Bransholme Library used to be a boiler room!

Blue plaque commemorating RAF Station in Bransholme's Library. The RAF station was opened in September 1942 on the location which is now the North Point Shopping Centre. During World War II the station's balloon barrage defended the Hull and Humber Area.



I looked at the 17 Balloon Centre publication by Leo Bacon, which is a detailed archive of the history of the RAF station this is also accessible online.

www.17balloons.co.uk







Bransholme Library had a really informal, friendly atmosphere and the staff seemed to encourage chatter which I thought unusual for a library!

There is a reading group which I was encouraged to attend if I wanted to discuss the project (next session being the 22nd April, which unfortunately I don't think I will be able to make) They also run creative writing classes amongst other activities for young mums, toddlers and teens.

Bransholme Urban Motor Project (BUMPS)

Bransholme has its own outdoor go-karting track!



Hull University also has Go-Karting Society, information that they have posted information about BUMPS on their forum: hullkarting.co.uk

Activities at ALF Marshall Community Centre

I popped into the ALF Marshall centre - they gave me a programme of their weekly events. They also have rooms available to hire.

Hull History Centre

Went to the Hull History Centre...



And got out a book with information about the history of the area Bransholme:



p2/3 The monks created Bransholme! - something that Liz Dorton mentioned:

"At the time of the Domesday book in 1086 the ridge was surrounded by waters and marshland.... The Lords of the Manor and the monksset about draining the land by digging ditches and dikes - In fact the monks changed our landscape forever."

Found quite a stack of references to Bransholme in the archive of news paper cuttings but didn't quite have time to look them up - will have to make another visit.

Meetings

Spoke to Paul Holloway and Liz Dorton also and they talked about some interesting ideas to do with Branshome and Hull.

Hull has a past of struggling with the elements for example flooding and sometimes feels a little left out; a forgotten city...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/6270236.stm

North Bransholme interestingly is 15 metres above sea level (the only place with a view in Hull!)

Bransholme is on top of boulder clay - there is a thick glacial moraine (ridge) running from north (Bransholme) to east.

"In 1935 Fishing boomed in Hull and the City became Britain’s third largest port and its main fishing port. It was also a major passenger port. In 1970 160,000 people travelled to or from Gothenburg in Sweden or Rotterdam in Holland.
In the late 20th century industries in Hull included flour milling. Oil cake was made in Hull. So were metal boxes, plastic bags, excavators and caravans."

Quoted from Paranorm Hull - The History of Hull website: http://paranorm-hull.webs.com/thehistoryofhull.htm

"In 1968 Noddle Hill Farm was demolished to make way for the building of Bransholme Estate."



Green Noddlehill Nature Reserve
There are fourteen species of Dragon Fly recorded at the Noddle Hill Fishing lake! (or as its sometimes called the Bransholme Fishing lake.) This site is likely to become the first local nature reserve in Hull.

http://wildathull.blogspot.com/2009/11/noddle-hill-fishing-lake-and-community.html

Slums of hessle road were knocked down - Has this exodus has led to a slight loss of community / identity?
Bombing during the war, Hull was described as a Northern Eastern Town (therefore perhaps feels a little forgotten about)
Disused railway line runs through Bransholme

Arts Related
"The hully bugle web site was created by Young People from the Bransholme area working with Bransholme Community Arts Enterprise (BCAE) and is now expanding into the rest of Hull."
www.hullybugle.co.uk

People Liz and Paul thought might be worth talking to:
Residents association for North Bransholme (Liz's husband, Andy Dorton)
Polish community - Richard Bentley (local social projects, Padstow house near ASDA, Bodmin/Bomband? Road)
Mary Carrick - Local Historian
Loz Wilson - Kingswood High School
Chris Smith - Dorcester Primary School
Anita Harisson - councillor (Re: nature reserve)

Arc - Architecture for everyone

Met with Gisele Bone from Arc.
They currently have a blog discussing what is Hullness some of the points from the summary about the project I found interesting

"Some ‘Characteristics of Hull’ by John Netherwood, Chairman of the Hull Civic Society
• Human Scale
• Completely flat – therefore nearly all views are “man made”
• Outstanding water fronts
• Poor quality and attractiveness of paving out of city centre
• Being split in half by River Hull creates sense of place and identity
• By being largely cut off from the rest of the country, historically, it has the feeling of a “city state”.
• Rich architectural detail in centre/ high quality old buildings
• Many parts of the city still have a downtrodden feel.
• Intact medieval Old Town
• Seven radial roads
• Rich historical heritage (Civil War/ Pilgrim Fathers/ Bounty etc)
• Too few street trees
• Large pedestrian areas
• Wide tree-lined boulevards on outskirts
• Major central park- but looking neglected and needs opening up
• Lack of views over the city (being flat)
• Own train set – Hull Trains
• Old industrial area – Wincolmlee
• Twenty derelict railway bridges ring the city
• Water into the heart of the city
• Many good old historic pubs
• Very close to beautiful countryside and some of the best coastline in the country
• Lack of residents pride in their city and lack of appreciation of how good it is compared with very many places.
• Humber Bridge
• Its own ferry service
• Very close links to continental Europe "

www.hullness.blogspot.com
www.arc-online.co.uk

Trip to Orchard Park

As Gisele used to work on the LIFT arts programme she kindly took me to a health centre which she co-ordinated the arts for - the Orchard Park centre near to Bransholme.



I really liked the randomly placed coloured floor tiles. And the arrowed sigage made a nice change from the blue and white signage you usually find in hospitals and health centres.







Bees are quite popular in Hull it would seem and there is the Beverly Bee Keepers Association www.beverleybeekeepers.co.uk

Trip to Oncology Wing

Not strictly research into Bransholme but we thought it would be interesting to see another example of arts in a health centre - the oncology unit at Castle Hill which is quite contrasting to the more urban Orchard Park. The oncology wing had a really nice feel to it and the building seemed to really reflect its surroundings well. The green views and curved roof make the atrium a pleasant and relaxing to be!