Kingston upon Hull

Hull or Kingston upon Hull is a British city situated on the north bank of the Humber estuary. It is surrounded by the East Riding of Yorkshire, but is a unitary authority. The council is today called Hull City Council, and refers to the city as Hull.

Notable residents

• Andrew Marvell, poet and parliamentarian grew up in Hull and represented the town in Parliament. A secondary school is named after him in the Bilton Grange area of the city.
• William Wilberforce, the leading slavery abolitionist, was born in Hull 1759, baptised at Holy Trinity church and represented the City as its Member of Parliament until his death in 1833. A sixth form college is named after him in east the city.
• Joseph Malet Lambert, a British education reformer who proposed universal education as an economic stimulus was born in Hull in 1853. A secondary school in the east of the city is named after him.
• Thomas R. Ferens philanthropist, industrialist and Member of Parliament for East Hull from 1906-1918, proved to be one of the city's greatest benefactors, endowing among others University College, the Ferens Art Gallery, and East Park in 1927.
• Amy Johnson, the pioneering aviator who was the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, was born in Hull in 1903. A statue depicting her can be found near to the city centre's main Library.
• Though not born in the city, the notorious arsonist and serial killer Bruce Lee lived in Hull and committed his crimes there in the 1970s.
• Tom Courtenay, the highly respected actor, was born in Hull.
• Roland Gift, actor and singer with the Fine Young Cannibals, was born in Hull in 1962.
• Hull is also the adopted home of Paul Heaton, of The Housemartins and now The Beautiful South. The other members of the Beautiful South are all from Hull.
• BBC Weatherman Alex Deakin comes from the area.
• Kelly Bailey, singer, model and dramatic actress was born in Hull in 1981.
• Jon Culshaw, the impressionist and comedian, began his career as a DJ on Hull station Viking FM.
• Stevie Smith, poet, was born in Hull.
• Lionel Davidson, novelist, was born in Hull.
• Philip Larkin, poet and librarian, worked in Hull University.
• Douglas Dunn, poet, worked in Hull.
• Maureen Lipman, actress.
• Ian Carmichael, actor.
• Brian Rix, actor.
• Nick Barmby, footballer.
• Mick Ronson, guitarist with David Bowie's Spiders From Mars and musical partner of Ian Hunter.
• Reece Shearsmith, comedian, born in Hull
• Thomas Perronet Thompson, radical reformer, MP and advocate of universal suffrage was born in Hull in 1783.

Hull had a thriving music scene in the early eighties with bands such as The Red Guitars, Jane's Plane, Bushfire, The Housemartins, and Everything But the Girl (who took their name from a local furniture shop's advertising slogan). The Housemartins and EBTG went on to achieve international fame, and to a lesser extent, so did the Red Guitars. Bushfire moved down to London and became well known on the music scene there, while Jane's Plane, an all-women band of great local popularity, broke up. Later, the Hull band Kingmaker achieved moderate chart success. Roland Gift DJed at local nightclub Spiders and owned another nightclub in the city. The city currently has a moderately large hardcore punk and emo music scene.

Related Topics:
The Red Guitars - Jane's Plane - Bushfire - The Housemartins - Everything But the Girl - Advertising slogan - Roland Gift - Hardcore punk - Emo

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The Music scene in Hull is thriving at present with over a hundred bands playing at various venues across the city throughout the week. Some bands have gone on to receive national recognition. Fonda 500 and Freaks Union are regularly playlisted on MTV and The Paddingtons have been signed by former Oasis mentor Alan McGee and have had two singles enter the UK's Top 30. The Adelphi is still probably the most famous of venues in the city having hosted the likes of Radiohead, Stone Roses, Mardrae, The Fabulators and Oasis back in their formative years. Just recently in the last two years, The Sesh at Linnet & Lark has hosted weekly Live Music events with attendances averaging 300+.

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Bands to take note of include The Landau's, Turismo, The Applewhites, Dirty Dreamers, The Bonnitts, Last People On Earth and the 59 Violets.

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