Hull's History Centre construction gets underway

The Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Hull marked the official start of Hull's ambitious new £7m history and archive centre, the Hull History Centre. Cllr Brenda Petch was joined by the University of Hull, members of the Hull History Centre Steering Group and contractor ISG in the ground-breaking ceremony, which signals the start of work on the landmark centre, a partnership between Hull City Council and the University of Hull.

The start of the work marks a key element in the continuous programme of development in the city, creating a 'one-stop history shop' for the people of the city to get answers to all their historical and genealogical questions.

It will bring together the city archives, local studies library and the University of Hull's collections of archives in areas such as local history, politics, literature and human rights. Judy Burg, University Archivist said: "Our planning for this project has been focused on improving access to the archives and local studies material that we look after, as well as ensuring its preservation for the future. We know that this new centre will make a tremendous difference to the way people are able to experience and enjoy this written heritage, so it is great to see our ideas begin to take physical shape today." The centre has been made possible thanks to a major grant secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the largest HLF grant ever awarded to the city. The second largest was the £6m grant awarded to transform East Park in July 2002. Fiona Spiers, Heritage Lottery Fund Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, commented: "This is a very exciting day, marking the start of a scheme that will bring to life the rich history of Hull. Although cities and communities change over time, the legacy of the past is a thread of continuity and gives us strong roots to grow, so we are proud to support Hull's ambitions to ensure everyone has the chance to explore their heritage." The centre, which is situated on the former Mason Street car park site, has been designed by Pringle Richards Sharratt architects, with ISG as lead contractor on the scheme. The site will include environment control archive facilities for nearly 7,000m of archives and 110,000 published items of national importance, from poetry to local history including letters from William Wilberforce and papers from Philip Larkin. Public areas include a flexible lecture theatre, library, reading rooms and IT and microform room. An impressive public arcade, the full length of the centre, will be home to a café and small exhibitions.

The floods which hit the city last summer underlined the critical importance of making provision for the city's heritage, similarly at risk from flood damage. The History Centre will store the archives and local studies material at first floor level, safely out of the way of any future rising water.

The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2009.

Comments