‘Hands-on history’ lands fresh catch of volunteers

Record numbers of people are volunteering across the city’s museums service and history centre and a number are helping out at the city’s Maritime Museum, where they are bringing out artefacts from its impressive collection of whaling artefacts, normally kept behind glass, or fastened to a wall. The city had a long history of whaling – the first whaling ships left Hull in 1598 after the discovery of Greenland.

In the early 19th century 2,000 locals were engaged in the trade, and 60 whaling ships headed out to the fishing grounds, making it the largest in the country. Whale oil – used both as a lubricant for machinery and to light the streets of northern England was landed in Queen’s Dock and processed locally. Assistant curator of projects Tom Goulder said: “It is a chance for the public to get their hands on some of their collections, original artefacts, harpoons, whale bones, baleen, as well as scrimshaw, decorated whales’ teeth and tusks from narwhals.”

The nine volunteers, who come to the museum every Thursday afternoon, include the unemployed, recent graduates and retired people.