The dark history of Hull laid bare in city’s spookiest new attraction

HULL has an illustrious past, with the city famed for its maritime links, slave abolitionism, daredevil aviators, mathematical pioneers and much more.

But, what the Old Town museums and blue plaques don’t venture into detail about, is Hull’s dark history, filled with witchcraft, smugglers, workhouses and the dreaded gallows.

Did you know the city’s main site for the gruesome entertainment of hanging prisoners was situated where Wilko is off Ferensway?

In 1604, John Willerby was among five men and women found guilty of witchcraft and hung at a gallows site near Adelaide Street on September 6, 1864.

As soon as the noose was placed around Willerby’s neck, he confessed to all his “sins”, before incriminating other members of the crowd armed with apples and tomatoes to throw at his swinging body.

Luckily, this information and more can be learned by paying a visit to The Dark History Museum, which opened yesterday in Hull’s West Street.

An interactive experience taking in 700 years of local history from 1303, this new attraction is only at the starting point of its life, with hopes for it to be extended and have plenty of technological additions in the coming months.

John Hemingway, co-owner of The Dark History Museum, said: “We have been waiting five years to open this attraction, and there have been a few hurdles along the way.

“What you see at the minute is just the beginning of where we want to be, but we’ve worked very hard to get it off the ground and we believe it is something Hull lacks at the moment.”

Led by several guides throughout the 40-minute tour, groups are taken from 12th-century monasteries to the houses of alleged witches in the 1600s, as well as Victorian workhouses, and there’s even a familiar face in the form of Ye Olde Black Boy pub, complete with smugglers’ tunnels.

While the topic is dark and dingy, with a particularly gruesome introduction into the world of bygone torture techniques, Mr Hemingway and his business partner Gareth Jones, want this to be a tourist attraction the whole family can enjoy.

“There are very well known attractions in the UK such as the London Dungeons, but we wanted this to be less gory and gruesome, so the whole family can enjoy it,” said Mr Hemingway, who previously ran his own ghost tours around Hull.

“We are looking to start having late-night openings, so guests can come and experience a more adult version of events, and we’ve even been approached by Scout groups who want to come here for a spooky sleepover.

“Over the next 12 months the plan is to install more technology and hire more actors, so each room will have its own unique feel, The Dark History Museum has opened on West Street, Hull. Below, John Hemingway, left, and director Gareth Jones outside the museum and we even have the man behind the smells at the Jorvik in York creating signature smells for us.

“We have cellars and rooms upstairs to expand, so we’re working out a way to include them while still maintaining disabled access.

“We wanted to wait a few more months before opening, but we felt we needed to start getting people in and showing them what we are all about, and carrying on working throughout the year to get where we want to be.”