Industrial River: New photo exhibition celebrates city’s maritime past

ATMOSPHERIC: A view of the River Hull by William Jackson

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

As the Hull Maritime visitor attractions come close to fully opening, a new photographic exhibition offering a fascinating insight into the city’s maritime past has gone on display at Hull History Centre.

Titled Industrial River: The Photographs of William Jackson, they offer a rare glimpse into Hull’s working rivers and docks during a period of profound change.

Featuring 32 striking photographs displayed across 17 panels, the free exhibition showcases the work of William Jackson (1893 – 1966), a gifted amateur photographer whose images capture the power, scale and atmosphere of the rivers Hull and Humber between 1933 and 1949.

Together, they form a vivid snapshot of a maritime landscape in transition, linking closely to the ambitions of the wider Hull Maritime project.

Jackson’s photographs reveal the city’s industrial heartbeat: barges crowded into the Old Harbour, the bustle of river traffic and the imposing cargo vessels serving the modern docks to the east. His eye for composition brings drama and clarity to these working environments, preserving scenes that have since disappeared or transformed beyond recognition.

Also on display is a collection of original archive material relating to Jackson’s life and work, offering insight into the man behind the camera.

Born and raised in Suffolk Street off Beverley Road, Jackson’s life was deeply rooted in Hull. After serving in the Coldstream Guards during the First World War, he was invalided out following a gas attack in 1917. He later became a teacher, working at Chapman Street School, Osborne Street Boys’ School and Newland Avenue School, while continuing to pursue his passion for photography.

A member of Hull Photographic Society, Jackson was a prize-winning photographer. Jackson was colour-blind, but contemporaries believed this enhanced his work, allowing him to instinctively visualise scenes in monochrome and focus on tonal contrast and composition.

Following his death in 1966, he was described as “one of the best amateur photographers in the North of England.”

Councillor Jackie Dad, Hull City Council portfolio holder for culture, said: “This exhibition offers a remarkable window into Hull’s maritime heritage at a time of enormous change for the city. William Jackson’s photographs capture not just the physical landscape of our rivers and docks, but the energy and identity of a community shaped by industry and trade.

“It’s an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to reconnect with these powerful stories and appreciate the legacy that continues to define Hull today.”

The exhibition runs until November 21.