Our time traveller back in 1900, when comparing then and now, may well decide that in terms of housing the differences in that of the rich and the homes of the poor have become less apparent since 1900. Compare, for example, Brantinghamthorpe Hall (see above) as photographed about 1900 and the mud and thatch huts shown in the last blog photgraphed somewhat later. The biggest modern house in North Ferriby, one could argue, is not so much different to a semi or terraced house on a Barratt estate. Presumably ‘levelling-up’, don’t hold your breath, will bring the two closer still.
Crossing the north bank from west to east our 1900 explorer would cross the open farmland that had been Hessle Common before entering Hessle Road, Hull. Here, as with Anlaby Road, Beverley Road and Holderness Road, he/she would see the stages of suburbanisation that had taken place by 1900. On Beverley Road, for example, the initial stage was from the early 19th century onwards when linear development occured along either side of the main routeway, out of town but near the town. These would have been high status properties still with agricultural land behind them. Today these properties are often in a poor state of repair and have been internally subdivided to create houses of mulpiple occupation or flats. The second stage of suburbanisation in these locations was for a grid-plan of streets to be created behind the early buildings but with junctions accessing the main road. The housing alongside these streets would be largely by-law housing of the late 19th century, of varying dimensions but generally quality housing although much more densely built than the earlier properties. The speculative builders had had to comply with Corporation building by-laws, these enforced by the Housing Officer (or that was the theory). One thing they had in common with the earlier ribbon development was that those occupying the properties were tenants.