Exhibition tells how city rose from the Blitz

An exhibition is telling the story of life in Hull after the destruction of World War Two.

The Half Life of the Blitz, at Hull History Centre, explains how the city has evolved over the past 80 years.

Martin Taylor, the city archivist, said wartime bombing changed Hull "like nothing else in its history".

"The resilience which Hull citizens showed in the face of Nazi aggression was also applied as they rebuilt the city on their own terms," he added.

German bombing raids on Hull killed 1,200 people, injured 3,000 and made more than 150,000 homeless. About 87,000 houses were damaged.

The city was rebuilt over the following decades, though scars remain today, including a ruined cinema, which is being turned into an education centre and memorial site.

The exhibition has been created by the University of Lincoln and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Historians Dr James Greenhalgh and Dr Charlotte Tomlinson interviewed Hull people to build a picture of how the city sees itself and remembers its past.

Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure at Hull City Council, said the exhibition provided a "fascinating insight into post-war Hull up until the present day" and would be "of interest to anyone who is proud of our city".

The exhibition will run until 31 January. Admission is free.

It is open Tuesday to Thursday between 09:30 and 16:30 GMT, as well as on the first and third Saturday of each month from 09:30 to 12:30.

Dr Greenhalgh will give a talk about the post-war development of Hull – and the multitude of plans, schemes and projects that sought to remake the city – at the history centre on 14 January at 12:30.

The centre will close for Christmas at 12:30 on 21 December and reopen at 09:30 on 2 January.

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