The Ferens in World War II - A guest blog by Andrew Carrick

During this current crisis, there have been many references and comparisons in the press and on social media, to the Second World War, and it’s easy to understand why: we all face, together, a seemingly implacable foe, but at the same time we have faith in ourselves and our country to survive and get through it.

So when BBC Radio played Vera Lynn recently, I thought, “Well that’s it, we are at war”, but in fact it was the dear lady’s 103rd birthday. Nevertheless there was something calming about the sound of her voice. It got me thinking, what did the Ferens do during the war years, 1939 to 1945? I knew one or two things from a previous research project, so I signed up to one of those online archives and compiled the following items which I thought might be of interest to Friends. The chief source of material here is the Hull Daily Mail, a very different animal from the present version: a limited number of pictures for a start, and dense text, cramming the news in. Of course, there were restrictions on the use of paper so that is not surprising. And then there’s the now dated style of writing and reporting.

The Ferens restricted its opening hours to visitors in September 1939, just over a month after war was declared. The Government had left the decision on whether to close museums and galleries, to local authorities, based on what was considered best to preserve exhibits. Here, the most valuable items were stored away 'in the cellar' but many were to remain, and the Mail journalist put it rather profoundly: To be able to stand before objects that have retained their essential form for a thousand years gives one a blessed sense of immortality at a time when we feel rather like the flowers of the forest. I, for one, say thank you for the decision to carry on as usual.

Just two months after the outbreak of war, the Ferens appeared in a list of public air raid shelters (capacity 400-500 people in the basement), as announced by Alderman Leo Schultz – of whom more later. In January 1940 the ever-favourite Open Exhibition was announced in the newspaper's Public Notices column, to be open from January to March. A piece on 4th March 1940 gives a light-hearted account of “Cecil Hunt, well known London journalist”, who has visited Hull for the first time and been impressed by the Ferens, particularly because “no-one took his umbrella away from him”, something which had never happened to him in any art gallery before! 27th November 1940: an exhibition of children's posters is to be held at the Ferens as part of the Hull War Weapons Week fundraising campaign, with additional exhibitions in the City Hall. This is to be opened by Sir Victor Warrender, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, who was also treated to a lunch by the Lord Mayor.

In early May 1941 Hull suffered its worst bombing attacks. Yorkshire Post journalist, Cyril Dunn, recorded how “Ferens Gallery had its white front spattered with red brick dust, just like blood...” This dust came from the Prudential Tower, damaged by bombs and subsequently demolished. A letter to the Hull Daily Mail dated 5th July 1943, signed by some 15 local people, gave voice to the deeply held belief of what art represented to them. We lament that it was found necessary to close down the Ferens Art Gallery at the beginning of the war. The fact that Hull has suffered so severely is one reason why it is felt that everything possible should be done to keep alive those activities which not only help us to endure our present sufferings, but which represent some of the real values for the maintenance of which we are fighting this war... It is not suggested that the City's permanent collection should be displayed and thus exposed to the risk of destruction by air raids. It is felt however that the three rooms on the ground floor...might be re-opened to show touring exhibitions. In April 1944 an exhibition of works by Hans Holbein was announced although many of them were reproductions of the originals at Windsor and the V&A. We were much more fortunate therefore to have had the original Holbein of Thomas Cromwell here last year. Nevertheless it is clear that at this point in the war, restrictions are relaxing somewhat on the home front.

In June it was announced that there would be a “Design in the Home” Exhibition for 3 weeks the following month. Then on the 11th November 1944, the Curator of the Ferens, Vincent Galloway, revealed a new portrait by him of the wife of Alderman Leo Schultz (whose statue now stands at the west end of the Guildhall). Mr Galloway is quoted:  “...the number of people who have attended the exhibitions in the small section of the gallery now available is proof that the citizens of Hull appreciate the chance to study art.”

By April 1945, the civil defence corps were able to vacate the rooms in the Ferens that they had used as a command post during the war. Fluorescent lighting was being considered for  the permanent installations, and opening hours would be extended to 8pm on weekdays. Saturday 12th May 1945 saw a victory parade through the city centre, with the Lord Mayor,   J D Nicholson, taking the salute on the steps of the Ferens.

In June, a month after the cessation of hostilities, there was an exhibition of work by Polish artists who were either resident here or came here in the armed forces. The newspaper report says that “...although they do not give a full picture of Polish contemporary art they testify to its variety”. The exhibition turned out to be slightly controversial, not so much because one of the pictures was a nude, but because said picture had been removed from display. “I have an idea that some busybody has complained” wrote a Mr Appleton of Marlborough Avenue, Hull, in a letter to the Mail. From February 19th to March 9th 1948 the plans for the Lutyens-Abrecrombie developments were on show. These envisaged huge changes to the play-out and buildings of the city centre, but were never brought to fruition. On the same page of the Hull Daily Mail, the Regent Cinema, Anlaby Road, announced that it was planning to “reopen soon” and thanked its many esteemed patrons for their past support.