Lincoln Historian’s Exhibition Tells Story of Hull’s Post-War Resilience
12 December 2024
Written by: Hannah McGowan
An exhibition on display at Hull’s History Centre developed by a historian from the University of Lincoln, UK, aims to breathe new life into the story of resilience in Hull after the devastation caused by the Blitz.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), ‘The Half Life of the Blitz’ sheds light on what life was like for Hull residents in the wake of the Second World War and tells a story of the city’s evolution over the last 80 years.
Between 1940 and 1945 the bombing of Hull resulted in the deaths of almost 1,200 people, injuring a further 3,000, and destroying almost 5,000 homes and much of the city centre. In the following decades, although the city was slowly rebuilt, many of the scars of war remained, with the ruined National Picture Theatre – Britain’s ‘Last Blitzed Building’ – currently being renovated into a heritage and education centre.
James Greenhalgh, Associate Professor at the University of Lincoln, curated the exhibition with project colleague, Dr Charlotte Tomlinson, conducting interviews with Hull residents to capture how the city perceives itself and remembers its past.
Hull City Hall and Prudential Building, 1941. Image credit: Hull History Centre.
Dr Greenhalgh commented, “Hull is a fascinating city; there is nowhere else quite like it, but it’s often forgotten about in histories of the Blitz. The funding from the AHRC recognised how little attention Hull receives and discovering so much of the rich history of the city, especially through our workshops and tours with the community has been amazing.”
Martin Taylor, Hull city archivist, added: “Wartime bombing changed Hull like nothing else in its history. The resilience which Hull citizens showed in the face of Nazi aggression was also applied as they rebuilt the city on their own terms.”
The exhibition runs until Friday 31 January 2025, with free admission. It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9.30am to 4.30pm, and on the first and third Saturday of each month from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Dr Greenhalgh will also deliver a talk about the post-war development of Hull at the Centre on Tuesday 14 January 2025 at 12.30pm.
Please note that the centre will close for Christmas at 12.30pm on Saturday 21 December, and will re-open at 9.30am on Thursday 2 January 2025.