Moving the Wilberforce Monument in 1935
#SUBHEADING#A Motoring Hazard#SUBHEADINGEND# Discussions about moving the monument began as early as 1932. The council felt that the monument was becoming a motoring hazard for traffic between Whitefriargate and Queen Square. After many discussions it was decided by the Queens Dock Committee that the monument should be moved to the eastern end of the newly laid out Queens Gardens. #IMAGE# In the council minutes of 25th January 1935, the Queens Dock Committee recommends that the council accept Councillor Tarren's offer to have his company move the monument to its new location. Councillor Robert Greenwood Tarran was a prominent figure in the community. He was the owner of Tarran Industries Ltd who were building material supplier to Hull Housing and Town Planning Committee and he later served as Sheriff of Hull. The minutes don't explicitly state that Councillor Tarran offered to move the monument for free but it is recommended that the gas, electricity and water committees provide their services for free due to Councillor Tarran's 'generous offer'. The official acceptance of Councillor Tarran's offer was minuted on 7th February 1935. #SUBHEADING#Moving the Monument#SUBHEADINGEND# It took four months in total to move the monument from Monument Bridge to the Eastern end of Queens Gardens with work beginning in April 1935. During the replacing of the foundation stone at Queen's Gardens a small deed box was put in a specially prepared cavity. The contents of the deed box are:- #IMAGE#Photographs and maps showing the old and new locations; Description of removal reasons and methods used to move the monument, typed on vellum; Page from Hull Times dated May 18th 1935; Notes and booklets about Tarran Industries; A Jubilee Crown piece (coin); Wilberforce House Medal 1906; Examples of coins from 1935; A copy of the Hull Daily Mail. An article in the Hull Daily Mail dated 15th April 1935 shows Councillor Tarran, the Lord Mayor and his niece at the top of the column before it is moved. Members of the public were allowed to go up the scaffolding to enjoy the view of Hull for a two shilling fee (20p in today's money), both in its original location and its new location. The money raised went to the Mother Humber Fund which gave the poor children of the city a holiday camp. The charity still exists today, but is called The Mother Humber Memorial Fund and is dedicated to the relief of hardship or distress. #SUBHEADING#Moved and Rededicated#SUBHEADINGEND# On the 19th September 1935 Queens Gardens were opened by Herbert Morrison and the Wilberforce Monument was rededicated by Mrs Arnold Reckitt, Wilberforce's great granddaughter. The estimated cost of moving the monument was 1,500 pounds which is approximately 70,000 pounds in today's money.
The Wilberforce Monument
William Wilberforce, MP for Yorkshire and passionate campaigner against the slave trade, was commemorated after is death with a monument paid for by public donation. But who designed it? How tall is it? And how much did it cost to buy? Read on and find out.
William Wilberforce - the man (part 2)
Read about the impact of Wilberforce's university days and his career in politics.
William Wilberforce - the man (part 1)
Discover more about at the Wilberforce Family and William Wilberforce's early years.
Wilberforce Bible - Uncovering the Family Secrets
Read about the bibles that were once owned by William Wilberforce (1759-1833) and are now on display in Wilberforce House Museum.
The Freedom Centrepiece 2007
In 2006 Hull Museums commissioned silversmith Jocelyn Burton to produce a major silver centrepiece. This was part of the commemorations for the bi-centenary of the abolition of the slave trade in 2007. This will be a lasting testament to freedom and will hopefully be around for the tercentenary. The centrepiece was funded by the Alderman Rupert Alec-Smith Fund and the Wilberforce 2007 Programme.
Thomas Thompson (1754 - 1828)
Thomas Thompson was a local businessman and MP, who resided at 25 High Street, now Wilberforce House Museum, for nearly forty years. In 1770 at the age of 16 he went to work as a Clerk to William Wilberforce (senior) in what later became a branch of Wilberforce, Smith & Co Bank.
Contemporary Collections
Wilberforce House Museum has a small collection of objects in its contemporary slavery displays. These objects highlight the continual legacy of slavery and also explore the issue of human rights. They provide the visitor with a view of modern Africa today
Slavery Collections at Wilberforce House
Wilberforce House has many objects relating to slavery and the campaign for its abolition. The collection strengths lie in plantation records and anti-slavery material. Read on to discover more about the slavery collections at Wilberforce House.
Enslavement and Plantation Life
Read about the horrific conditions that slaves endured on board slave ships in the Middle Passage and how they were met with discipline and harsh punishment once they arrived at the plantations.
The Campaign Against Slavery
Read about the parliamentary campaign to abolish slavery, womens role in the anti-slavery fight and how growing opposition among the public led to a boycott of sugar produced on plantations.
