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Through the years / Hessle Road, Hull
A Walk Through History
Eight selected moments, from the Vauxhall in existence by 1814 to the fishing docks, safety campaign and today’s heritage project.
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Our illustrated heritage collection.Read the story alongside the artwork.
Researched 10 October 2026 · A growing community archive
01
By 1814 - Vauxhall Tavern
Historic England records the Vauxhall Tavern as already in existence by 1814. Its origins lie in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century; 1814 is a documented latest date for its existence, not a confirmed opening year.
02
1883 - St Andrew's Dock opens
The dock opened on 24 September 1883. Known locally as the Fish Dock, it became closely associated with Hull's fishing fleet and the families of the Hessle Road area.
03
1899 - The electric tram era
Hull's electric tram service began in 1899. Hessle Road was one of the first routes, linking its shops and neighbourhoods with the city's changing transport network.
04
1906 - Remembering fishermen
The Fishermen's Memorial at the junction of Boulevard and Hessle Road was unveiled on 30 August 1906. It remembers losses connected with the 1904 attack on Hull's fishing fleet by the Russian Baltic Fleet.
05
1920 - Boyes arrives
Boyes opened its Hessle Road store in 1920. Fabrics, household goods and everyday purchases became part of the shopping memories associated with this familiar name.
06
1968 - The headscarf campaign
Following the Triple Trawler Disaster, women from the Hessle Road fishing community, led by Lillian Bilocca and fellow campaigners, fought for better safety at sea.
07
1975 - A changing fishing industry
St Andrew's Dock closed to shipping on 3 November 1975, after the decision to transfer fishing activity to Albert Dock. The closure was an important change in the area's working life.
08
Today - Keeping stories alive
HessleRoad.com is part of Hull Creative Skills and Heritage CIC. The Vauxhall Tavern and cafe are part of the project, alongside plans for a heritage centre and creative workshops.
Your part of the story
What do you remember?
Send a photograph, family memory, name or correction. Include the place, approximate date, the people you recognise and permission to publish.Email Info@hessleroad.com ↗Contribution guidance →Research sources & illustration notes
A chronological collection of selected moments, rather than a mapped walking route. The dock is included for its direct connection with Hessle Road’s working life. Illustrations are symbolic vignettes, not precise reconstructions at each date; the Vauxhall portrait does not claim to show its appearance in 1814.
Vauxhall Tavern: Historic England, list entry 1197745. ↗
St Andrew's Dock opening and closure dates: Hull History Centre. ↗
Hull electric tram service: Hull Museums. ↗
Hessle Road among the first electric routes: transport-history research. ↗
Fishermen's Memorial: Historic England, list entry 1197743. ↗
Memorial inscription and unveiling date: Royal Museums Greenwich, M2626. ↗
Boyes: the company's own announcement of its Hessle Road anniversary confirms the 1920 opening. ↗
1968 safety campaign: Hull History Centre, Remembering Lillian Bilocca. ↗
Current project context: CIC website and the founder's project details. ↗
Follow another thread
There’s more to discover.
The Working Life of Hessle Road ↗The Headscarf Revolutionaries ↗View all 18 illustrated stories →
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