THESE PHOTOS of old Hedon have been sent in by Malc Ripley. We haven’t included them in Malc’s ongoing Ripley’s Reminiscences series – because can anyone still living remember these scenes!?
As ever, anyone who can add additional information about these scenes (Hedon Market Place and Hedon Railway Station) please leave a comment.
The shop in the first picture of St Augustine’s Gate, which is now the off-licence, was ‘J & J.S Soutter’ which was a chemist and grocery shop. In the 1901 census my great-grandfather, Alfred Edwin Markham, is listed as a grocer’s assistant and worked at the shop. He lived above the shop (which was until recently ‘The Audio Room’) with his family. My granddad often used to escape a beating from his father by climbing out of that upstairs window and getting down to the street via the drainpipe! …Or so the story goes!
Hull and Hedon Turnpike Trust Road
The road between Kingston upon Hull (North Bridge) and Hedon (Sacred Gate) became a toll-road by Act of Parliament, 1745. It was required, inter alia, that “Stones or posts to be erected at distances of one mile each from the other in order to mark or denote the distances of any one town or place.” Six of the seven mileposts are extant, including the mounting block style milepost in Soutter Gate, Hedon. The inscription, in two lines, is clearly legible: From Hull VIII Miles
© Copyright Bernard Sharp and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Thomas Hayton sent in this photo of the stone marker in front of the Hedon old-station car park in October last year, with the Question “Can you guess what it is?”
But another question is “Where did it come from? It obviously wasn’t in that position when the Railway was open?”
It looks like a mile stone plus step up to get into a stage coach
Stuart from Hull
The same scene today at Hedon Station (almost!):
After discussing within the Facebook group ”The East Riding of Yorkshire – Past, Present and Future” we came to the conclusion it is a Milestone used for distance. Someone also said; ‘It was for getting on your horse with, ladies couldn’t just jump on and there were a lot of them about ;-)’
It reads ‘Hull 8 Miles’. Not everyone could read in those days hence the roman numerals.