New foundations for history

Above and below: artist’s views of the new history centre to be built near Hull New Theatre

Building work on the Hull History Centre is due to begin this autumn after the project received a £7.7m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The two-storey development in Mason Street, near Hull New Theatre, will house more than 110,000 historical records of local, national and international importance including papers written by anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce and world-famous Hull poets Philip Larkin and Andrew Marvell.
The centre, a joint venture between Hull City Council and the University of Hull, will become a “one-stop history shop” where people can trace their family trees and get answers to all their questions about local history.
“We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has confirmed such a large grant to the Hull History Centre,” said Cllr Kalvin Neal, who has responsibility for quality of life and culture in the city.
“It demonstrates the fund’s confidence in Hull and in our ability to deliver a project of this kind.”
The development includes plans for reading rooms, an exhibition space, bookshop and café, and a small landscaped park outside the building. It will bring together the city archives, the local studies library and the university archives under one roof.
“The partnership with Hull City Council has delivered an excellent result,” said Professor David Drewry, vice-chancellor of the University of Hull.
“We can now look forward to commencing what will be an outstanding national, as well as regional, archival resource.”