To spot Hull City Hall, just look across Queen Victoria Square for a grand sandstone building with a huge green dome rising above its entrance and a set of tall white columns at the front.
Now, take a moment right here in front of Hull City Hall, and let your imagination whisk you back to the early 1900s. The square hums with the sound of clattering horse carriages and laughter as crowds gather to admire the sparkling new building, designed by Joseph Hirst in a bold and cheerful Baroque Revival style. He must have loved his domes, because this one is impossible to miss-a giant green crown right in the heart of Hull, making sure no one ever gets lost in the city centre.
But, believe it or not, City Hall never actually ran the city! Need to pay your council tax? That was always the job of the Guildhall down the road. This place was all about big events and good times-concerts and graduations, not paperwork and politics. Imagine yourself in 1911; you might hear the thunderous organ shaking the walls, as composer Edwin Lemare plays Hull's first notes on its mighty pipes.
Of course, there’s a twist: City Hall once had its own art gallery, but all the paintings packed up and moved to Ferens Art Gallery in 1927, leaving space for a mysterious collection of ancient relics-Mortimer’s treasures! Archaeology fans flocked in, jaws dropping at the prehistoric wonders on display.
But then came the dark days of 1941. Bombs whistled down over Hull during WWII’s Blitz. The City Hall roof shook, rubble tumbled, and everyone feared the worst for its grand organ. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth themselves hurried north, brushing soot off their coats, to comfort the city and take their seats for a concert inside-imagine the tension in the hushed hall as they listened, the air thick with the smell of smoke and hope.
Restoration followed, and soon, the City Hall was humming with music once more. By the 1970s, if you listen closely, it’s the roar of rock fans you’ll hear-bands like The Who and Iron Maiden have all rattled the windows with their legendary shows here.
Today, you might find everything from orchestras to pop stars on stage, or even folks queuing for their COVID vaccinations. City Hall is Hull’s timeless party host, a beacon reminding the city to gather, celebrate, and always keep the music playing.
