England
Things you probably didn't know about Hull
A maritime city with an abolitionist hero at its heart.
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1759 — fact 1 of 4
Wilberforce was born here
William Wilberforce, who led the parliamentary campaign to end the slave trade, was born in Hull in 1759.
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1903 — fact 2 of 4
Amy Johnson flew from here to everywhere
The pioneering aviator, born in Hull in 1903, became the first woman to fly solo to Australia.
See what 1903 was like → -
2017 — fact 3 of 4
UK City of Culture 2017
Hull’s year in the spotlight drew millions of visitors and a famous blue crown in the sky.
See what 2017 was like → -
Fact 4 of 4
A telephone box with no rival
Hull is the only UK city whose phones were never run by the GPO — hence its distinctive cream telephone boxes.
Our Hull collection is part of a growing local-history library — more cities and facts are being added.