HULL AND EAST RIDING CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY STORE and BHS PREMISES
1902
The Hull Co-operative Society opened its new General Offices on the corner of Jarrett Street in the city centre.
1904 June 16
With dividends reaching record levels a new Co-op Institute was built at 20 Albion Street.
1904
Hull has 16 Co-op outlets listed in the very first edition of Hull's unique Corporation telephone directory.
1904
The Hull Co-op Society opened its first store outside of the city centre in Gladstone Street, Hessle. A magic lantern and phonograph show was presented to open the store which drew a large crowd.
1905
The next store outside of the city centre was in Exeter Street, Cottingham, with the Co-operative Choral Society performing at the opening.
1908
The Hull Co-operative Central Emporium in Jameson Street was built in stages from 1908 opening for business on 29 August of the same year. The Emporium reached full size in 1935. A commemorative mug was produced by CWS Langton Pottery to mark the annual Children's Gala Day organised by the Co-op committee. The mug featured an image of the new store and was given to all Hull Co-op young savers. Esther managed to obtain one of these mugs for the SHIPS in the SKY project collection.
1911—1919
The push into the East Riding continued with further Co-op stores in Howden (1911), South Cave (1914), Withernsea (1915), Newport (1918), and Hedon (1919).
1914 August 4
Following the declaration of war against Germany in a statement from Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith in the House of Commons, much of the Co-op transport fleet was commandeered by the army.
1915 July 17
After much demand, a Hull Co-operative Dairy was opened in Great Thornton Street.
1918 November 11
End of the First World War.
1930 October 25
Philip Andrew, future chief architect of the Hull Co-op Central Premises, is born in Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport.
1933
62,000 signatures from Hull Co-op members - a nationwide record - were collected in protest against new tax proposals on Co-op workers incomes. The signatures were delivered to Westminster on countless scrolls. The petition didn’t change the mind of government but the publicity gained from collecting so signatures encouraged 5,000 new members to join the Co-op in the space of 6 months.
1934
British Home Stores (BHS) was founded in 1928 by a group of U.S. entrepreneurs who aimed to follow the successful model of Woolworths. Their first store opened in Brixton, 452-6 Brixton Road, and by the time of the company closure in 2016, they had a total of 163 stores. The first BHS Hull store opened in late 1934. The building stood of the site of the former Hull George Hotel on Whitefriargate, rebuilt between April and November 1934 in a stunning Deco Streamline Moderne style. The building still stands and is now a charity shop.
1937–64
Trolley Buses run throughout Hull, including past the Co-operative store in King Edward Street Hull City Centre.
1939
The Women's Co-operative Guild Annual Congress takes place in Hull. In the same year Guild’s membership peaked at 87,246 women, with 1,819 branches. Proceedings take place in Hull City Hall led by President Mrs E. Williams. Hull City Councillor and Lord Mayor at the time, Mr Pashby, was once an errand boy of the Hull Co-operative Society. The congress includes a public CWS Civid and Trades Exhibition, and congress delegates are offered tours of the Hull Co-operative Society store in Jameson Street where special demonstrations included pottery making.
In 2016, with 800 members and just 38 branches, the Co-operative Women’s Guild voted to dissolve the guild.
1941
On the night of 7/8 May 1941 during the infamous Hull Blitz, the Co-operative store is bombed along with many other city centre buildings. Hull was the second most bombed city outside of London, with 95% of houses suffering bomb damage.
1945 September 2
End of the Second World War.
1947 November
Temporary one-storey Hull Central Premises was opened on the site of the previous store. The temporary premises are known locally as 'The Prefab'.
1948
The CWS Architects' Department designs the layout and internal fittings for the first large-scale self-service shop in the UK.
At the age of 18 Philip Andrew goes to work as an office boy at William A Dew architect’s practice in Hyde, Cheshire. He attends art school on day release so that national service could be deferred for 5 years.
1951
Alan Boyson’s father, who was the manager of the Marple Co-operative Society, recommends Philip Andrew to the chief architect at the CWS. Philip gets a job and starts work on the 6th floor of the Co-op bank on Corporation Street in Manchester.
In the Festival of Britain year, Co-operative Press Limited in Manchester published Samuel Marshall's history of 'Co-operative development in Kingston-Upon-Hull and District'. Samuel Marshall had been the General Manager and Secretary of Hull Co-op from 1927—1950.
1955
The first stage of building commences on the new permanent Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store at 32–38 Jameson Street, Hull, HU1 3LY. The architect is E.P.Andrew, under G.S.Hay of the CWS Architects' Department. The building process is protracted and goes through four stages. During this period the Co-op continue to trade on the site.
On 21 November 1963 Hull Daily Mail wrote,"The 10 year development plan was put into operation when Mr A.B.Barnes became general manager and secretary in 1953. Mr Barnes came to Hull from Woodhouse, Sheffield, and one of his first jobs was to work out a war damage claim for the former co-operative store, which was blitzed in 1941...Work on the building as we know it today began in 1955. Stage two was started two years later and stage three in 1960. With the completion of stage four next year, the entire store will be completely fitted out with the most modern equipment."
1957
The second stage of building commences on the new Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store.
1960
The third stage of building commences on the new Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store.
1961
Alan Boyson is commissioned by Hull Co-op Central Premises chief architect, Philip Andrews, to design a mural for outside of the Skyline Ballroom. Boyson creates and completes his FISH mural in the same year. Philip Andrews also commissions Boyson to create a large external mural which results in the THREE SHIPS.
By 1961 the Hull Co-op had 19 mobile Grocery Shop vans powered by re-chargeable electric batteries and staffed by a driver and assistant. These were particularly popular in the new housing estates across the city which had limited shopping facilities.
1962 December
On Monday 10 December an opening dance is held for the fourth floor Skyline Ballroom. The opening includes music from jazzman Humphrey Lyttleton and his orchestra, supported by George Slater and The Skyliners, with vocalist Miss Patti Kane. The resident house band was called The Skysounds. The ballroom could comfortably house 750 dancers and a banquet could be provided for 500 diners. There was also a coffee lounge and a fully-licensed bar. The ballroom had a unique 'handkerchief' concrete dome roof with no supporting pillars. The dome was one of only two in the world, the other built for the Kremlin. On the opening, Mr F.Johnson president of the Hull and East Riding said, "this ballroom is a permanent part of the skyline of our city and our contribution to furthering the efforts of our city fathers in the rebuilding of Hull's shopping centre, following the blitz of May 7, 1941."
The ballroom goes on to host numerous gigs including John Lee Hooker, The Kinks and Pink Floyd, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience (former COUM member, Cosey Fanni Tutti, recalls being at this gig).
1963 October
Boyson completes his THREE SHIPS mural.
On 17 October 1963 Hull Daily Mail wrote, "Five-men in Hull have nearly finished a jigsaw with more than 1,000,000 pieces. For six weeks now they have been working, watched by shoppers and city workers, on the 80ft high mosaic mural which dominates the front of the city's new Co-operative store. Given good weather, the mural, believed to be Britain's biggest, will be finished in about a fortnight. And the people of Hull will be the first to see what it looks like in one piece. For so far it has only been laid out on the ground in sections. The five-men fixing gang from Leeds are putting it up in foot-square numbered slabs – each slab made up of 225 tiny cubes mounted on a paper backing. They have no pattern. Said foreman fixer Richard Fletcher, 'We just play it by ear as we go.' When the gang started work they discovered that the mosaic was four cubes – a little over 2in – narrower than the curved 66ft. x 64ft. concrete screen on which it is mounted. 'Four cubes does not seem much, but it meant a lot to us.' said Mr Fletcher. The mosaic contains, according to my mathematics, a total of 1,061,775 pieces, all imported especially from Italy. The Co-op commissioned Wolverhampton artist Alan Boyson to design it. The contemporary design is meant to symbolise Hull's fishing industry. What Hull thinks it symbolises will doubtless become plain when the scaffolding comes down, probably next month. "I think it may be a little bit much for people at first," said Mr Fletcher. He has been fixing mosaics for 12 years now, and the Co-op mural is three times bigger than anything he has tackled before. But it has presented few problems and rain – the mosaic fixer's biggest enemy – has halted work on only two days. Needless to say there has been no trouble from the other big hazard – too much sun, which dries the fixing cement too quickly. At the request of Hull's town planners, the design is in muted colours. But there is no fear that the pale greens and browns will lose their tones. One of the biggest advantages of glass mosaic is that it is not affected by the weather."
1963 November
On Thurdsay 21 November 1963 Hull Daily Mail wrote, "Dominating the entrance externally is a mosaic mural, 64ft by 70ft, which symbolises the city's fishing industry. The mural contains more than 1,000,000 pieces, specially imported from Italy. Interwoven through the muted colours of greens, blues and browns is the Latin inscription, 'Prosperity through industry.' The mural was designed by a Wolverhampton artist, Alan Boyson, and was put up by a five-man fixing gang from Leeds."
At 08:30 on Friday 22 November the 'Skyline Pantry' opens containing 10,400 ft of floor space. This opening marks the completion of the third stage of the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store development, including the Three Ships mural. The mural mosaic work is by Richards Tiles Ltd. of Stoke, with the mosaic slabs affixed to a steel frame by A. Andrews & Sons (Marble & Tiles) Ltd. of Leeds.
The interior Fish mural is handmade by Alan Boyson using his usual high grog content ceramic (a ceramic raw clay material, comprising silica and alumina, that has been ground up and then fired), as well as stone, salvaged marble and tile.
Co-op Display Artists: Anne, Sandra and Carole, pose in front of the Fish mural in their lunch hour (see MEMORIES tab).
Friday 22nd November On This Day John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 CST in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza.
1964
The fourth and final building stage of the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store is completed. The cost of building was £1,100,000. Trade increased four-fold since completion of phase one of the building works. The store is one of the largest in the country.
1964 November
The first UK superstore opens. Based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, the store has 50 departments, 110,000 sq.ft. of floor space, and room for 1,000 parked cars. The superstore concept was new and local newspapers didn't quite know what to call it, with one describing it as, 'A new American-style supercentre', with another, a 'shopping plaza', with The Times headline proclaiming, 'The Windowless Store Makes Its Debut'. On its opening weekend an estimated 30,000 people and 5,000 cars visited the store, causing traffic jams for miles around. The store was operated by the US-owned firm Gem International Superstores Incorporated. The site of this store is now an Asda.
1965 March 7
The Skyline Ballroom in-house band, The Skysounds, play their first gig in the ballroom.
1965 July 30
With all sections of the building now complete the store was officially opened by Sir Leonard Cooke OBE - President of the Co-operative Wholesale Society - in a ceremony that included the City's Lord Mayor - Ald. Miss Annie Major.
The store's final statistics included: 5 floors, 5 entrances, 4 main staircases, 4 passenger and 3 goods lifts, escalators to all levels, and a sales area of 146,000 sq.ft. The General Office included a 100-foot long banking counter and one of the most modern suites in the North. The store was reported to have cost £1,970,000, less war damage claims and allowances of £590,000, although an independent valuer estimated its worth as £4 million on the open market.
1969 April 22
At the Co-op Annual Meeting it was announced that the Society would sell and lease back the Central Premises, just four years after completion. The deal with a major insurance company, involved leasing a quarter of the space to British Home Stores while retaining 170,000 sq.ft in the rental for trading and office purposes. The Society in return would receive a capital sum of £2 million.
Work began on dividing up the store in readiness for British Home Stores to move in the following year.
1970 Summer
British Home Stores occupies a section of the building underneath the Three Ships mural, whilst the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store remains in the Bond Street end of the building and most of the upper floors. Both stores were linked internally at ground floor level allowing customers access between both stores.
1971 February 15
Co-op stores switch to decimal currency. Hundreds of new cash registers had to be bought and installed in readiness for the changeover.
1971 June
As working at a loss, it was decided to close The Skyline Ballroom and Bakery.
1971 August
The Skyline Ballroom and restaurant is converted into Baileys nightclub and managed by 25 year old Ray Copeland. The club had two halls - the main cabaret room that held 1200 guests seated, and 200 more standing, plus a 700 person discothèque next door.
The club DJ Tim Jibson played predominantly American soul records acquired from a US naval base where the father of his girlfriend was stationed. Other club DJs included Steve Massam, Charlie Hanna and Paul Rusling. Coach loads of dancers went to Baileys to catch unheard 'Northern' soul records. Jibsen's DJ nights are linked to the emergence of Northern Soul. The phrase 'Northern Soul' first appeared in June 1970 in a weekly column forBlues & Soul magazine written by journalist Dave Godin. Godin also ran a record shop in Covent Garden called Soul City.
1971
The legendary Eartha Kitt plays at Baileys.
1972
The Hull Co-op Society deposits their early records and meeting minutes in the Brynmor Jones Library at Hull University.
1973
Adam Faith plays at Baileys. Alec Gill from Hull photographs Adam and his band backstage.
1977 August
Hull Baileys nightclub closes.
1978
Baileys nightclub is converted into another nightclub Romeo’s & Juliet’s.
DJs at the club include Geoff Skipsey, Geoff King, Steve Tong, Pete Rob.
1978 August
The club hosts the semi-finals for the World Disco Dancing Championships.
1980s
Many pop stars such as Olivia Newton-John and Rick Astley perform at Romeo’s & Juliet’s.
1981 August
Romeo’s & Juliet’s futuristic new lighting system costing up to £50,000 is unveiled.
1982
The remaining sections of Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society store vacate the building on Saturday 7th August.
1983 November
Romeo’s & Juliet’s in Hull is chosen as one of 80 clubs across the UK to hold a casting screen test in search of a couple to appear in a new Martini advert.
1984 September
Silk's a private party suite with a two-tiered dance floor opens inside Romeo’s & Juliet’s.
There is also a separate dance room area for private hire called Samantha's where Paul Dakeyne (AKA Tinman) is DJ.
1987
Pedestrianisation takes place opposite British Home Stores, outside Fletchers and the penny fountain .
1988
Romeo’s & Juliet’s celebrates its tenth birthday.
1989/90
Jameson Street and King Edward Street junction in front of the BHS Store are pedestrianised after an earlier experiment by Hull City Council to pedestrianise Whitefriargate in June 1973.
1988 October
From October 1988, the club includes infamous Hull Hessle Road acid house/rave DJ Roscoe.
Club dress code rules included no white trousers for men, or trainers.
1991 Summer
YouTube link to Romeo’s & Juliet’s Dance Unity club night in 1991.
1991 November
On a cold in November, more than 200 police officers stormed Romeo’s & Juliet’s in a notorious large-scale police drugs raid. It was the biggest drugs operation ever seen in Hull at the time. The club is closed down.
YouTube link to footage of the Club Raid.
1993
The Three Ships is photographed by Scott Engering as part of a Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) survey of post-war architectural sculpture.
1998
The Three Ships is featured in the book 'The Shop for the People: Two Centuries of Co-operative Enterprise in Hull and East Yorkshire' by John Edward Smith, Hutton Press Ltd.
2001
The Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) changes its name to The Co-operative Group.
2003
The entire Hull Co-op/BHS building is assessed for Listing by Historic England and turned down. The internal Fish mural was not mentioned in this report.
2005 March
Manor Property Group submits planning application for the redevelopment of the building to form part of the company's 'Manor Point' project.
2007
Hull City Council grants a local listing for the Three Ships mural. The building and Fish mural are not listed.
2008 December
The Three Ships is included in the C20 Society Murals Campaign.
2009
YouTube link to an abandoned Romeo's and Juliet's club in 2009.
2011
Christopher Marsden helps Manor Properties locate and uncover the Fish mural which had been hidden by a false wall on the fourth floor.
2016 January
Building is put up for sale.
Historic England publication 'Public Art 1945–95' includes Alan Boyson, and states on p.10, that, "mural artists of this era who frequently worked with developers were very flexible; they could be relied upon to solve design problems and were capable of working in almost any medium".
2016 March
British Home Stores announces that the chain has entered administration putting 11,000 jobs at risk.
2016 May
On 30th May, the Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) submit an application for Grade II Listing, of the Three Ships and Fish murals, to Historic England. The Hull Civic Society and C20 Society also apply for Listing.
Click here for a potted History of the Campaign.
2016 June
After the collapse of British Home Stores, the building becomes vacant.
2016 June – 2018 January
Building canopy used as shelter by Hull's homeless.
2016 November
On 4th November, the application for Grade II Listing is rejected by Historic England who argue that the mural, "falls short of the high bar for listing post-war public art".
HHAG start a change.org petition to Historic England in support of the campaign for Grade II Listing.
On 22nd November HHAG makes an appeal to the Secretary of State for Culture to reconsider the decision by Historic England. An appeal decision is still to be made.
Click here for a potted History of the Campaign.
2017 January
Hull UK City of Culture commences.
The C20 Society places the Three Ships on their Buildings at Risk list.
2017 April
Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) launches ‘Keep the Coop (BHS) Mural in Hull’ campaign on change.org
From the 10–18th April, Duncan Titmarsh (the UK’s only official professional LEGO builder) creates 1,700 LEGO Daffodils out of 146,000 bricks which are displayed in front of the Three Ships. At the end of the display people were able to take a LEGO flower home in return for a donation to MIND and the Hull Citizens Advice Bureau.
2017 May
On 2nd May @BHSMuralHull Twitter account is launched.
2017 July
The Hull Tile Trail is launched on 1st July to showcase Hull’s decorative tiles, ceramics and mosaics.
Experts from the 'Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society' visit Hull on 1–2nd July.
2017 September
On 4th September Hull City Council release artist mock-ups showing how the area around the building could be redeveloped.
2017 October
Hull City Council proposes plans to compulsory purchase and demolish both the former Co-op/BHS and Edwin Davis stores (a former department store behind the Co-op building). A cost of around £5.3 million is proposed to buy and demolish both sites.
2017 December
Announcement that store canopy will be removed and blocked in due to suspected asbestos.
2018 January
The store canopy and front entrance is blocked in.
2018 February
On 5th February, marketing hoarding affixed to the front entrance/canopy states, ‘A Prime Opportunity in the Heart of the City’.
Plans for re-development are released to the public.
On 22nd February a Hull Daily Mail article announces that Hull City Council has set aside 5 million to acquire privately-owned properties including the former Edwin Davis, Co-op/BHS department stores to pave way for £130m Albion Square complex.
2018 March
On 14th March Hull City Council conduct initial inspections of the Three Ships to establish the make-up of the structure and possibilities for the planned Albion Square redevelopment.
2018 June
Expected submission of outline planning application for Albion Square development of Co-op/BHS building.
2018 July
Article Building SHIPS in the SKY by Esther Johnson and Leigh Bird published in The Modernist issue 27, July 2018.
10th July the SHIPS in the SKY film and oral history project is launched.
2018 September
Following filming on SHIPS in the SKY with EP Andrew (CWS Architect of the Jameson Street store), Architectural Historian and Alan Boyson expert, Christopher Marsden, discovers the existence of a third Alan Boyson mural, which may still be in the empty store. If any significant part of it survives it will be the most existing complete sponge print tile work of by Boyson.
2018 September
Planning Application 18/01094/OUT submitted for £130 million Albion Square development in Hull City Centre, that includes the Co-op/BHS building. The application is open for public comment until January 2019 on Hull City Council's website.
Hull Heritage Action Group's (HHAG) November 2016 appeal to DCMS against Historic England's decision not to List the Three Ships and Fish murals is still undecided. Click here for a potted History of the Campaign.
2018 November
On Thursday 29th November, Hull City Council inform Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) that they've found the third Sponge-Print Tile mural in the former Skyline Ballroom bar area. It is incomplete, and what is there has been painted over, but previous precedents show that a work of this nature should be able to be restored. The Council are looking further into it as part of their redevelopment plans for Albion Square.
Icelandic artist, Dodda Maggý’s, installation Alda (which means Wave in Icelandic and Old Norse) is projected onto the Three Ships Mural as part of Absolutely Cultured's Urban Legends: Northern Light's programme over four consecutive nights.
2019 February 14
Demolition commences of the former Edwin Davis department store on Bond Street, Hull, situated to the rear of the Hull Co-op building.
2019 February 16
House of Mirelle , a website dedicated to a high end fashion house that existed in the Hull between 1938 and 1978, publishes an article and interview with Esther about SHIPS in the SKY.
2019 February 27
On Wednesday 27 February a SHIPS in the SKY ••• SOLD OUT ••• launch at Hull Central Library takes place with a panel including: E.P. Andrew (Hull Cooperative Central Premises Architect); Leigh Bird (Project research assistant, HHAG); Paul Dakeyne (DJ for Romeo's & Juliet's); Ann Day, Sandra Hare and Carole Murray (Cooperative Store Window Display Artists'); Esther Johnson (Project artist and filmmaker); Christopher Marsden (Alan Boyson and ceramic historian), hosted by Dave Lee (Writer and filmmaker).
Hull City Council confirm that they intend to repair and restore Alan Boyson's Fish and Sponge-Print Tile mural situated inside the former Hull Coop/BHS store. The council reported that they intend to, "retain the external Three Ships mural that sits on the exterior face of the BHS building. Like the internal murals in the Co-Op building, this will follow structural surveys and investigations. As more investigations are carried out on the Three Ships mural, other options including reducing the size of the existing panel, replicating an exact match with modern materials or replacing with new work through commission or competitions may be investigated, the council said."
2019 March
BBC Look North – East Yorks and Lincs feature a broadcast about SHIPS in the SKY urging the public to get in touch with memories and/or artefacts relating to the former Hull Coop/BHS store.
2019 April 3
Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) Change campaign to have the Three Ships Grade II Listed by Historic England, surpasses 6,000 signatures.
Hull City Council's Planning Committee meet and vote to approve the current application with conditions to save the Three Ships if viable, and save and relocate the Fish and Sponge-Print Tile murals. “The outline planning application, which was approved today, includes plans to retain the BHS Three Ships Mural, as well as two internal handmade Alan Boyson murals.” Hull Daily Mail BBC Article
2019 April 5
Hull's annual pillow fight started in 2015 by Chris Snell, takes place in front of the Three Ships mural.
2019 May
The leading journal on the study of mosaics, Adamento published by the British Association for Modern Mosaic, includes in their 20th Anniversary edition, Issue No. 13 Boyson's 'Three Ships' in the 20 Best British Public Art Mosaics
2019 May 17
'Hull's Ships in the Sky' an article written by Esther Johnson is published in Tribune Magazine.
2019 August
Asbestos removal continues throughout the former Hull Co-op/BHS store
2019 September
On the 22nd September, the Hull Marathon and Relays race passes the Three Ships at the 16.5 mile mark during this maritime themed event. A SHIPS in the SKY leaflet and postcard are included in the registration and race packs. The race is maritime themed, passing iconic Hull landmarks and art installations.
2019 October 3
On 3rd October, SHIPS in the SKY release footage in their trailer teaser of the newly revealed 'Fish' mural following demolition of the rotted wooden corridor which surrounded it. Hull City Council had to demolish the corridor as it was an unsafe environment during asbestos removal. The mural was well protected and is in fine order; there is no concern about the mosaic being exposed to the elements as it was originally built to be outdoors. This became clear when talking to Christopher Marsden and EP Andrew during research and filming.
Hull Is This
Hull Daily Mail
2019 October 8
Hull City Council announce that the Three Ships will be demolished after results of a specialist asbestos survey by The Testing Lab.
BBC
BBC
ITV
Yorkshire Post
Hull Daily Mail article
2019 November 21
GRADE II LISTING status awarded to Alan Boyson's 'THREE SHIPS' mural by Historic England and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). List Entry Number: 1468073
2019 November 22
Issue #2 'Brill' of The Critical Fish launches and includes a feature 'Fish and Ships' about SHIPS in the SKY. The magazine includes a centre fold-out poster illustration by Hull artist Jake Machen drawing on research featured in timelines on this website.
2019 November 30
A Hull Modern Mooch takes place led by Steve Marland and starting with a look at Alan Boyson's 'Three Ships'.
2019 December 12
Hull Heritage Action Group release news that heritage experts – Adam Rennie of Adams Environmental; Darren McLean of McLean Conservation Associates; and Erith Contractors – have offered voluntary advice to Hull City Council on asbestos management and listed building conservation.
2019 December 27 and 31
BBC Radio Humberside broadcast a special 'Ships in the Sky' documentary all about the project. The hour long broadcast includes Esther Johnson talking about the genesis of the project; oral history clips from folk discussing their personal experiences of the former Hull Co-op/BHS building; and memories and music clips from the buildings rooftop nightclubs, The Skyline Ballroom, Baileys, and Romeo's & Juliet's.
2020 March 24
UK enters the 1st national Covid-19 Lockdown.
2020 May 29
Launch of FISH + SHIPS charity T-shirt, Tote and turntable slip mat charity initiative with 'We Are 1 of 100', raising funds for The Trussell Trust and FareShare for those in need especially during lockdown.
2020 November 5
UK enters the 2nd national Covid-19 Lockdown.
2021 January 6
UK enters the 3rd national Covid-19 Lockdown.
2021 April 7
The Architect's Journal features a story about Three Ships with the headline 'Saved: Hull’s Three Ships set to avoid wrecking ball.'
2021 June 9
Philip Andrew (25 October 1930 - 9 June 2021) architect of @shipsinthesky63 building and friend of #AlanBoyson sadly passed away. Philip was curious, playful, smart, inventive and forthright, and we loved him dearly. Philip was chief architect at the CWS from 1951-1953, he then undertook national service for 18 months. Philip went back to CWS in in 1956 as 1 of 4 assistants under one section leader. The following year Philip became a section leader. In 1958 Philip resigned from CWS and worked for a period in Manchester City Architects department, and then Richard Seifert and Partners, a London architecture practice who designed Centrepoint (1966), and the NatWest Tower (1980, now called Tower 42). In 1959 Philip resumed work at the CWS and began work designing the Hull Coop Central Premises getting a train from Stockport to Hull once a fortnight. Philip commissioned Alan Boyson to create artworks for the building. In 1961 Alan Boyson completed his Skyline Ballroom ‘Fish’ mural in the Hull Co-op Store, and later 'Three Ships' in 1963. Philip was a speaker at the SHIPS in the SKY launch event at Hull Central Library that took place on 27 February 2019.
2021 September 9
Hull City Council announced estimated costs of demolishing the empty BHS building in Hull city centre and retaining the landmark Three Ships mosaic.
Hull City Council met with representatives from C20: The Twentieth Century Society to discuss a new planning application covering the demolition of the former BHS and Co-op department stores while retaining the huge 1960s artwork on the building's front.
2021 September 11
C20: The Twentieth Century Society added the former Hull Co-op Central Premises/BHS building to their Department Stores at risk register.
2021 September 13
Hull City Council confirmed the civil engineering solution that had been found to keep the Three Ships artwork during the demolition process of the building. The council's director of major projects, Garry Taylor reported that, "we have got an engineering solution to retain the Three Ships mural in situ. It effectively means very careful demolition of the existing building under a very large tent as it has got loose asbestos throughout and then severing the triangular steel section to the front and counter-balancing that with very large water-filled weights. During that time we will have to close parts of King Edward Street and Jameson Street to achieve that. It will be about an 18-month process and then we would also need to restore the mural. The estimated costs vary, currently somewhere between £7m and £10m for the whole of that, which includes the full restoration. We are currently in detailed discussions with the contractor around the proposal and obviously we would need, under the conditions of the existing planning approval, to submit a new application in order for us to progress those works and the demolition."
2021 October 20
Hull City Council announce that a new Hull Ice Arena will no longer be a feature of the Albion Street Development. A BBC article covers the story with the headline, 'Hull council drops ice arena and adds 'urban woodland' to redevelopment.'
2021 November 10
The institute of Historical Research in the School of Advanced Study at University of London, held an online session titled 'Civic Pride (or Shame)' in the lecture series, 'People, Place and Community.' Using Hull's 2017 'City of Culture' this talk asked what elements of history and heritage do towns and cities remember, how and why?
2021 November 15
Hull Kingston Rovers announces their 2022 away kit will feature an illustration of Alan Boyson's Three Ships.
2021 November 19
Launch of SHIPS in the SKY: the Co-op Connection 44 page full colour booklet published by The Modernist Society.
2021 November 26
Staff from the wonderful Co-operative Archive takeover the @shipsinthesky63 instagram account for a week posting all things Co-op Hull and East Yorkshire.
The Hull Co-operative Society opened its new General Offices on the corner of Jarrett Street in the city centre.
1904 June 16
With dividends reaching record levels a new Co-op Institute was built at 20 Albion Street.
1904
Hull has 16 Co-op outlets listed in the very first edition of Hull's unique Corporation telephone directory.
1904
The Hull Co-op Society opened its first store outside of the city centre in Gladstone Street, Hessle. A magic lantern and phonograph show was presented to open the store which drew a large crowd.
1905
The next store outside of the city centre was in Exeter Street, Cottingham, with the Co-operative Choral Society performing at the opening.
1908
The Hull Co-operative Central Emporium in Jameson Street was built in stages from 1908 opening for business on 29 August of the same year. The Emporium reached full size in 1935. A commemorative mug was produced by CWS Langton Pottery to mark the annual Children's Gala Day organised by the Co-op committee. The mug featured an image of the new store and was given to all Hull Co-op young savers. Esther managed to obtain one of these mugs for the SHIPS in the SKY project collection.
1911—1919
The push into the East Riding continued with further Co-op stores in Howden (1911), South Cave (1914), Withernsea (1915), Newport (1918), and Hedon (1919).
1914 August 4
Following the declaration of war against Germany in a statement from Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith in the House of Commons, much of the Co-op transport fleet was commandeered by the army.
1915 July 17
After much demand, a Hull Co-operative Dairy was opened in Great Thornton Street.
1918 November 11
End of the First World War.
1930 October 25
Philip Andrew, future chief architect of the Hull Co-op Central Premises, is born in Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport.
1933
62,000 signatures from Hull Co-op members - a nationwide record - were collected in protest against new tax proposals on Co-op workers incomes. The signatures were delivered to Westminster on countless scrolls. The petition didn’t change the mind of government but the publicity gained from collecting so signatures encouraged 5,000 new members to join the Co-op in the space of 6 months.
1934
British Home Stores (BHS) was founded in 1928 by a group of U.S. entrepreneurs who aimed to follow the successful model of Woolworths. Their first store opened in Brixton, 452-6 Brixton Road, and by the time of the company closure in 2016, they had a total of 163 stores. The first BHS Hull store opened in late 1934. The building stood of the site of the former Hull George Hotel on Whitefriargate, rebuilt between April and November 1934 in a stunning Deco Streamline Moderne style. The building still stands and is now a charity shop.
1937–64
Trolley Buses run throughout Hull, including past the Co-operative store in King Edward Street Hull City Centre.
1939
The Women's Co-operative Guild Annual Congress takes place in Hull. In the same year Guild’s membership peaked at 87,246 women, with 1,819 branches. Proceedings take place in Hull City Hall led by President Mrs E. Williams. Hull City Councillor and Lord Mayor at the time, Mr Pashby, was once an errand boy of the Hull Co-operative Society. The congress includes a public CWS Civid and Trades Exhibition, and congress delegates are offered tours of the Hull Co-operative Society store in Jameson Street where special demonstrations included pottery making.
In 2016, with 800 members and just 38 branches, the Co-operative Women’s Guild voted to dissolve the guild.
1941
On the night of 7/8 May 1941 during the infamous Hull Blitz, the Co-operative store is bombed along with many other city centre buildings. Hull was the second most bombed city outside of London, with 95% of houses suffering bomb damage.
1945 September 2
End of the Second World War.
1947 November
Temporary one-storey Hull Central Premises was opened on the site of the previous store. The temporary premises are known locally as 'The Prefab'.
1948
The CWS Architects' Department designs the layout and internal fittings for the first large-scale self-service shop in the UK.
At the age of 18 Philip Andrew goes to work as an office boy at William A Dew architect’s practice in Hyde, Cheshire. He attends art school on day release so that national service could be deferred for 5 years.
1951
Alan Boyson’s father, who was the manager of the Marple Co-operative Society, recommends Philip Andrew to the chief architect at the CWS. Philip gets a job and starts work on the 6th floor of the Co-op bank on Corporation Street in Manchester.
In the Festival of Britain year, Co-operative Press Limited in Manchester published Samuel Marshall's history of 'Co-operative development in Kingston-Upon-Hull and District'. Samuel Marshall had been the General Manager and Secretary of Hull Co-op from 1927—1950.
1955
The first stage of building commences on the new permanent Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store at 32–38 Jameson Street, Hull, HU1 3LY. The architect is E.P.Andrew, under G.S.Hay of the CWS Architects' Department. The building process is protracted and goes through four stages. During this period the Co-op continue to trade on the site.
On 21 November 1963 Hull Daily Mail wrote,"The 10 year development plan was put into operation when Mr A.B.Barnes became general manager and secretary in 1953. Mr Barnes came to Hull from Woodhouse, Sheffield, and one of his first jobs was to work out a war damage claim for the former co-operative store, which was blitzed in 1941...Work on the building as we know it today began in 1955. Stage two was started two years later and stage three in 1960. With the completion of stage four next year, the entire store will be completely fitted out with the most modern equipment."
1957
The second stage of building commences on the new Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store.
1960
The third stage of building commences on the new Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store.
1961
Alan Boyson is commissioned by Hull Co-op Central Premises chief architect, Philip Andrews, to design a mural for outside of the Skyline Ballroom. Boyson creates and completes his FISH mural in the same year. Philip Andrews also commissions Boyson to create a large external mural which results in the THREE SHIPS.
By 1961 the Hull Co-op had 19 mobile Grocery Shop vans powered by re-chargeable electric batteries and staffed by a driver and assistant. These were particularly popular in the new housing estates across the city which had limited shopping facilities.
1962 December
On Monday 10 December an opening dance is held for the fourth floor Skyline Ballroom. The opening includes music from jazzman Humphrey Lyttleton and his orchestra, supported by George Slater and The Skyliners, with vocalist Miss Patti Kane. The resident house band was called The Skysounds. The ballroom could comfortably house 750 dancers and a banquet could be provided for 500 diners. There was also a coffee lounge and a fully-licensed bar. The ballroom had a unique 'handkerchief' concrete dome roof with no supporting pillars. The dome was one of only two in the world, the other built for the Kremlin. On the opening, Mr F.Johnson president of the Hull and East Riding said, "this ballroom is a permanent part of the skyline of our city and our contribution to furthering the efforts of our city fathers in the rebuilding of Hull's shopping centre, following the blitz of May 7, 1941."
The ballroom goes on to host numerous gigs including John Lee Hooker, The Kinks and Pink Floyd, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience (former COUM member, Cosey Fanni Tutti, recalls being at this gig).
1963 October
Boyson completes his THREE SHIPS mural.
On 17 October 1963 Hull Daily Mail wrote, "Five-men in Hull have nearly finished a jigsaw with more than 1,000,000 pieces. For six weeks now they have been working, watched by shoppers and city workers, on the 80ft high mosaic mural which dominates the front of the city's new Co-operative store. Given good weather, the mural, believed to be Britain's biggest, will be finished in about a fortnight. And the people of Hull will be the first to see what it looks like in one piece. For so far it has only been laid out on the ground in sections. The five-men fixing gang from Leeds are putting it up in foot-square numbered slabs – each slab made up of 225 tiny cubes mounted on a paper backing. They have no pattern. Said foreman fixer Richard Fletcher, 'We just play it by ear as we go.' When the gang started work they discovered that the mosaic was four cubes – a little over 2in – narrower than the curved 66ft. x 64ft. concrete screen on which it is mounted. 'Four cubes does not seem much, but it meant a lot to us.' said Mr Fletcher. The mosaic contains, according to my mathematics, a total of 1,061,775 pieces, all imported especially from Italy. The Co-op commissioned Wolverhampton artist Alan Boyson to design it. The contemporary design is meant to symbolise Hull's fishing industry. What Hull thinks it symbolises will doubtless become plain when the scaffolding comes down, probably next month. "I think it may be a little bit much for people at first," said Mr Fletcher. He has been fixing mosaics for 12 years now, and the Co-op mural is three times bigger than anything he has tackled before. But it has presented few problems and rain – the mosaic fixer's biggest enemy – has halted work on only two days. Needless to say there has been no trouble from the other big hazard – too much sun, which dries the fixing cement too quickly. At the request of Hull's town planners, the design is in muted colours. But there is no fear that the pale greens and browns will lose their tones. One of the biggest advantages of glass mosaic is that it is not affected by the weather."
1963 November
On Thurdsay 21 November 1963 Hull Daily Mail wrote, "Dominating the entrance externally is a mosaic mural, 64ft by 70ft, which symbolises the city's fishing industry. The mural contains more than 1,000,000 pieces, specially imported from Italy. Interwoven through the muted colours of greens, blues and browns is the Latin inscription, 'Prosperity through industry.' The mural was designed by a Wolverhampton artist, Alan Boyson, and was put up by a five-man fixing gang from Leeds."
At 08:30 on Friday 22 November the 'Skyline Pantry' opens containing 10,400 ft of floor space. This opening marks the completion of the third stage of the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store development, including the Three Ships mural. The mural mosaic work is by Richards Tiles Ltd. of Stoke, with the mosaic slabs affixed to a steel frame by A. Andrews & Sons (Marble & Tiles) Ltd. of Leeds.
The interior Fish mural is handmade by Alan Boyson using his usual high grog content ceramic (a ceramic raw clay material, comprising silica and alumina, that has been ground up and then fired), as well as stone, salvaged marble and tile.
Co-op Display Artists: Anne, Sandra and Carole, pose in front of the Fish mural in their lunch hour (see MEMORIES tab).
Friday 22nd November On This Day John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 CST in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza.
1964
The fourth and final building stage of the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store is completed. The cost of building was £1,100,000. Trade increased four-fold since completion of phase one of the building works. The store is one of the largest in the country.
1964 November
The first UK superstore opens. Based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, the store has 50 departments, 110,000 sq.ft. of floor space, and room for 1,000 parked cars. The superstore concept was new and local newspapers didn't quite know what to call it, with one describing it as, 'A new American-style supercentre', with another, a 'shopping plaza', with The Times headline proclaiming, 'The Windowless Store Makes Its Debut'. On its opening weekend an estimated 30,000 people and 5,000 cars visited the store, causing traffic jams for miles around. The store was operated by the US-owned firm Gem International Superstores Incorporated. The site of this store is now an Asda.
1965 March 7
The Skyline Ballroom in-house band, The Skysounds, play their first gig in the ballroom.
1965 July 30
With all sections of the building now complete the store was officially opened by Sir Leonard Cooke OBE - President of the Co-operative Wholesale Society - in a ceremony that included the City's Lord Mayor - Ald. Miss Annie Major.
The store's final statistics included: 5 floors, 5 entrances, 4 main staircases, 4 passenger and 3 goods lifts, escalators to all levels, and a sales area of 146,000 sq.ft. The General Office included a 100-foot long banking counter and one of the most modern suites in the North. The store was reported to have cost £1,970,000, less war damage claims and allowances of £590,000, although an independent valuer estimated its worth as £4 million on the open market.
1969 April 22
At the Co-op Annual Meeting it was announced that the Society would sell and lease back the Central Premises, just four years after completion. The deal with a major insurance company, involved leasing a quarter of the space to British Home Stores while retaining 170,000 sq.ft in the rental for trading and office purposes. The Society in return would receive a capital sum of £2 million.
Work began on dividing up the store in readiness for British Home Stores to move in the following year.
1970 Summer
British Home Stores occupies a section of the building underneath the Three Ships mural, whilst the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Store remains in the Bond Street end of the building and most of the upper floors. Both stores were linked internally at ground floor level allowing customers access between both stores.
1971 February 15
Co-op stores switch to decimal currency. Hundreds of new cash registers had to be bought and installed in readiness for the changeover.
1971 June
As working at a loss, it was decided to close The Skyline Ballroom and Bakery.
1971 August
The Skyline Ballroom and restaurant is converted into Baileys nightclub and managed by 25 year old Ray Copeland. The club had two halls - the main cabaret room that held 1200 guests seated, and 200 more standing, plus a 700 person discothèque next door.
The club DJ Tim Jibson played predominantly American soul records acquired from a US naval base where the father of his girlfriend was stationed. Other club DJs included Steve Massam, Charlie Hanna and Paul Rusling. Coach loads of dancers went to Baileys to catch unheard 'Northern' soul records. Jibsen's DJ nights are linked to the emergence of Northern Soul. The phrase 'Northern Soul' first appeared in June 1970 in a weekly column forBlues & Soul magazine written by journalist Dave Godin. Godin also ran a record shop in Covent Garden called Soul City.
1971
The legendary Eartha Kitt plays at Baileys.
1972
The Hull Co-op Society deposits their early records and meeting minutes in the Brynmor Jones Library at Hull University.
1973
Adam Faith plays at Baileys. Alec Gill from Hull photographs Adam and his band backstage.
1977 August
Hull Baileys nightclub closes.
1978
Baileys nightclub is converted into another nightclub Romeo’s & Juliet’s.
DJs at the club include Geoff Skipsey, Geoff King, Steve Tong, Pete Rob.
1978 August
The club hosts the semi-finals for the World Disco Dancing Championships.
1980s
Many pop stars such as Olivia Newton-John and Rick Astley perform at Romeo’s & Juliet’s.
1981 August
Romeo’s & Juliet’s futuristic new lighting system costing up to £50,000 is unveiled.
1982
The remaining sections of Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society store vacate the building on Saturday 7th August.
1983 November
Romeo’s & Juliet’s in Hull is chosen as one of 80 clubs across the UK to hold a casting screen test in search of a couple to appear in a new Martini advert.
1984 September
Silk's a private party suite with a two-tiered dance floor opens inside Romeo’s & Juliet’s.
There is also a separate dance room area for private hire called Samantha's where Paul Dakeyne (AKA Tinman) is DJ.
1987
Pedestrianisation takes place opposite British Home Stores, outside Fletchers and the penny fountain .
1988
Romeo’s & Juliet’s celebrates its tenth birthday.
1989/90
Jameson Street and King Edward Street junction in front of the BHS Store are pedestrianised after an earlier experiment by Hull City Council to pedestrianise Whitefriargate in June 1973.
1988 October
From October 1988, the club includes infamous Hull Hessle Road acid house/rave DJ Roscoe.
Club dress code rules included no white trousers for men, or trainers.
1991 Summer
YouTube link to Romeo’s & Juliet’s Dance Unity club night in 1991.
1991 November
On a cold in November, more than 200 police officers stormed Romeo’s & Juliet’s in a notorious large-scale police drugs raid. It was the biggest drugs operation ever seen in Hull at the time. The club is closed down.
YouTube link to footage of the Club Raid.
1993
The Three Ships is photographed by Scott Engering as part of a Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) survey of post-war architectural sculpture.
1998
The Three Ships is featured in the book 'The Shop for the People: Two Centuries of Co-operative Enterprise in Hull and East Yorkshire' by John Edward Smith, Hutton Press Ltd.
2001
The Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) changes its name to The Co-operative Group.
2003
The entire Hull Co-op/BHS building is assessed for Listing by Historic England and turned down. The internal Fish mural was not mentioned in this report.
2005 March
Manor Property Group submits planning application for the redevelopment of the building to form part of the company's 'Manor Point' project.
2007
Hull City Council grants a local listing for the Three Ships mural. The building and Fish mural are not listed.
2008 December
The Three Ships is included in the C20 Society Murals Campaign.
2009
YouTube link to an abandoned Romeo's and Juliet's club in 2009.
2011
Christopher Marsden helps Manor Properties locate and uncover the Fish mural which had been hidden by a false wall on the fourth floor.
2016 January
Building is put up for sale.
Historic England publication 'Public Art 1945–95' includes Alan Boyson, and states on p.10, that, "mural artists of this era who frequently worked with developers were very flexible; they could be relied upon to solve design problems and were capable of working in almost any medium".
2016 March
British Home Stores announces that the chain has entered administration putting 11,000 jobs at risk.
2016 May
On 30th May, the Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) submit an application for Grade II Listing, of the Three Ships and Fish murals, to Historic England. The Hull Civic Society and C20 Society also apply for Listing.
Click here for a potted History of the Campaign.
2016 June
After the collapse of British Home Stores, the building becomes vacant.
2016 June – 2018 January
Building canopy used as shelter by Hull's homeless.
2016 November
On 4th November, the application for Grade II Listing is rejected by Historic England who argue that the mural, "falls short of the high bar for listing post-war public art".
HHAG start a change.org petition to Historic England in support of the campaign for Grade II Listing.
On 22nd November HHAG makes an appeal to the Secretary of State for Culture to reconsider the decision by Historic England. An appeal decision is still to be made.
Click here for a potted History of the Campaign.
2017 January
Hull UK City of Culture commences.
The C20 Society places the Three Ships on their Buildings at Risk list.
2017 April
Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) launches ‘Keep the Coop (BHS) Mural in Hull’ campaign on change.org
From the 10–18th April, Duncan Titmarsh (the UK’s only official professional LEGO builder) creates 1,700 LEGO Daffodils out of 146,000 bricks which are displayed in front of the Three Ships. At the end of the display people were able to take a LEGO flower home in return for a donation to MIND and the Hull Citizens Advice Bureau.
2017 May
On 2nd May @BHSMuralHull Twitter account is launched.
2017 July
The Hull Tile Trail is launched on 1st July to showcase Hull’s decorative tiles, ceramics and mosaics.
Experts from the 'Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society' visit Hull on 1–2nd July.
2017 September
On 4th September Hull City Council release artist mock-ups showing how the area around the building could be redeveloped.
2017 October
Hull City Council proposes plans to compulsory purchase and demolish both the former Co-op/BHS and Edwin Davis stores (a former department store behind the Co-op building). A cost of around £5.3 million is proposed to buy and demolish both sites.
2017 December
Announcement that store canopy will be removed and blocked in due to suspected asbestos.
2018 January
The store canopy and front entrance is blocked in.
2018 February
On 5th February, marketing hoarding affixed to the front entrance/canopy states, ‘A Prime Opportunity in the Heart of the City’.
Plans for re-development are released to the public.
On 22nd February a Hull Daily Mail article announces that Hull City Council has set aside 5 million to acquire privately-owned properties including the former Edwin Davis, Co-op/BHS department stores to pave way for £130m Albion Square complex.
2018 March
On 14th March Hull City Council conduct initial inspections of the Three Ships to establish the make-up of the structure and possibilities for the planned Albion Square redevelopment.
2018 June
Expected submission of outline planning application for Albion Square development of Co-op/BHS building.
2018 July
Article Building SHIPS in the SKY by Esther Johnson and Leigh Bird published in The Modernist issue 27, July 2018.
10th July the SHIPS in the SKY film and oral history project is launched.
2018 September
Following filming on SHIPS in the SKY with EP Andrew (CWS Architect of the Jameson Street store), Architectural Historian and Alan Boyson expert, Christopher Marsden, discovers the existence of a third Alan Boyson mural, which may still be in the empty store. If any significant part of it survives it will be the most existing complete sponge print tile work of by Boyson.
2018 September
Planning Application 18/01094/OUT submitted for £130 million Albion Square development in Hull City Centre, that includes the Co-op/BHS building. The application is open for public comment until January 2019 on Hull City Council's website.
Hull Heritage Action Group's (HHAG) November 2016 appeal to DCMS against Historic England's decision not to List the Three Ships and Fish murals is still undecided. Click here for a potted History of the Campaign.
2018 November
On Thursday 29th November, Hull City Council inform Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) that they've found the third Sponge-Print Tile mural in the former Skyline Ballroom bar area. It is incomplete, and what is there has been painted over, but previous precedents show that a work of this nature should be able to be restored. The Council are looking further into it as part of their redevelopment plans for Albion Square.
Icelandic artist, Dodda Maggý’s, installation Alda (which means Wave in Icelandic and Old Norse) is projected onto the Three Ships Mural as part of Absolutely Cultured's Urban Legends: Northern Light's programme over four consecutive nights.
2019 February 14
Demolition commences of the former Edwin Davis department store on Bond Street, Hull, situated to the rear of the Hull Co-op building.
2019 February 16
House of Mirelle , a website dedicated to a high end fashion house that existed in the Hull between 1938 and 1978, publishes an article and interview with Esther about SHIPS in the SKY.
2019 February 27
On Wednesday 27 February a SHIPS in the SKY ••• SOLD OUT ••• launch at Hull Central Library takes place with a panel including: E.P. Andrew (Hull Cooperative Central Premises Architect); Leigh Bird (Project research assistant, HHAG); Paul Dakeyne (DJ for Romeo's & Juliet's); Ann Day, Sandra Hare and Carole Murray (Cooperative Store Window Display Artists'); Esther Johnson (Project artist and filmmaker); Christopher Marsden (Alan Boyson and ceramic historian), hosted by Dave Lee (Writer and filmmaker).
Hull City Council confirm that they intend to repair and restore Alan Boyson's Fish and Sponge-Print Tile mural situated inside the former Hull Coop/BHS store. The council reported that they intend to, "retain the external Three Ships mural that sits on the exterior face of the BHS building. Like the internal murals in the Co-Op building, this will follow structural surveys and investigations. As more investigations are carried out on the Three Ships mural, other options including reducing the size of the existing panel, replicating an exact match with modern materials or replacing with new work through commission or competitions may be investigated, the council said."
2019 March
BBC Look North – East Yorks and Lincs feature a broadcast about SHIPS in the SKY urging the public to get in touch with memories and/or artefacts relating to the former Hull Coop/BHS store.
2019 April 3
Hull Heritage Action Group (HHAG) Change campaign to have the Three Ships Grade II Listed by Historic England, surpasses 6,000 signatures.
Hull City Council's Planning Committee meet and vote to approve the current application with conditions to save the Three Ships if viable, and save and relocate the Fish and Sponge-Print Tile murals. “The outline planning application, which was approved today, includes plans to retain the BHS Three Ships Mural, as well as two internal handmade Alan Boyson murals.” Hull Daily Mail BBC Article
2019 April 5
Hull's annual pillow fight started in 2015 by Chris Snell, takes place in front of the Three Ships mural.
2019 May
The leading journal on the study of mosaics, Adamento published by the British Association for Modern Mosaic, includes in their 20th Anniversary edition, Issue No. 13 Boyson's 'Three Ships' in the 20 Best British Public Art Mosaics
2019 May 17
'Hull's Ships in the Sky' an article written by Esther Johnson is published in Tribune Magazine.
2019 August
Asbestos removal continues throughout the former Hull Co-op/BHS store
2019 September
On the 22nd September, the Hull Marathon and Relays race passes the Three Ships at the 16.5 mile mark during this maritime themed event. A SHIPS in the SKY leaflet and postcard are included in the registration and race packs. The race is maritime themed, passing iconic Hull landmarks and art installations.
2019 October 3
On 3rd October, SHIPS in the SKY release footage in their trailer teaser of the newly revealed 'Fish' mural following demolition of the rotted wooden corridor which surrounded it. Hull City Council had to demolish the corridor as it was an unsafe environment during asbestos removal. The mural was well protected and is in fine order; there is no concern about the mosaic being exposed to the elements as it was originally built to be outdoors. This became clear when talking to Christopher Marsden and EP Andrew during research and filming.
Hull Is This
Hull Daily Mail
2019 October 8
Hull City Council announce that the Three Ships will be demolished after results of a specialist asbestos survey by The Testing Lab.
BBC
BBC
ITV
Yorkshire Post
Hull Daily Mail article
2019 November 21
GRADE II LISTING status awarded to Alan Boyson's 'THREE SHIPS' mural by Historic England and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). List Entry Number: 1468073
2019 November 22
Issue #2 'Brill' of The Critical Fish launches and includes a feature 'Fish and Ships' about SHIPS in the SKY. The magazine includes a centre fold-out poster illustration by Hull artist Jake Machen drawing on research featured in timelines on this website.
2019 November 30
A Hull Modern Mooch takes place led by Steve Marland and starting with a look at Alan Boyson's 'Three Ships'.
2019 December 12
Hull Heritage Action Group release news that heritage experts – Adam Rennie of Adams Environmental; Darren McLean of McLean Conservation Associates; and Erith Contractors – have offered voluntary advice to Hull City Council on asbestos management and listed building conservation.
2019 December 27 and 31
BBC Radio Humberside broadcast a special 'Ships in the Sky' documentary all about the project. The hour long broadcast includes Esther Johnson talking about the genesis of the project; oral history clips from folk discussing their personal experiences of the former Hull Co-op/BHS building; and memories and music clips from the buildings rooftop nightclubs, The Skyline Ballroom, Baileys, and Romeo's & Juliet's.
2020 March 24
UK enters the 1st national Covid-19 Lockdown.
2020 May 29
Launch of FISH + SHIPS charity T-shirt, Tote and turntable slip mat charity initiative with 'We Are 1 of 100', raising funds for The Trussell Trust and FareShare for those in need especially during lockdown.
2020 November 5
UK enters the 2nd national Covid-19 Lockdown.
2021 January 6
UK enters the 3rd national Covid-19 Lockdown.
2021 April 7
The Architect's Journal features a story about Three Ships with the headline 'Saved: Hull’s Three Ships set to avoid wrecking ball.'
2021 June 9
Philip Andrew (25 October 1930 - 9 June 2021) architect of @shipsinthesky63 building and friend of #AlanBoyson sadly passed away. Philip was curious, playful, smart, inventive and forthright, and we loved him dearly. Philip was chief architect at the CWS from 1951-1953, he then undertook national service for 18 months. Philip went back to CWS in in 1956 as 1 of 4 assistants under one section leader. The following year Philip became a section leader. In 1958 Philip resigned from CWS and worked for a period in Manchester City Architects department, and then Richard Seifert and Partners, a London architecture practice who designed Centrepoint (1966), and the NatWest Tower (1980, now called Tower 42). In 1959 Philip resumed work at the CWS and began work designing the Hull Coop Central Premises getting a train from Stockport to Hull once a fortnight. Philip commissioned Alan Boyson to create artworks for the building. In 1961 Alan Boyson completed his Skyline Ballroom ‘Fish’ mural in the Hull Co-op Store, and later 'Three Ships' in 1963. Philip was a speaker at the SHIPS in the SKY launch event at Hull Central Library that took place on 27 February 2019.
2021 September 9
Hull City Council announced estimated costs of demolishing the empty BHS building in Hull city centre and retaining the landmark Three Ships mosaic.
Hull City Council met with representatives from C20: The Twentieth Century Society to discuss a new planning application covering the demolition of the former BHS and Co-op department stores while retaining the huge 1960s artwork on the building's front.
2021 September 11
C20: The Twentieth Century Society added the former Hull Co-op Central Premises/BHS building to their Department Stores at risk register.
2021 September 13
Hull City Council confirmed the civil engineering solution that had been found to keep the Three Ships artwork during the demolition process of the building. The council's director of major projects, Garry Taylor reported that, "we have got an engineering solution to retain the Three Ships mural in situ. It effectively means very careful demolition of the existing building under a very large tent as it has got loose asbestos throughout and then severing the triangular steel section to the front and counter-balancing that with very large water-filled weights. During that time we will have to close parts of King Edward Street and Jameson Street to achieve that. It will be about an 18-month process and then we would also need to restore the mural. The estimated costs vary, currently somewhere between £7m and £10m for the whole of that, which includes the full restoration. We are currently in detailed discussions with the contractor around the proposal and obviously we would need, under the conditions of the existing planning approval, to submit a new application in order for us to progress those works and the demolition."
2021 October 20
Hull City Council announce that a new Hull Ice Arena will no longer be a feature of the Albion Street Development. A BBC article covers the story with the headline, 'Hull council drops ice arena and adds 'urban woodland' to redevelopment.'
2021 November 10
The institute of Historical Research in the School of Advanced Study at University of London, held an online session titled 'Civic Pride (or Shame)' in the lecture series, 'People, Place and Community.' Using Hull's 2017 'City of Culture' this talk asked what elements of history and heritage do towns and cities remember, how and why?
2021 November 15
Hull Kingston Rovers announces their 2022 away kit will feature an illustration of Alan Boyson's Three Ships.
2021 November 19
Launch of SHIPS in the SKY: the Co-op Connection 44 page full colour booklet published by The Modernist Society.
2021 November 26
Staff from the wonderful Co-operative Archive takeover the @shipsinthesky63 instagram account for a week posting all things Co-op Hull and East Yorkshire.
Every effort has been made in the accuracy of this timeline.
Please get in contact if you find any mistakes, or have suggestions for relevant additions for the timeline.
Special thanks to: John E. Smith, author of 'The Shop for the People: Two Centuries of Co-operative Enterprise in Hull and East Yorkshire'; and to Christopher Marsden for his excellent research into the work of Alan Boyson.
Thanks also go to www.45worlds.com/live/venue/the-skyline-club
Please get in contact if you find any mistakes, or have suggestions for relevant additions for the timeline.
Special thanks to: John E. Smith, author of 'The Shop for the People: Two Centuries of Co-operative Enterprise in Hull and East Yorkshire'; and to Christopher Marsden for his excellent research into the work of Alan Boyson.
Thanks also go to www.45worlds.com/live/venue/the-skyline-club
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The R&D project phase has been funded by James Reckitt Library Trust
in partnership with Untold Hull at Hull Libraries, and with the support of the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University and Hull Trinity House Old Boys' Association |