The History of Thorne

Latest News / Information

9 Febuary 2015

My name is Jacqueline Tulley Hawxwell and I was born in Thorne in 1952 and now live in Cottingham, East Yorkshire.. I am currently investigating my families history and have drawn a blank into some of the information I am trying to find.

My great grand parents I believe lived at 2 West street Thorne around 1901. They were Jack Lilford Ward and Jane Elizabeth Ward. I do know these properties were demolished and from what I have found out, West Court was built on or near this site.

I know this is a long shot but what I am trying to retrieve are details of the plans too 2 West Street. I think the owner of the properties at the time was The Hinchcliffe Family.

Can you help in anyway with this enquiry.

Mrs Jacqueline Tulley-Hawxwell

Please contact Site Admin with your information.

21 January 2015

Paul Moore has an interest of the history of Staniland boat yard and if there is anyone alive who knows the history of his boat Knights Cross built in 1948, would they contact him on Tel: 07757510879.

19 January 2015

Researching a barge built by Messrs Richard Dunston in Thorne in 1938.

I am researching a barge built by Messrs Richard Dunston in Thorne in 1938. The barge name is "Riccall" and her yard number was T.329. The vessel was registered in Hull on 6 July 1938 as #165717.

I have located pertinent material at the National Maritime Museum (plans), Hull City Archive (registration papers) and drawn blanks at the Doncaster Archive and Thorne Library. I know that there was in the 1990s at least one extant photograph of this particular boat and I am led to believe that the original sales documentation was available in the archive Dunston's donated on closure to the Hull Maritime Museum.

The Thorne-related content of this archive was passed to Doncaster some years ago and appears to have been lost with the exception of some very general materials in Thorne Library. However, one of the archivists in Doncaster who used to work at Thorne suggested that I contact the Thorne Local History Society whom she remembers presenting an exhibition some time ago which included photographs of vessels built at Thorne.

Of course, this recollection may be faulty, there may not be any remaining materials and so on, but I wondered if the Society does have any photographic materials that may be relevant to this specific vessel. Any advice or assistance would be much appreciated.

Paul Reeve

If you have any information on this please contact

2nd December 2014

Rare Isle of Axholme Book Sale

You may be interested to learn that Grice & Hunter are favoured with instructions to sell the private collection of local Isle of Axholme history publications including a very rare compilation of Read’s History of the Isle of Axholme.

The marketing period will extend until the 15th December and the books are available for perusal at The Epworth Mechanics Institute Library during their normal opening hours. This is a rare opportunity to acquire such fascinating local history and in the agents opinion would make superb Christmas presents and would be sound investments.

The sale is being managed by the Grice & Hunter Epworth office from whom further information is available including a brochure.

17th November 2014

Reminiscences of PC Richard Bond

It was 4 August 1958 when I first started working for the West Riding Constabulary as a Police Cadet at Thorne Police Station. Fifty six years ago according to my reckoning. My memories of those days are so crystal clear in my mind, unlike my short term memory of today now that I am a Septuagenarian...

<< See more here >>

<< NEWS ARCHIVE >>