Berry’, one of the first of Hull’s 18th-century whaling ships. Mike takes the tankard and the sailing ship ‘Berry’ as the starting point of a fascinating history of Hull’s involvement in arctic whaling during that century.

April 1st AGM and social event for Society members

The monthly meetings take place on a Wednesday in the Civic Hall, Cottingham, 7.45 to 9.15 p.m.
Admission fee £2 for members, £4 for visitors.
October 1st: Paul Schofield, “The Avenues and Pearson Park”.
A journey through Hull’s oldest public park and the fascinating Avenues area, looking at the history, architecture and personalities of this unique part of the city.
November 5th: Mark Richmond, “A ‘German’ in Cottingham during the First World War.” The Annual Stamp Lecture.
Owner of Elm Tree House (now the Cottingham Memorial Club), Gunther Lutze was a naturalised immigrant from Germany who had made good in Britain as a coal exporter. The coming of the First World War, however, put his success in jeopardy due to Government regulations, widespread Germanophobia and the prejudices of local commercial institutions. Not passive by nature, he sought to defend himself, firstly by changing his German-sounding name to Lacey and then by responding to threats against his business interests, including through outspoken public statements that caught the attention of the national press. In the process, he disassociated himself from some leading figures in Hull’s German community.
December 3rd: Peter Connelly, “The Seeds of Change Project: celebrating the history of Hull’s oil seed crushing industry”.
Oil seed crushing was one of the major industries that Hull’s success was built upon. It was a key product for making lamp oil, soap, paints, varnishes and ink, not to mention cattle cake and fertiliser. The crushing mills date back to at least the 16th century on the banks of the River Hull, where it grew to considerable proportions in Wincolmlee and Wilmington. Cottingham owed some of its wealth in the 18th to the early 20th centuries to the Hull merchants who ran the mills and the associated factories and who built or bought themselves a fine house and grounds here. In December 2022, however, the industry all but came to an end.Peter Connelly, archaeology manager of Humber Field Archaeology, will illustrate its history and explain the Seeds of Change Project. This has been designed to promote a greater public understanding and appreciation of this often-overlooked industry and is funded by a grant from Historic England’s ‘Everyday Heritage’ scheme.
January 7th: Colin Bradshaw, “Medieval Beverley”.
One of England’s best medieval towns, Beverley has a long history, with royal connections and many existing buildings dating from the Middle Ages, including its churches, the guildhall, the friary and many more humble buildings. This talk approaches the topic by looking at the characteristics of a town of that period, when it prospered both as a religious and a trading centre, with its numerous guilds. Colin will discuss the town’s medieval defences and the threats that faced the townspeople, and he promises to reveal aspects of Beverley’s history that he thinks will surprise us.
February 4th: Michele Lewis, “The pavement that walked (and a few that didn’t)”. 
The talk examines the discovery of Roman remains in a Brantingham quarry during the 2nd World War and the subsequent excavation. What followed is Yorkshire’s biggest archaeological mystery! Michele will take us back to 4th-century Yorkshire and the rich legacy of Roman villa building in this area, as evidenced in the mosaics uncovered by archaeologists – and the occasional farm labourer. 
March 4th: Mike Rymer. “The Berry mug and the Hull whaling trade in the 18th century”.
In 2020 a ceramic tankard, painted under the glaze with a sailing ship, was discovered when Castle Street was being excavated prior to improvements to the A63. It had been the site of an additional graveyard for Holy Trinity Church. The suspicion is that it belonged to Peter Pierce Dobbyn, former master of the ‘Berry’, one of the first of Hull’s 18th-century whaling ships. Mike takes the tankard and the sailing ship ‘Berry’ as the starting point of a fascinating history of Hull’s involvement in arctic whaling during that century.
April 1st AGM and social event for Society members

]]> Constitution https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk/2024/09/27/elementor-305/ Fri, 27 Sep 2024 09:38:56 +0000 https://cottinghamyorkshirehistory.co.uk/?p=305

CONSTITUTION OF THE COTTTINGHAM LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
As amended at the Annual General Meeting, April 9th 2008
1. The Society shall be called the Cottingham Local History Society.
2. The object of the Society shall be the advancement of public education fostering the study of local history, particularly that of Cottingham, and disseminating for the benefit of the public the results of such study. In furtherance of this object the Society shall:
a) encourage public interest in local history.
b) foster the study of local history by sponsoring talks, discussions and trips and by arranging for group work on the subject.
c) publish the work of the Society’s members and of others as may be possible, desirable and convenient.
d) encourage the preservation of local records, antiquities and objects of historical interest.
e) take any other steps which may appear to be necessary in achieving the objects set out above.
f) co-operate with other charitable bodies having similar interests.
3. Membership shall be open to all persons on payment of an annual subscription.
4. The Officers of the Society shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice Chairman. a Secretary and a Treasurer.
5. The Committee of the Society shall consist of the Officers and up to six elected members. The quorum is four.
6. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee may co-opt a member to fill a casual vacancy or to meet a special requirement.
DUTY of Officers
7. the Chairman shall preside and chair all meetings of the Society and shall have general powers of delegation.
8. the Vice Chairman shall deputise for the Chairman when necessary.
9. the Secretary shall record minutes, give notification of meetings and conduct correspondence, in accordance with the decisions of the Committee.
10. the Treasurer shall receive all monies belonging to the Society, keep an account of income and expenditure and produce a balance sheet at the end of each financial year. which will be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
11. Committee members will actively assist the Officers in organising the meetings and activities of the Society.
12. The Financial Year shall commence on the first day of April and end on the thirty­ first of March in the succeeding year. The Subscriptions shall be the amounts decided at the Annual General Meeting.
13. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in April each year. The Accounts shall be presented, for approval, and the Committee elected.

l 0. Extraordinary General Meeting. The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting, of which 14 (fourteen) days’ notice shall be given to all members. Should the Secretary receive a request in writing, signed by ten or more members, for an Extraordinary General Meeting then the members shall be notified and a meeting convened.

I 1. The Committee or ten members may propose an amendment to the Constitution which shall be sent to all members 28 days before the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting. Such amendments shall be approved by not less than two-thirds of the persons present and voting providing that any such amendment does not conflict with the objects of the Society as set out in Clause 2.

12. Dissolution of the Society. The Society shall continue in existence whilst its objects remain viable and its membership warrants its continuance. It shall only be wound up by the votes of a clear majority of its existing members present and voting at a properly constituted Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. Thereupon its existing assets, either cash or in kind, after all commitments within the powers of the Society, financial or otherwise, have been met shall be transferred to such charitable society, body or other organisation having objects similar to those of the Society as may be determined by the majority at the said Meeting, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some charitable object.

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