The Hull Hub Issue 22

Lynda Harrison
Commissioned
Writer, Award
Winning Actor.
Member of Hull
Collective: Women
of Words
NODGE
I think of us back in that summer,
the one before the pandemic that
changed all our lives, languishing in
your summer house, lazily mining
each other’s minds for a diamond -
an idea for a new play to co-write.
We’d already had a ‘hit’ (that’s
what we laid claim to anyway) with
‘Brought to a Head’, a play about
love, lies and abuse - not exactly
a new concept but it garnered
enough votes at the ‘Scratch
Theatre’ Humber Street for our
play to win that night. Predictably
there were some wrangles and
disputes during its writing (my
prediction, not yours). A retired
teacher of creative writing, you
were blessed with forceful, clinging
and unshakeable traits and a
wealth of extensive knowledge - a
formidable opponent; unique in
your love of Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan
- and Hull City Football Team - a
mish-mash of endearments but
each the recipient of your steadfast,
enduring loyalty; as too was poetry,
the piano, books, baking, art and
choral singing.
In 2015 you introduced a reluctant
me to ‘The Armed Man’ by gifting
me the complete vocal score, where
on page seventy seven you’d written
in the margin in pencil, ‘turn page
quietly’ - ever my mentor. We
sang poignantly with a thousand
other voices at The Royal Albert
Hall, paying tribute to the victims
of Kosovo. A Mass for peace - and
I loved it!
At midnight we’re ready for bed in
a London Hotel, tired after a long
but incredibly moving day. I could
murder for a glass of wine but
you’re not a drinker like me and so I
concede to a cup of tea, ‘I’ll make it,
it’ll be hot’, I warn, ‘because I allow
the kettle to boil’, you laugh at the
irony and point the remote at the
telly. ‘Custard cream or Scottish
Shortbread?’
‘Let’s share’.
‘Ok’.
The blank TV screen brings to life
a black and white a documentary
about Elvis - our faces mirror each
other’s contentedness as we buff
pillows and pull duvets tight up to
our chins. Elation. Is there any finer
intoxication? But sleep is a poweful
seducer, especially when you are
women of a certain age. It’s time to
select the ‘off’ button, switch out the
light and snuggle down.
‘Night, night’, you whisper, ‘I love
you Lynda’.
‘Night, night, I love you too Nodge’.
I will always see you adjusting the
louvres of light to allow us to write
without the hindrance of the sun’s
rays bleaching our words from the
page. I will always taste the reward
for our endeavours - a slice of
your delicious home-made lemon
drizzle cake and a mug of chambre
tea to wash down the sharp, sugary
delicacy. I will always hear our joint
laughter ringing in my ears and
that memory will always force my
aching heart to beat with regret that
I never saw you for just one last time
in the summer house. RIP Nodge.
My dear friend.
THE TRUE STORY OF
JOHN FREDERICK TONG
BY MIKE COVELL
The role of the firewatcher in Hull during
WWII was one which was set aside
for men, women and boys with nerves
of steel. In the first instance this role
was voluntary only, there was no payment
for it, and those who enlisted did
so as part of their duty to their country,
as well as their neighbours, friends,
and family.
Secondly, these firewatchers had the
unenviable job of spending many hours,
at all hours, sat watching the skies,
whether they were situated on top of
large buildings, factories, power plants,
civic institutions, and shops, or whether
they were out on foot, at street level, patrolling
the streets, thoroughfares, and
dockland estate. These individuals also
did this in all weathers, come sun, rain,
or snow.
Add this to the fact that most went to
school, college, or work during the day,
during a period that was still under the
infamous “Blackout” conditions, and
during a period when rationing was
ongoing. They really were a different
breed.
Records of these individuals are today
stored at the Hull History Centre, and
for many months I was one of a group
of volunteers who sat and transcribed
records in the archive search room, a
project which went on to gain critical
acclaim, and also won national awards!
On January 23rd 1944 57 year old John
Frederick Tong, who resided at number
15 Peel Street, Hull, vanished. At the time
Mr. Tong was enlisted as a fire watcher,
which at the time was also known as a
fire guard. At the time of his disappearance
no mention of him vanishing appeared
in the columns of The Hull Daily
Mail.
The Hull History Centre holds the following
Fire Guard Section Personnel
card for Mr. J. F. Tong, reference: C
TYR/4/2215592, it reads:
Name: J. F. Tong, Year of Birth:
1886, Home Address: 13 Witty
Street, Hull, which is crossed out
and replaced with 15 Peel Street,
Place of Work: L.N.E.R. Occupation:
Machine Attendant, Date of
Enrolment: February 24th 1942.
On Friday July 21st 1944, a report appeared
in The Hull Daily Mail, with
the headlines: “BODY PICKED UP BY
DREDGER,” “HULL MAN WHO HAD
BEEN MISSING.” The report stated that
about half past ten yesterday a dredger
was at work in the Victoria Dock, Hull,
when it picked up the body of a man
who had been missing since January.
It was reported that the man had been
identified as John Frederick Tong, the 57
year old man, who had resided at number
15 Peel Street. It was reported that
Mr. Tong had been enrolled to be a fire
watcher in the vicinity of Victoria Dock
but he had vanished about six months
previously.
On Wednesday July 26th 1944, The Hull
Daily Mail reported that a few days previous
the body of Missing John Frederick
Tong, the 57 year old man, who had resided
at number 15 Peel Street, had been
found. It was reported that he had been
out on fire watching duty when he was
last seen, and that his body was recovered
from Victoria Dock. An inquest was
held on Wednesday July 26th 1944, and a
verdict of “found drowned,” was recorded
by the Hull City Coroner, Dr. Norman
Jennings, stating there was insufficient
evidence to show how Mr. Tong had got
into the water.
John Frederick Tong’s death was registered
in the British Death Registers thus:
Surname: Tong, Forename: John
F., Age: 57, Year: 1944, Quarter:
September, District: Hull, Volume:
9D, Page: 252
At the time of his death there were no
obituaries or death notices in The Hull
Daily Mail, and John’s name does not
appear on the Civilian War Dead Index.
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