Author Topic: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?  (Read 7074 times)

Offline Nick Carver

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Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« on: Sunday 09 January 05 17:21 GMT (UK) »
I have found three brothers in my family moving from agricultural Norfolk to Hull in the 1840s. I thought that the driver for this was abject poverty on the land at the time (I live within 50 miles and historical records suggest that to be the case for my village) but it now appears that one of the sons of these men married a girl whose family moved there from Middlesex at about the same time. That has got me wondering more why people moved to Hull at about that time and I hoped somebody on this board could shed some light on the matter? One of these brothers became a dock labourer and the others were described as simple labourers. I thought that the explosion in factory work as a result of the industrial revolution (one possible cause) took place rather earlier (late 1700s).

Any suggestions most gratefully received.
Thanks
E Yorks - Carver, Steels, Cross, Maltby, Whiting, Moor, Laybourn
W Yorks - Wilkinson, Kershaw, Rawnsley, Shaw
Norfolk - Carver, Dowson
Cheshire - Berry, Cooper
Lincs - Berry
London/Ireland/Scotland/Lincs - Sullivan
Northumberland/Durham - Nicholson, Cuthbert, Turner, Robertson
Berks - May
Beds - Brownell

Offline Anjo

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 09 January 05 17:49 GMT (UK) »
Hi, don't have a real answer for you but I have a few of my families in Norfolk moving to Hull and though it was to do with the prosperity of the ship building industry. Mine went from ag Lab's to Iron foundry workers. The money must have been better??

2 brothers of one of my family moved as batchelors to where there Uncle had gone (Obviously heard of good oppurtunities) 10 Years down the line and the boys married and with families and  had other family members and old Neighbours from Norfolk boarding with them!!

Would be very interesting if some one could give some actual facts on this.

There was something good going on!

All the best Anjo

Offline Nick Carver

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 09 January 05 18:57 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Anjo, that almost perfectly matches my experience. All three went up as bachelors - the first one married in York in 1840 and then moved to Hull - the others married in 1846 and 1847. It will take a bit more digging to find out whether they all moved up together or if the first one sent for his brothers. As he couldn't sign his name on the wedding certificate, one must presume that they all went together.
E Yorks - Carver, Steels, Cross, Maltby, Whiting, Moor, Laybourn
W Yorks - Wilkinson, Kershaw, Rawnsley, Shaw
Norfolk - Carver, Dowson
Cheshire - Berry, Cooper
Lincs - Berry
London/Ireland/Scotland/Lincs - Sullivan
Northumberland/Durham - Nicholson, Cuthbert, Turner, Robertson
Berks - May
Beds - Brownell

Offline Kooly

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 09 January 05 23:46 GMT (UK) »
Hi Nick & Anjo,

Im no expert, here's maybe a couple of reasons why your families moved to Hull.  In the 1840s the railways came to Hull and in 1846 the railway dock was built on the east side of the river Hull, in 1850, Victoria dock was opened and alexandra dock followed.  With the advance of the railways linking Hull with Selby and Leeds industry was booming.  With each dock taking on average 2 to 4 years on its construction you can imagine the amount of man power involved, and thats without mentioning the building of the actual railway and shipping industries.

At about the same time Isaac Reckitt was purchasing his mill's.  By 1880 he is expanding world wide.  people was coming into Hull from all areas.

                     kooly..
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchive.gov.uk

(Yorkshire) Briggs, Darbyshire, Green, Harrison, Moate, Smith, Leggott, Bradley.
(Staffordshire) Baker.
(Ireland) Bradley.


Offline antiquarian_m

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 09 January 05 23:51 GMT (UK) »
Hello Nick,
                It was around 1837 that many changes started to happen in Hull, the overseers of the city stepped down, this opened the door for fresh blood to take the helm, Hull's docks had been kept down, they where grossly overcrowded, now the race was on to expand them and build new ones. The towns boundaries had been enlarged on all sides so fresh building land was made available, and the imminent arrival of the railways was on its way.

Over in America civil unrest was devastating the cotton industry, Lancashire was effected big style by it, due to this, a group of entrepreneurs decided that cotton imported from India and brought direct to Hull could be manufactured in Hull itself, this called not only for the industrial buildings but also the housing of the workers (approximately 2000 people) most would be women, but that itself would bring prosperity to families as they would have extra income.

Hull was already a timber importer and with all the sleepers the railways needed, it was necessary to build floating timber yards, more work for stone masons and brickies.

Due to Hull's low lying flood plane, cellars where far and few between, places like Leeds etc had cellars, workers lived in these overcrowded cellars, whereas in Hull you at least got a house!! (even though the sewers where almost non existant, it still seemed attractive)

As far as Lincolnshire folk are concerned the added attraction of the newly built ferry landing must have been an added attraction.

Seed crushing and paint making was also rapidly expanding, making Hull a thriving port and an industrial town when many where flagging at that time.

Hope this is of help.

Bibby Hull and Wigan.  Rewston Hull Lincolnshire. Reeve Lincolnshire

Offline Bee

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 10 January 05 00:32 GMT (UK) »
After reading all these posts it makes you wonder if there was anyone left in Norfolk.

On my side they where ag labs in Norfolk and remained ag labs in and around Hull.

On my husbands side his Norfolk/Suffolk connections seem to have come along the coast.

Bee
Dinsdale, Ellis, Gee, Goldsmith,Green,Hawks,Holmes,  Lacey, Longhorn, Pickersgill, Quantrill,Tuthill, Tuttle & Walker,  in E & W Yorks, Lincs, Norfolk & Suffolk. Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Nick Carver

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #6 on: Monday 10 January 05 08:24 GMT (UK) »
Thanks for all these postings. It certainly fits with what I know about my family. Amongst the daughters of these migrant workers, quite a few worked in the cotton mill, whilst the men went into the docks or shipping related industries. It's heartening how a short local history lesson can piece all these things together. Much appreciated !
E Yorks - Carver, Steels, Cross, Maltby, Whiting, Moor, Laybourn
W Yorks - Wilkinson, Kershaw, Rawnsley, Shaw
Norfolk - Carver, Dowson
Cheshire - Berry, Cooper
Lincs - Berry
London/Ireland/Scotland/Lincs - Sullivan
Northumberland/Durham - Nicholson, Cuthbert, Turner, Robertson
Berks - May
Beds - Brownell

Offline Floss

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 12 January 05 13:51 GMT (UK) »
Some of my ancestors moved from Polperro in Cornwall up to Hull and Grimsby.  Most of the male members had occupations to do with the sea ie coast guards/fisherman so its thought that when work 'dried up' in Polperro they moved upwards to Hull and Grimsby both busy fishing ports.

fiona
Cutsforth - Hull
Blades/Donson - Lincolnshire
Forward - Hull/Lincolnshire/Polperro
Fryman - Grimsby
Seed - Dewsbury/Lincolnshire
McIlduff - Portadown/Glasgow
McIntosh - Aberdeen/Glasgow
Beattie - Angus/Aberdeen
Census Information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Nick Carver

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Re: Why did people move to Hull in 1840s?
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 13 January 05 14:52 GMT (UK) »
FWIW, I've just discovered that one of the brothers mentioned above worked in the railways. I think that perfectly underlines what has been said in this thread.
E Yorks - Carver, Steels, Cross, Maltby, Whiting, Moor, Laybourn
W Yorks - Wilkinson, Kershaw, Rawnsley, Shaw
Norfolk - Carver, Dowson
Cheshire - Berry, Cooper
Lincs - Berry
London/Ireland/Scotland/Lincs - Sullivan
Northumberland/Durham - Nicholson, Cuthbert, Turner, Robertson
Berks - May
Beds - Brownell