Sorting out the Guildhall treasures

Hull's Guildhall, which celebrates its centenary this year, is not only the home of local government in the city, but it also houses a very fine collection of artworks and artefacts closely linked to the history of the city. On the Guildhall's walls, in cabinets, corridors, committee rooms and offices, there is a largely unknown collection of treasures which have been accrued since Hull got its royal charter over 700 years ago. They are all-too-often overlooked and unappreciated, blending into the background and taking a back seat to the pressing business of running the city.

However, all that is about to change with the recent appointment of the first ever Guildhall curator. Robin Diaper, formerly assistant collections manager at the award-winning Harewood House in Leeds, is relishing the chance to get to grips with the collection, "The first task is to understand the range of the job." he explained. "The collection has never been catalogued so at the moment it's all detective work - exploring the building and discovering exactly what's there. "There are some wonderful statues and busts of figures who have played an important role in the development of the city, rare period furniture, silverware, paintings, glass and much more. "Discovering how all these items came to be in the Guildhall and researching their history so they can be appreciated by the citizens of Hull is the challenge that attracted me to the job." Robin plans to develop a programme of Guildhall tours both for the wider public and also for groups who might have specialised interests in different objects or aspects of the city's past.

The appointment of a Guildhall curator is the latest investment in Hull's museums, further highlighting the important role this proud maritime city has always played in Great Britain's history.