Barton Civic Society

The Ted Lewis Town Trail - Heritage Open Days
2022-09-18 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | The Ted Lewis Centre, Ferrby Road, Barton upon Humber, DN18 5LE
Ted Lewis (1940-1982) was an artist, illustrator and writer. He is best known for creating the character Jack Carter, the protagonist in the 1971 cult film Get Carter, starring Michael Caine.
Ted’s biographer, Monty Martin, will conduct a small group around the Barton Town Centre buildings that featured in the novelist’s life and writings. There is also a printed trail for reference. Starting from the Ted Lewis Centre, free
No fee but a contribution to the Charity would be welcome. Booking essential to business@thetedlewiscentre.org or from the website contact or at the Centre any Sunday open 10am to 4 pm.

Samuel Wilderspin’s Outdoor Classroom - Heritage Open Days
2022-09-18 13:30 - 14:30 | Wilderspin National School Museum, 4 Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, DN18 5QP
A Practical Lecture and Exhibition by an Agent of Mr. Wilderspin Esq; Inventor of the Infant & Training Systems of Education. The forty minutes demonstration commences outside in the Playground with an opportunity afterwards in the Schoolroom for questions about his plans for giving children religious, moral, mental, and physical education. Free to members of the public. Formal attire not necessary.

Vere Foster - Philanthropist and Benefactor
2022-10-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Having been born into a privileged, aristocratic family, Vere Foster went on to devote his life to the social betterment of the Irish poor in the nineteenth century. Jean Cannon describes how Foster helped emigrants to America, improve educational standards in Victorian Ireland, and promoted better healthcare for the poor.

Speculation, Centralisation & Amelioration: Public Health & Housing in Kingston upon Hull 1830-1914
2022-11-18 14:00 - 17:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Peter Claxton examines the forces that shaped public health and housing in Hull between 1830-1914. Peter’s talk examines the relationships between central and local government, the ratepayers, the unenfranchised and the consequential effects this had on health and housing in Kingston upon Hull. Please note this is an afternoon lecture.

Local Heroes
2023-03-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
For a town of Barton’s size we have more than our fair share of places linked to famous people. A panel of speakers including John French, Nigel Land, Monty Martin and Trevor Millum outline the great achievements of their local heroes famed for their inventions, novels and innovations. Come and find out who their mystery heroes are!
Talks take place at the Wilderspin & National School Museum in the Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street [DN18 5QP]. There is car parking and facilities for disabled visitors. For up-to-date information visit:
www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk.
Admission for Civic Society members is free.
Non-members £4 unless shown otherwise.

Victorian Legacy
2023-03-25 10:00 - 11:30 | Wilderspin National School Museum, 4 Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, DN18 5QP
Barton experienced tremendous economic and social change during the nineteenth century. The growing number of people living in the town impacted on the character of the older part of the town – reflected in the wealth of Victorian public and private buildings which remain as an impressive legacy of this period. Meet at the Wilderspin & National School Museum. Approximately 1½ hours. Booking required: tel. (01652) 635172 or email bookings4wilderspin@gmail.com.

Barton Haven
2023-04-16 14:00 - 15:30 | North Lincolnshire
The Ropewalk is the only clue today that Waterside was once a busy industrial part of the town clustered around the Haven. This walk, however, reveals the full manufacturing history of this distinct part of town where not only ropes were made but bricks, chemicals and boats too. Approximately 1½ hours. Booking required: tel. (01652) 635172 or email bookings4wilderspin@gmail.com.

Humber Landscapes
2023-04-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
How have physical geography and people shaped the Humber landscape we see today? Landscape historian Richard Clarke explains the geomorphology of the wider Humberside region and the changes brought about by human activity, including more recent conservation interventions.
Talks take place at the Wilderspin & National School Museum in the Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street [DN18 5QP]. There is car parking and facilities for disabled visitors. For up-to-date information visit:
www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk.
Admission for Civic Society members is free.
Non-members £4 unless shown otherwise.

Protected Areas in the UK - Past, Present and Future
2023-05-19 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Around a third of land in the UK should be protected for nature by the end of the decade. Dr. Jack Hatfield examines the varied histories of protected areas like the nature reserves in Barton and around the Humber and outlines the unprecedented challenges they face.
Talks take place at the Wilderspin & National School Museum in the Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street [DN18 5QP]. There is car parking and facilities for disabled visitors. For up-to-date information visit:
www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk.
Admission for Civic Society members is free.
Non-members £4 unless shown otherwise.

Rescue and Reclamation
2023-06-16 19:30 - 21:00 | North Lincolnshire
The landscape legacy of two local industries comes under the spotlight: From Chemicals to Conservation is the story, told by Stuart Garfoot, of how Waters’ Edge Country Park was created from reclaimed industrial land left behind by a century of chemical and fertilizer manufacturing around Barton Haven. Simon Wellock then shifts the focus in Bricks to Bitterns to the abandoned clay pits along the Humber bank, left behind by Barton’s brick and tile manufacturers but which became the wildlife sanctuary we know as Far Ings National Nature Reserve.
Talks take place at the Wilderspin & National School Museum in the Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street [DN18 5QP]. There is car parking and facilities for disabled visitors. For up-to-date information visit:
www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk.
Admission for Civic Society members is free.
Non-members £4 unless shown otherwise.

Barton Civic Society AGM and talk
2023-07-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Following Barton Civic Society’s Annual General Meeting at 7.30pm, Humber Bank Industry is about the industries that once flourished along the Humber bank. Brick, roof tile, cement and chemical manufacturing have left their marks which, as Andrew Robinson shows, can still be seen today by the keen observer. The talk starts at 8.15pm following the AGM.
Talks take place at the Wilderspin & National School Museum in the Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street [DN18 5QP]. There is car parking and facilities for disabled visitors. For up-to-date information visit:
www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk.
Admission for Civic Society members is free.
Non-members £4 unless shown otherwise.

Barton Civic Society visits Beverley!
2023-08-16 | North Lincolnshire
Did you know that this East Yorkshire town was once an Anglo Saxon “Beaver Clearing in the Woods”? There’s probably much else for you to discover about this thriving market town on our doorstep. Dominant over all is the gothic majesty of the Minster – a survivor of Viking destruction and fire. St Mary’s Church is “one of most beautiful parish churches of England” (Pevsner). Residential and retail areas have replaced the once thriving industrial heartland, which included a ropery, shipyard and tannery. The visit includes guided tours and an opportunity to explore, shop and find refreshments! Full details will be available in the summer.

Barton Heritage Open Days
2023-09-08 - 2023-09-17 | North Lincolnshire
Barton upon Humber has a rich and varied history like many market towns in England. However, it stands apart from the rest by virtue of the in-depth research and numerous publications about the town’s heritage. There is also a trail booklet “Barton upon Humber Town Guide” to guide walkers exploring the town. These are available from The Ropewalk, on Maltkiln Road and the Wilderspin & National School Museum, on Queen Street. There is also a digital trail available to download from hiddenhistory.org.uk/barton
This year’s programme aims to acquaint new residents with the heritage delights of our town, as well as showing them off to visitors from further afield. Full programme details will be available in the summer.

Barton Heritage Open Days - Made in Barton
2023-09-08 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Two conspicuous buildings are the starting point for this look back at products manufactured in Barton which were a household name and sold around the globe. The quarter-of-a-mile long brick building which is now The Ropewalk was once part of Halls rope factory. Liz Bennet tells the fascinating story of the building, its close ties with Hull and its link with the first ascent of Everest. Our focus then shifts to the former office building of cycle manufacturer Hoppers which began production in Barton in 1890 and went on to become one of the main cycle producers in the country. Nigel Land outlines the intriguing history of Elswick-Hopper and the surviving evidence around the town of its operations in Barton upon Humber.
Talks take place at the Wilderspin & National School Museum in the Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street [DN18 5QP]. There is car parking and facilities for disabled visitors. For up-to-date information visit:
www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk.
Admission for Civic Society members is free.
Non-members £4 unless shown otherwise

Heritage Tour
2023-09-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Wilderspin National School Museum, 4 Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, DN18 5QP
Discover buildings of historical or architectural importance in the conservation area and beyond, as we explore Georgian and Victorian Barton and unearth stories of places and people from the past. Meet at the Wilderspin & National School Museum. Approximately 1½ hours. Booking required: tel. (01652) 635172 or email bookings4wilderspin@gmail.com.

Vere Foster: Changing Lives for the Irish Poor Jean Cannon & Ian Wolseley
2025-05-16 19:30 - 20:30 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
During the Great Famine of the 1840s in Ireland, Vere Foster assisted the poor, helping with the re-settlement of thousands of emigrants to North America escaping starvation and disease. For those unable to emigrate he set his sights on improving their life chances by lifting educational standards in Irish schools. Jean Cannon revisits this momentous period in Irish history and Ian Wolseley explains how a seemingly innocuous bundle of family letters revealed a family link to this great man.
£4 non-members.

Discordant Noises – ‘riding the stang’ and ‘skimmington rides’ Dr. Andrew Walker, Chair of the Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology
2025-06-20 19:30 - 20:30 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
This curious folk custom in Europe and North America throughout the nineteenth century involved crowds making as much noise as possible by beating on pots and pans or anything that came to hand, creating what was known as rough music. This is another chance to hear Andrew Walker explain how these events enabled communities to regulate themselves and impart their own “rough justice”.
£4 non-members.

Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat
2025-07-13 10:30 - 15:30 | North Lincolnshire
The Civic Society joins with others at the Wilderspin School Museum and Holydyke air raid shelter to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in a day to remember life on the Home Front with displays, wartime vehicles, 1940s tearoom and vintage fair.
FREE

A History of Hessle Cliff
2025-07-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Following the Society’s AGM at 7.30pm and a short refreshment break, Dr. Alex Ombler (Curator, Goole Museum) explores the natural, industrial and social history of Hessle Cliff from pre-history to the present day. A little-known place on the north bank of the Humber Estuary, the cliff forms the southern-most tip of the chalk Wolds of Yorkshire. While the cliff has been of immense interest to geologists, it was also a place of industry. Quarrying and lime burning took place from at least the medieval period and during the 17th century, it became an important site for shipbuilding. The Industrial Revolution brought new developments to the cliff, not least the establishment of a new permanent settlement. As industry declined during the late 20th century, the cliff underwent regeneration and emerged as a place of waterfront leisure and living.
£4 non-members

Visit to Helmsley
2025-08-13 | North Lincolnshire
Helmsley Archaeology Store holds the extensive archaeological collections and paper-based archives from English Heritage guardianship sites from the North of England including the counties of Northumberland, County Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, Cheshire. The range of collections spans English history from Prehistory to the modern day, from flint, architectural stonework to ceramics and small artefacts. Material from St. Peter’s Church is also stored there.
Cost and details to be confirmed.

East Hull Revisited
2025-09-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
East Hull is an area Colin Cooper knows well, and this informal discussion session is based on his many unique images of the buildings that have given East Hull its character.

Victorian Barton
2025-09-14 11:00 - 12:30, 2025-09-14 14:00 - 15:30, 2025-09-20 14:00 - 15:30 | Wilderspin National School Museum, 4 Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, DN18 5QP
Guided walk (90 mins) starting and ending at Wilderspin School Museum looking at the town’s Victorian Legacy.
Booking essential via The Ropewalk (01652 660380)

Rail 200 - British Transport Films
2025-09-16 19:30 - 21:30 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
As part of national celebrations to mark the bicentenary of the world’s first public railway between Stockton and Darlington, we’ve joined with Friends of the Barton Line to host a nostalgic look at films from the British Film Archive with one of its former archivists, Barry Coward.
Note that this event is free entry to all.

Barton to New Holland Flood Tidal Alleviation Scheme
2025-09-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Showcasing the development and outline solution to reduce flood risk from the Humber Estuary around Barton Upon Humber with Mark Adams, Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency

Turn and Face the Strange
2025-10-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Dr Jack Hatfield returns with an updated talk about how our flora, fauna and landscapes are changing and what this may mean for the future. The national and international trends will be considered but also what is happening in Barton and the surrounding region showing inter connectedness and how everyone can have an influence.
Born and educated in Barton, growing up on the banks of the Humber sparked an interest that developed into a career. Jack completed a BSc in zoology at the university of Durham followed by an MSc and PhD at Imperial College London researching Brazilian deforestation.
Jack now researches biodiversity and ecology at the University of York. His work examines how human impacts are changing the world’s flora and fauna, aiming to understand what this means for our future.

In Conversation - OH Boyd and the Royal Coaches
2025-11-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
Local sculptor, illustrator and Woodcarver to the Palace OH Boyd returns to discuss his involvement with the Royal Coaches, carving the Imperial Crown centrepieces for the Royal Diamond Jubilee Coach ‘Britannia’, and, more recently, for the new King’s Carriage.

Internetty - A Barton Success Story
2026-02-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Joseph Wright Hall, Queen Street, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5QP, United Kingdom
With Sarah White. How a local company brought high speed connectivity to a rural North Lincolnshire community.
