Art, Literature & Music

East Yorkshire partook in the artistic pleasures of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century like other parts of the country. And it had its own personalities to contribute, too. John Ward, born in Hull, has been described as “the leading marine artist and ship portrait painter in Hull during the first half of the 19th century”. Apprenticed as a house and ship painter, he exhibited his artwork in 1827 onward and went on to specialise in local maritime and shipping scenes. Though the region’s best known writers come from before and after this period, another native of Hull, William Mason, was a poet whose work was well regarded in its time. Historian John Bigland was born in Skirlaugh, and composed articles and other works inspired by his own religious scepticism. James Evans, born in Hull, emigrated to Canada and is well known for inventing writing systems for native languages Ojibwe and Cree. Beverley was a centre for music during the period, hosting a number of music festivals. New organs were installed in the Minster and in St. Mary’s during the period. The Minster’s organ was one of the few in the country to have pedals before the Victorian era.