Having finished, for the moment, consideration of Myton, and before going on to Sculcoates, I will draw attention to the above.
For a while now Hull History Centre has had a table near the reception on which unwanted stock are being sold at very reasonable prices. Some of these items are booklets published back in the early 20th century under the general heading of ‘Hull Museum Publications’ and overseen by Thomas (Tommy) Sheppard M.Sc., F.G.S., F.S.A. Scot., M.B.O.U., Director.
I have bought a few of these for 50p or £1.
The one shown above is No. 3 in the Hull Museum Publications, was written by Thomas Sheppard, original price 1 penny (pre-decimal) and dated Sept. 1901. There are paragraphs about various artifacts recently (to then) unearthed and two relatively short articles entitled ‘Roman Remains near Barton’ and ‘Important Archaeological Discovery near Hull’. In both the exact site is not given, surely deliberately to thwart ‘diggers’ (rather than metal detectorists then). The second just identifies ‘a quiet and picturesque village near the foot of the Wolds’ and then goes on to describe the unearthing of various skeletons evidencing a violent end. The artifacts found ‘near Barton’ and considered by Sheppard to be Roman suggests to me the site being referred to is the ‘Poor Farm’ one near the Humber bank and on the parish boundary between Barton and South Ferriby. Subsequent ‘digs’ have found evidence of a ‘ladder settlement’ of Romano-British times leading, possibly, to another ferry point to the well documented one between Old Winteringham and Petuaria (Brough).
Thomas Sheppard was well known (notorious) for acquiring artifacts in north Lincolnshire (then Lindsey County Council area) and taking them back to Hull, although the alternative museum was then in Lincoln 35 miles away.
Sheppard’s Museum was on the south side of Albion Street and had started life as the Royal Institution (I think), built 1853-4. It was much damaged by enemy bombing in the early 1940s, many exhibits being destroyed including some from north Lincolnshire.
(to be continued).