Hull Truck Theatre Archive Project: The Prologue

Welcome to the first blog of the Hull Truck Theatre Archive Project! Hull University Archives (HUA) was recently awarded funding through the Archives Revealed grant programme to catalogue the archives of Hull Truck Theatre. The programme is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and The National Archives. The grant has enabled HUA to employ a Project Archivist (me!) to catalogue the full collection and will also support various outreach activities, including an end of project exhibition highlighting the fascinating history, people, and stories of Hull Truck.

Hull Truck Theatre began in 1971, founded by Mike Bradwell, using a house in Coltman Street as its base of operations. From humble beginnings with only a very small group of actors, the company steadily grew and in 1983 moved to Spring Street Theatre. A year later John Godber became artistic director and in 2010 the purpose-built Hull Truck opened on Ferensway.

Truck has always championed local writers and local stories, such as John Godber’s rugby league play ‘Up ‘n’ Under’, whilst also providing an extensive variety of productions including classics, Shakespeare, comedies, thrillers and more. Since its early days, the company has also produced plays for children and over the decades its Youth Theatre has performed many wonderful productions, providing early acting experience for a number of future film and TV stars.

Hull Truck Theatre’s Archive reflects this varied and fascinating history. Full of production files containing scripts, stage plans, costume designs, administrative papers and more, offering an unparalleled opportunity to explore the creative work of such a locally and nationally significant theatre company. Alongside the production files, there are hundreds of photographs, posters, and a range of audio-visual material.

How it started…

Unsurprisingly, given Truck’s long history (over 50 years!), the archival collection is extensive, at over 90 linear metres. The collection arrived in a variety of large, standard office boxes and work is already underway to list and repack the material into archival quality non-acidic boxes and folders. Once an initial list has been compiled, the records can then be catalogued in detail enabling access to any interested researchers.

The project is still in its early stages, so do keep an eye on the Hull History Centre blog for future updates on the project’s progress and highlights from the collection!

How it’s going…

 

Verity Minniti

Hull Truck Theatre Project Archivist

A lifelong conversation: the correspondence of Philip and Eva Larkin

 

A lifelong conversation: the correspondence of Philip and Eva Larkin

Philip Larkin is internationally renowned for his poetry, but there were many other sides to the poet. He was a well-regarded University Librarian, an avid amateur photographer, a jazz enthusiast, a prolific letter writer, and a devoted son. Much has been written over the years about Larkin’s childhood and familial relationships, with suggestions that he had somewhat difficult relationships with both his parents. Despite whatever issues there may have been, Larkin wrote at least one letter home every week for over thirty years, increasing the frequency of this endeavour towards the end of his mother’s life. His letters home number over 3800, date from 1938 to 1977, and provide an unparalleled insight into Larkin’s relationship with his parents, particularly his mother Eva, but also his own views of his poetry, librarianship, romantic relationships, friends, and current events. This correspondence was not one-sided, with Eva writing an equivalent number of letters to her son in return. Building on the invaluable work of volunteers Ivor Maw and Philip Pullen, a full catalogue of Larkin’s correspondence with his parents is now available (U DLN) for anyone interested in Larkin’s life and poetry.

Larkin’s letters to his parents began in earnest when he left home to take up his place studying English at St John’s College, University of Oxford, in 1940. Exempt from military service on medical grounds, Larkin’s studies were left relatively undisturbed by the war (aside from a stint as a fire-watcher) and much of his early correspondence is thus unsurprisingly given over to details of his course, tutors, friends and college events. There is, however, also genuine concern for his parents’ safety, the fate of Coventry in the Blitz, and comments regarding various friends who had been called to serve in the armed forces. He also discusses his early poetry, some of which was published in University magazines, and he clearly shared a love of literature with his father, Sydney. Philip raises doubts about his academic potential as well as his poetry, showing a lack of confidence in his abilities that would continue throughout his life. Amongst all this, he also took care to answer his parents’ questions and comment on their activities.

 

Post-university, Larkin had his first serious romantic relationship, with Ruth Bowman, and his long-term partners Monica Jones and Maeve Brennan are regularly mentioned in his later letters. Following the death of his father in 1948, his letters home begin to focus more significantly on domestic issues, reflecting the importance of the domestic in Eva’s life and letters. In her letters to Philip, Eva often gives thanks for the practical help Philip would give her during his visits, as well as his advice on financial and legal matters, such as the sale of Penvorn the Larkin family home in Coventry which was eventually sold under a compulsory purchase order to make way for a new road. Eva’s letters are full of the minutiae and concerns of domestic life, with Philip’s replies carefully attending to her worries and detailing some of his own annoyances, such as damp rooms or unappetising food offered by his landladies.

 

Once settled into (or perhaps resigned to) a professional life as a librarian, Philip’s letters to Eva become valuable sources for this aspect of his life. There’s commentary on his busy workload, his fear of public speaking, his dislike of Library Committee meetings, and his regard for colleagues, particularly Betty Mackereth and Brenda Moon. Of course, news of friends, such as Kinglsey Amis, Bruce Montgomery and many others, his interests of jazz, football and cricket, and his holidays, all continue to feature. Philip’s physical health, such as his deteriorating hearing and his weight gain, begins to be included more prominently in his letters as he gets older alongside his ongoing difficulties with depression and low moods, a condition he appears to have shared with his mother. And beside all this, his letters provide details of his poetry writing, broadcasting, and publications, with Eva’s letters revealing her enjoyment of and pride in her son’s literary accomplishments.

 

Larkin addressed and signed many of his letters to Eva to his dear “Old Creature”, his care for his mother obvious both in words and through his drawings. He included small pen drawings in a great number of his letters to Eva, most depicting either himself and/or Eva as sea lions often undertaking some activity or task described in the letters. Some drawings are humorous, some loving, some simple faces, whilst others are intricately detailed, but all suggest an attentive creator who took time and effort to compose an interesting missive.

 

Both Larkin’s and Eva’s letters, however, are not without controversy. Dating between 1938 and 1977 it is, perhaps, unsurprising that both correspondents convey various outdated and offensive attitudes, particularly regarding immigrants to the United Kingdom. Larkin’s writing also contains opinions that would now be considered misogynistic and in other cases antisemitic. Consequently, any researcher should approach the letters with this in mind.

 

Philip and Eva Larkin’s letters offer fascinating insight into not only their devoted, yet somewhat complicated, mother-son relationship, but also into their individual personal lives. Moreover, Philip’s side of the correspondence offers researchers on all aspects of his life and work unparalleled access to the thoughts of the man himself. An invaluable source for Larkinites, the full catalogue for the Papers of the Larkin Family (U DLN), including Philip’s and Eva’s letters, can now be accessed here: U DLN

 

Verity Minniti, Archives Assistant, University of Hull

For full transcripts of Larkin’s letters and further reading, see ‘Philip Larkin: Letters Home 1936-1977’ edited by James Booth (Faber, 2018). 

Staff at the Stumps: The University Staff Cricket Club Archive

The archive revisited

In 2012, the Secretary of the University Staff Cricket Club donated the club’s existing records to Hull University Archives. Some work was undertaken to catalogue the material at the time; however, we revisited the collection as part of our University Records Project. As archivists, we sometimes revisit previously catalogued collections to enhance the descriptions. Our aim in doing this is to make collections more discoverable to researchers. Having completed this work, we have now relaunched the collection under the newly assigned reference number of ‘U DSCC’.

Work on the collection prompted great interest amongst the cricket fans on our staff, who were fascinated by the old score books, playing records, and fixture lists. We wanted to know more about the Club’s history, and it occurred to us that others might be equally interested.

First scoring book of the University Staff Cricket Club, 1949-1958 [U DSCC/2/1]

The openers

The story starts in 1949. A group of like-minded employees from the University College of Hull (as the University of Hull was then known) met in the Senior Common Room on campus to form a cricket club run by committee. K.R. Bull, a lecturer in Physical Education within the Adult Education Department was appointed as the first secretary, treasurer and captain. Others in attendance at this meeting were H. H. Lucas (lecturer in French), H. W. Parsons, O. A. W. Dilke (assistant lecturer in Classics), G. Bond (lecturer in Geology), J. Webster, A. R. White (lecturer in Philosophy), and A. W. Green (lecturer in English). Together, they formed the University Staff Cricket Club and invited the University College Principal, Professor A.E. Morgan, to act as President of the club. 

These first officers drafted a constitution to guide the running and activities of the club, the same being approved by the committee on 14 May 1949. It was agreed that the membership should be open to all academics and research students, plus guests by invitation. The club’s ethos was inclusive. The aim of the founding members was not to field the strongest possible team, but rather to provide opportunities for anyone who wished to play cricket. Although at first glance the exclusion of administrative staff and non-research students might seem at odds with such an inclusive approach, it can be explained by the fact that several other University cricket teams appear in the score books of the club, suggesting multiple teams existed on campus at simultaneously.

Fixtures

From 1956 to 1985, G. A. S. Bunker from the Department of Educational Studies served as Fixture Secretary, ensuring that the annual scheduling of matches ran smoothly. It stands as testament to Bunker’s organisational skills that we have surviving fixture lists from 1955, though nothing before then.

Fixtures list for 1955 [U DSCC/5]

Over the years, members of the club played regular matches against numerous local teams. Until the mid-1950s, a match against the University Employees Cricket Club was one of the earliest fixtures of season and was always held on or around the University’s Founders Day in May. 

Scoring card for the club's first recorded match, which was played against the Employees Cricket Club, 1949 [U DSCC/2/1]

Other University of Hull sides featured regularly in the programme, including teams fielded by the Students Union, Law Society, Liberal Society, History Society, and Research Students Association. Works teams were a staple in the programme, and the club regularly played against sides fielded by Hull Town Clerks, Northern Dairies, Hull Education Department, Wilson Line Company, and Earle's Shipping Company. Regular fixtures were arranged with local school and college sides, including Hymers Staff, Old Hymerians, Hull Training College, Kingston High Staff, Malet Lambert, Sir Henry Cooper Staff, and Riley High. Matches were also played against local town and village teams, including Hull Zingari, Melton, Welton, Brantingham, Yapham, Hutton Cranswick, South Holderness, and various Cottingham sides. There were even regular matches played against sides fielded by other universities, namely Sheffield, Leeds, and Durham. It’s a demonstration of just how popular cricket has been locally that the club had such a large pool of teams to play against. 

Surviving fixtures cards from the 1980s [U DSCC/6/4]

Regional university cricket

One element of the club’s history that fascinated us in the office, was the role Hull seems to have played in kickstarting annual festivals played between cricket teams fielded by universities in the north. These festivals began in 1969, when Hull hosted an inaugural Universities Staff Cricket Festival. 

Material sent to prospective participants in the inaugural Universities Staff Cricket Festival, 1969 [U DSCC/5/3]

The idea for the festival originated at Hull. It had been proposed at the club's 1969 AGM by two members, J. W. Owen and R. W. Walker, in the wake of a tour of Newcastle and Durham which had taken place in June 1968. Four sides participated: Hull, Keele, Leeds, and a combined Newcastle/Durham team. 

Fixtures played during the inaugural Universities Staff Cricket Festival, 1969 [U DSCC/5/3]

Inaugural Universities Staff Cricket Festival results table, 1969 [U DSCC/5/3] 

The festival became an annual event. Hull took part whenever possible, though low membership and financial issues during the 1970 and 1980s caused problems with fielding teams. Additionally, Hull’s participation in the 1989 festival was prevented on political grounds. The University was, at this time, involved in an employment rights case over the dismissal of a lecturer, Edgar Page. Nottingham, the hosts of the festival in this year, informed Hull that they could only field a team if Page’s case had been resolved, which it was not.

Correspondence between Nottingham and Hull regarding Hull's participation in the 1989 Universities Staff Cricket Festival [U DSCC/5/5]

Captains

Over the years, club players have been captained by K. R. Bull (1949-54), H. K. Bevan (1955-57), H. W. Parsons (1958-59), J. M. A. Barker (1960-61), T. T. B. Ryder (1962-65), R. Walker (1966-68, 1974, 1976, 1978), K. J. Toyne (1969-70), J. Dunning-Davies (1971-72), J. W. Owen (1973), W. Owen (1975), A. Lee (1977), and M. Smith (1979-85). Research undertaken in 1985 by the club secretary, Mike Turner, collated match results to show the club’s wins, losses and draws by decade as follows: 1950s - 49/48/32; 1960s - 65/54/26; 1970s - 74/131/10; 1980s - 45/61/5. His research suggests that club sides had the highest success rate under the captains of the 1950s and 1960s, but played the most matches under the captains of the 1970s.

That’s lunch!

Taking a break from the playing of cricket, there was also a social side to membership of the club. Members met annually at an Annual General Meeting, first held in 1950, and an annual club dinner was instituted in 1967. A Mr. Bower served as 'Master of the Revels' between 1967-1984, making sure that this social activity took place. 

Receipt for payment of expenses for an annual dinner held at the Pearson Park Hotel in November 1975 [U DSCC/5/2]

In 1998, a special anniversary dinner was held to mark the club's 50th birthday, with many former players returning or sending messages of support.

50th anniversary dinner invite response sent by Alan Boner, 1998 [U DSCC/5/8]

There was even a double page spread printed in the University Bulletin.

50th anniversary article printed in the University Bulletin, 1998 [U DSCC/5/8]

All Out! Not yet…

In 2023, the club marked its 75th anniversary with a free Indoor Cricket event at the University Sports Centre. It continues to operate, providing an outlet for members of staff interested in playing cricket.

Bowled over by cricket? 

Discover the collection yourself by consulting the online catalogue for a description of the records, and by visiting the History Centre to see the original material.

Hull History Centre also holds the records of Hull Zingari Cricket Club [C DSZC], Hull Cricket Club [C DSHC], East Riding Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association [C DSUS], East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance [C DSEC], East Riding Amateur Cricket League and East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance [C DSAC], and Wilson Line Cricket Club [U DX360].

Claire, Archivist (Hull University Archives)

T.W. Bamford: The Academic Who Defined Our University’s Story

The First Fifty Years

In 1978, the Oxford University Press published ‘The University of Hull: The First Fifty Years’ written by Thomas William Bamford, a British academic researcher and lecturer at the University of Hull. It is from this book that we have a clear understanding of the foundation and early development of the University during the 1920s and 1930s, as well as the expansion of the University site from a series of fields to the core of the campus we know today.

Bamford's history of the University of Hull in it's first 50 years

Bamford Before Hull

We could be forgiven for thinking that the author of such a work was an historian, however, Bamford’s academic background was in Zoology and Education. Born 26 August 1912, Bamford began his academic career in Zoology, gaining a B.Sc. (London) Class II in Zoology (1935), carrying out research on Herring and Galeichthys, and completing a Ph.D. (London) in Zoology (1947). Bamford's academic interests then turned to education, and he completed a Teachers Diploma in 1947. He went on to study for a Masters degree in Education from London, which he completed in 1953, and received a D.Litt. from London in 1969. His research in this area focused on the 19th century history of public-school education and he published numerous papers and works on the subject.

Prior to joining Hull, Bamford held a research post at the University College London and Courtauld Institute (1935-1938). During the Second World War he worked at the Air Ministry (1939-1941) in a civilian role, followed by a post with the Meteorological Branch of the R.A.F. (1941-1945). After the war, he was appointed Biology Master at Raynes Park County Grammar School (1947-1950), leaving in 1951 to take up the post of Lecturer in Biology and Health Education at Borough Road College (1951-1955).

Perhaps Bamford’s interest in writing a work of history can be found in his connections to Zoology, Biology, Marine Ecosystems, Aeronautics, and the teaching of Education, as all these subjects formed a significant part of the early development of the University.

Bamford at Hull

Bamford’s association with the University of Hull began on 1 April 1955, when he was appointed Senior Tutor in the University's Institute of Education. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1964 and, subsequently, to Reader in 1970. Concurrently, he served as Deputy Director of the Institute of Education from 1967, becoming Director in 1976. In 1976, a year before his retirement, Bamford was awarded a Personal Professorship, and was granted the title of Emeritus Professor by University Council in October 1977, shortly after his retirement.

But for the purposes of this blog, we’re interested in the academic session 1974/75, when Bamford was appointed by the University Publications Committee to produce a history of the University of Hull. The work was commissioned to mark the University's 50th anniversary in 1977/1978. 

Using existing administrative records kept by the University, he uncovered the early development of the University, tracing it from its origins as a University College under the University of London's authority, to a university in its own right. He also spoke and corresponded with professorial staff who had been associated with the University since its formation. After several years of research and writing, Bamford delivered a manuscript to the Publications Committee in February 1977. For his efforts, he was given an honorarium of £500, with a further sum payable on publication of the work. In a letter dated 30 September 1976, which was found within Bamford’s University of Hull personnel file, Vice-Chancellor Dennison commented on the matter: 

'Characteristically, he [Bamford] said that he was willing to undertake the work without payment but I told him that we should wish to recognise it in this way.' 

Alongside the book, Bamford was asked to give one of two public talks as part of the University’s Jubilee celebrations. Bamford's talk was titled 'The History of the University' and was delivered on 13 October 1977. A companion talk, titled 'From Explosion to Implosion: The Robbins Era', was given by Professor J. P. Kenyon on 18 October 1977. Both texts were subsequently printed in the 1978 Spring Term edition of the University Gazette. 

University Gazette, Spring 1978

In further recognition of his work, the University presented Bamford with reproductions of original sketches for the coat of arms of the University College of Hull in August 1982.

A Research Collection of Note

Whilst working on the book, Bamford built up a small but significant research archive. The collection is now held by Hull University Archives, having been found amongst papers transferred from the Institute of Education Library in 1985 and donated by Bamford. It has been catalogued as part of a long-running project to rationalise and make accessible University-related collections ahead of the University’s Centenary in 2027/2028.

We might think that, because we have access to Bamford’s published work, there would be no need to keep his research papers. However, in addition to his research notes, this collection contains a surprising amount of original material. There are sets of correspondence of the University’s first Secretary and Principal with various individuals and organisations, as well as original notes and extracts from minutes, and short accounts of the University's foundation.

Overview of the University College shortly after it was founded, c.1928

There are mentions of Forsyth and Maule, the original Architects engaged by the University to develop the site and a layout plan showing suggested developments for the campus site. There are also references to negotiations around the transfer of lands from the Local Education Authority to the University College for its use, including ‘8 Acre Field’, a strip of land on the Newland High School grounds, and a site purchased by T.R. Ferens on 30 May 1922. 

Layout plan showing architect's suggestions for the campus site, c.1927

In addition, there are a number of pamphlets which were produced by the University in its early days. These include a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the University College of Hull dated 1927 with amendments up to 1952; an article written by A.E. Morgan, the first Principal of the University titled ‘The Modern University and University College’, written around 1927; and a paper titled ‘The Proposed University College at Hull dated around 1927.

Pamphlets found within Bamford's archive, c.1927

The collection also contains an illustrated description of the University’s Coat of Arms titled ‘A Lesson in Heraldry - The University College of Hull’, which was produced around 1927.

Pamphlet on the Coat of Arms of the University College of Hull, c.1927, plus illustrated description of the Coat of Arms of the University of Hull, c.1954

When working through the collection to describe the individual items it contains, it became increasingly evident that some of the original material must have come from the University’s own institutional records. A number of the folders containing the original material featured reference numbers, such as ‘Parcel 9’, which match the filing system for sequences of Vice Chancellor’s and Registrar’s files also held in the University Archives. We could only conclude that several of these files must have been borrowed from the University’s own administrative files sequences by Bamford, who had then forgotten to return them.

Original folder labelled 'Parcel 9'

Whilst we might lament the disruption of original record series (although this is perhaps more galling to the archivist than the general public!), Bamford's work should rightly be recognised as a solid, thorough and authoritative representation of the practical and factual development of the University over the course of its first fifty years. He laid the ground work upon which subsequent researchers interested in this history have been able to build.

Full Circle

Fifty years on, as we prepare for the University’s Centenary, we’re still drawing on the information uncovered by Bamford. His surviving and newly catalogued archive will be used to support current research, hopefully uncovering some new stories! Whereas Bamford focused on dates, buildings, and departments, we hope to supplement his research by adding layers of personal stories to build a greater and more people-focused picture of the University Community over its first 100 years.

You can discover the archive yourself by using the online catalogue to view a description of the records, and by visiting the History Centre to see the original material.

Claire, Archivist (Hull University Archives)