Seeds Of Change – Celebrating Hull’s Oil Seed Crushing Industry
Project Launch
Built in 1919 the former British Extracting Co. silo (a Grade II listed building) stands as a
silent sentinel transmitting the memory of Hull’s oil seed crushing industry.
A Surviving part of the Church Street/Lion Mill oil seed crushing complex.
The mill complex on this site was fully operational by the middle of the 19th century
In December 2022 Hull’s centuries old oil seed crushing industry all but came to an end. Dating back to at least the 16th century, providing employment for the people of Hull for 500 years, oil seed crushing was one of the major industries that Hull’s success was built upon.
As part of the Historic England funded Everyday Heritage grants scheme Humber Field Archaeology will be working with the people of Hull throughout 2024 to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of this often overlooked industry.
The Seeds of Change project will set out to produce an engaging and lasting legacy for a hard working industry that has almost slipped into history unnoticed. The project will focus on the oil seed crushing history and heritage of the lower River Hull valley, especially the area straddling Wincolmlee and Wilmigton, where many of Hull’s oil seed mills were situated. This is an area where today the giants of this industry stand as silent sentinels watching over the landscape.
The project will engage with people who have worked in the oil seed crushing industry, and associated industries; people who have lived in the Wincolmlee and Wilmington areas; and people who want to learn more about Hull’s oil seed crushing industry. Together we will celebrate this important story, part of what makes Hull such a cutting edge city.
A Surviving part of the Church Street/Lion Mill oil seed crushing complex.
The mill complex on this site was fully operational by the middle of the 19th century.
The house on the left and the mill building on the right are part of High Flags oil seed crushing complex. Dating from the middle of the 19th century both are Grade II listed buildings (HIGH FLAGS MILL, Non Civil Parish - 1197814 | Historic England).
A surviving part of the later 19th century Anglo-American oil seed crushing mill,
situated on Glass House Row, Wilmington.
Centred above each of the ground floor windows that look out on to Glass House Row from the remaining part of the Anglo-American mill are these small decorative panels. Each appears to depict a single flax flower as an acknowledgment of the flax seed (also known as linseed) that was crushed at the site to make oil.
Working together the Seeds of Change community will produce:
A heritage trail for the Wincolmlee and Wilmington area of the city.
Capture oral histories and reminiscences from people who used to work in the industry, used to/still live in the Wincolmlee/Wilmington areas and used to/still work in associated industries.
Make a photographic record of the oil seed crushing mills, and associated buildings, still standing in the Wincolmlee and Wilmington areas.
Build a 3D Augmented/Virtual Reality model of a seed crushing mill. As most seed crushing mills have either been demolished, remodelled, or are entirely inaccessible to the public this will provide a freely accessible digital version of a seed crushing mill.
A piece of music to capture the spirit of the area. Along with accompanying film footage this will be accessible via digital links associated with the heritage trail.
A self-contained computer game, set within the confines of a historic oil seed mill, to provide an alternative way into the stories of Hull’s oil seed industry.
Other arts outputs, such as a digital magazine.
If you are interested in this project, and you’d like to get involved, please email us hfa@hullcc.gov.uk telling us why you’re interested in getting involved.
Seeds of Change is being funded by Historic England’s Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.
Keep up to date with the Seeds of Change project vis this website as well as through HFA’s social media channels (Facebook Humber Field Archaeology or X HFArchaeology).
