Christopher Pickering

For other people named Christopher Pickering, see Christopher Pickering (disambiguation).

Christopher G. Pickering (9 November 1842 – 22 December 1920)[1][2] was a British businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune as a merchant and ship owner, particularly in the Kingston upon Hull fish trade. In 1914 he founded a park, almshouses, church and children's home in west Hull. The park and almshouses still bear his name.

Pickering Park (January 2007)

Biography

Christopher Pickering was born in 1842, the son of a tailor. In 1861 his occupation was that of a fish curer in Kingston upon Hull, and subsequently he became a fish merchant, and by 1881 a ship owner. He controlled together with a Mr. Haldane Pickering & Haldane's Steam Trawling Co. and the fish and ice merchants Pickering, Haldane & Co.[1]

He married Rachael Blakestone, lived in 114 Coltman Street, Hull, from 1874 to 1889, and moved to Hornsea in 1889 when he purchased The Hall.[1]

He founded six almshouses in Hornsea in 1908,[3] and in 1914 he built almshouses, a church, park and children's home in the west of Kingston upon Hull.[1]

He was presented with the Freedom of the City of Hull in 1920.[4]

He died in December 1920 aged 78.[1][4]

Legacy

Both the Hull Almshouses (Christopher Pickering Lodge is now a grade II listed building[5]) and the park (Pickering Park, Kingston upon Hull) he built still bear his name, as does a local council ward (Pickering Ward).[1] The restoration of his Coltman Street home was featured in the third season of the BBC television series Restoration Home.[6][7]

References

1. "Christopher Pickering : A Rags to Riches Story" (PDF). Hullwebs.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
2. "Christopher Pickering". Geni.com. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
3. "North division: Hornsea, section "charities"". A History of the County of York East Riding Volume 7: Holderness Wapentake, Middle and North Divisions. 2002. pp. 273–295. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
4. "Pickering and Ferens Homes : 100 Years of providing housing in Hull" (PDF). Pfh.org.uk. Pickering and Ferens Homes. November 2008. pp. 7-8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
5. See:
   
   • "Boxing Club at Christopher Pickering Homes, Kingston Upon Hull". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
   • "North East Block at Christopher Pickering Homes, Kingston Upon Hull". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
   • "North West Block at Christopher Pickering Homes, Kingston Upon Hull". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
   • "West Block at Christopher Pickering Homes, Kingston Upon Hull". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
6. "BBC Two - Restoration Home, Series 3, Coltman Street". BBC. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
7. "Victorian House SAVED | Restoration Home | S03E06 | Home & Garden | DIY Daily". YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2022.