KINGSTON UPON HULL, MY BIRTHPLACE

Kingston upon Hull, often shortened to Hull, is a city in East Yorkshire, England, located where the River Hull meets the Humber Estuary, about 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Historically a market town, military supply port, trading hub, and a significant fishing and whaling center, Hull has evolved into a modern city with a rich maritime heritage and a growing cultural scene.

The city's origins date back to the 12th century, developing as a port for the wool trade by the monks of Meaux Abbey. In 1293, King Edward I acquired the town, then known as Wyke, and in 1299 granted it a Royal Charter, renaming it Kingston upon Hull. Its strategic location made it a vital port, facilitating trade with Europe and beyond.

Hull played a notable role in English history, particularly during the English Civil War when it sided with Parliament and famously denied entry to King Charles I, an act considered to have contributed to the start of the conflict. The city also became a center for the anti-slavery movement, being the birthplace of William Wilberforce, a key figure in the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. His birthplace, Wilberforce House, is now a museum. While its traditional industries like fishing and whaling have declined, Hull remains an important port city with modern docks handling significant cargo. It has also seen regeneration efforts, particularly after being named the UK City of Culture in 2017, which brought investment and highlighted its cultural assets.

Culturally, Hull offers a variety of attractions, including The Deep, a striking aquarium; the Museums Quarter in the Old Town, featuring the Streetlife Museum and the Hull and East Riding Museum; and the Ferens Art Gallery, home to a diverse collection of art. The city also has a vibrant arts scene with theaters and music venues, including the legendary Adelphi Club. Hull's unique character is reflected in its dialect, known as "Hullensian," and its friendly, resilient population.

[Gimbal Walk TV]

BOOK DAY 2021 @ 'BIBLIODIESTE'

[Cover photo from XIXth century edition of 'Robinson Crusoe']

 April 23rd is BOOK DAY. This year our school library has proposed an activity to commemorate this day: to fill up the library's noticeboard with book sleeves that students, teachers and school staff hand in. It can be the book you're reading, one that you like a lot or of special interest... The noticeboard will be covered with all the ones received.

I have chosen and sent Daniel Defoe's "ROBINSON CRUSOE", his first novel published in 1719. The book is an exciting story of a shipwreck and adventure on a tropical island. It's also considered the first English novel and one of the great myths of Western civilization with Don Quixote or Faust. 

Apart from this, my choice, among other reasons, is because Robinson Crusoe set off on his adventure trip from the place where I was born: Kingston upon HULL.

These are the photos of all the book sleeves sent on display:

LONDON TRAIN STATION DEPENDING ON YOUR ORIGIN OR DESTINATION.

This map shows you by the different colours which London railway station you have to arrive to or leave from depending on your origin or destination, respectively.

EUSTON if you travel to or from the Western England, Scotland and North Wales. (Glasgow,  Blackpool, Liverpool, Manchester)

MARYLEBONE if you travel from or to a small area of Northeast London.

PADDINGTON if you travel from or to South Wales, Somerset. (Cardiff, Bristol, Oxford, Reading)

WATERLOO if you travel from or to the South West: Devon & Cornwall. (Plymouth, Exeter, Southampton)

VICTORIA if you travel from or to the central South coast (Portsmouth, Brighton)

LONDON BRIDGE if you travel from or to the South West coast (Canterbury, Dover)

FENCHURCH STREET if you travel to or from East Anglia.

KINGS CROSS if you travel to the Eastern England & Scotland (Edinburgh, Leeds, Hull)

St PANCRAS if you travel from or to the Midlands & the Eurostar train to/from the continent (Paris & Brussels).

"JOY", TRACEY THORN'S CHRISTMAS SONG FOR 2012

 

Every Christmas, a British or American popstar comes around with their own Christmas album or Christmas song. This Christmas isn't going to be different. They usually cover traditional Christmas songs. This time it's Tracey Thorn's turn. Tracey Thorn was the voice of the 80s duo Everything But The Girl, which she formed together with Ben Watt, after meeting in 1981 at Hull University. The have worked as a duo until 2003. In 2007, Tracey started a solo career. Now, she has made up her own Christmas album "TINSEL & LIGHTS", collecting not so much traditional Christmas songs, but songs that have a Christmas or wintery atmosphere to them, where snow, cold or Christmas concepts are mentioned. And here's the video-single from it "JOY". The video was shot in Lille's traditional Christmas Market in France. En-joy!

 

Video "JOY", Tracey Thorn:

Lyrics "JOY", Tracey Thorn:
WHEN SOMEONE VERY DEAR
CALLS YOU WITH THE WORDS "EVERYTHING'S ALL CLEAR"
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR
BUT YOU KNOW IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT IN THE NEW YEAR
THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY
WE HANG THE LIGHTS SO HIGH
JOY
JOY

YOU LOVED IT AS A KID
BUT NOW YOU NEED IT MORE THAN YOU EVER DID
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DARK
YOU SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE SPARK
THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY
THE CAROLS MAKE YOU CRY
JOY...

THE TINSEL ON THE TREE, YES I SEE
THE HOLLY ON THE DOOR, LIKE BEFORE
THE CANDLES IN THE GLOOM, LIGHT THE ROOM
THE SALLY ARMY BAND, YES I UNDERSTAND

SO LIGHT THE WINTER FIRE
AND WATCH AS THE FLAMES GROW HIGHER
WE'LL GATHER UP OUR FEARS
AND FACE DOWN ALL THE COMING YEARS
AND ALL THAT THEY DESTROY
AND IN THEIR FACE WE THROW OUR JOY
JOY...

IT'S WHY WE HANG THE LIGHTS SO HIGH
AND GAZE AT THE GLOW OF SILVER BIRCHES IN THE SNOW
BECAUSE OF THE DARK WE SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE SPARK
WE MUST BE ALRIGHT IF WE COULD MAKE UP CHRISTMAS NIGHT"