Mike Covell’s Blogg

Research Latest

This week I had a free block of time so I headed on out to the Hull History Centre to conduct some research.  It seems like ages since I last visited, and had in that time gathered together a list of items I wanted to view.  These were mainly newspaper reports in the Hull Press covering various “Jack the Ripper” suspects such as Frederick Bailey Deeming, James Maybrick, Charles Le Grand, James Thomas Sadler, and a number of local “Ripper Scares.”  As my many “Jack the Ripper” writing projects draw to a close I was chasing up a few loose ends to provide alternative views on some of the topics covered in some of the Hull based newspapers on the London based crimes. 

After a couple of hours I came away with some new newspaper reports on the Hull Ripper Scare of 1900, when 5 women were stabbed.  I also came away with reports on a Doncaster Ripper Scare, and articles, featuring contemporary sketches, on Frederick Bailey Deeming, James Thomas Sadler, James Maybrick, and Charles Le Grand.

The Hull History Centre gets “Touch Screen Technology.”

I have, for many years now, used the various Newspaper Readers and Printers at the Hull History Centre, so I was surprised and excited to learn that the old machines are to be replaced with state of the art machines.  As part of the £7.7m History Centre Project, these new machines will be easier to load, easier to use, have touch screen technology, have clearer imaging, and as such the copies will be clearer.  A central printing hub will also form part of the set up, and the Hull History Centre will be the first facility to utilise these models.

As a result of instillation and set up, the Hull History Centre will be closed over Thursday July 4^th and Friday July 5^th.  This is a small price to pay for such an amazing step forward in Hull’s arsenal of local history research and I for one look forward to the new machines. 

Future Projects

At the minute I am busy working on new projects for the end of the year and 2014.  These will be revealed in time but include new lectures, events, tours, and media collaborations.