Apostleship of the Sea and Anchor House, Hull

Collection contains a volume relating to Anchor House in Hull, which was operated as a hostel for seafarers by the Hull branch of the Apostleship of the Sea.

Started in Glasgow in 1920, the Apostleship of the Sea is a Catholic missionary society whose aim is to minister to seafarers. Trade directories show that there was a Catholic Mission Church between 16 and 18 Lee Smith Street in Hull from 1929. However, the work of the Catholic Church in this area had begun earlier, undertaken by the Society of St Vincent de Paul. The work of the Apostleship of the Sea was carried out by a port chaplain, whose activities included correspondence with seafarers at sea, visits to ships whilst in port, saying masses on board ships, and correspondence with seafarers’ wives and families. The port chaplain also undertook special pastoral work on behalf of Trinity House’s nautical college and the Hull Nautical School. The Lee Smith Street building was destroyed during air raids in 1941, and in 1942 rooms for a temporary Seamen’s Club were found at St Charles Church on Jarrett Street. In 1945 a site on Anlaby Road was donated by the Sisters of Mercy for use as a permanent Seamen’s Club. A new chaplain was appointed in 1947, Father Moss Hardy, and under his ministry the existing building was renovated and renamed Anchor House. Anchor House provided a chapel, bathroom, bar, TV lounge, shop, and other necessary facilities, and in 1965 a residential block was completed for the use of 50-60 Catholic seafarers. On the 27th March 1987, the Hull Apostleship of the Sea vacated the Anchor House building which had been sold to the Church Housing Association. The building was no longer as useful as it had been due to the closing of the docks, however, the work of supporting the spiritual needs of the seafarer was continued by port chaplains. Now, in the 21st century, the Apostleship of the Sea work in conjunction with Mission to Seafarers at the Seafarers Centre, United House, King George Dock, in order to provide seafarers with somewhere to rest, contact friends and family, and find out what there is to do in the local area.

Access will be granted to any accredited reader

Apostleship of the Sea

Volume found by AMA Manager Elizabeth McKinnon (later Breen) upon the sale of Anchor House to the English Churches Housing Association in 1987. Bequeathed to Kate Atkinson upon the death of Elizabeth McKinnon/Breen, who then donated the volume to Hull University Archives in person at Hull History Centre on 1 Sep 2022.

U DAPS