Kingston upon Hull Local Customs

Hull is the only UK city with its own independent telephone network company, Kingston Communications. This is why you'll see that instead of having red telephone boxes like the rest of the UK, the cities phone boxes are a distinctive cream colour.

Chip shops in Hull seem have some quirks you don't find out of Yorkshire.

Scraps- for those who can't afford to buy chips you ask for scraps which is all the left over fried bits of batter. Don't be surprised if you're asked 'D yeh wan eni scraps wie dat?' (Would you like any scraps with that?)

American Chip Shop Spice - I've not seen this marvel out of East Yorkshire. I think it's a mixture of celery salt, paprika and powdered onion, well that's what it tastes like to me. American Chip Shop Spice

Cod - not very popular, as most fishing towns know, cod is a dirty fish so we all eat Haddock instead. Cod is a bottom feeder, quite often to be found close to sewage outlets. Plus that fact that they are becoming an environmentally unstable source.

Patties - these are mashed potato with herbs and spices, dipped in bread crumbs and fried. I've asked for them in other cities and get something completely different.

Wrapped in Newspaper - there is one company that still wraps in newspaper, but I can't tell you here as it's some EU law that it's now illegal, I don't want the place fined! Most other places will just wrap in newsprint (the same paper type but blank) Also at Hull fair you can usually get it in Newspaper, it's not Hull fair if the vinegar and the steam doesn't leave you're hands black with the print.

They're always busier on a Friday, all those Catholics in Hull who don't believe in eating meat on a Friday will frequent a chippy.

Kingston upon Hull is in the unusual position of having it's own telecommunications company. Since 1914, it has been the only private operator of local telephone services apart from the giant of BT (British Telecom).

Kingston communications have also held onto may of the 'traditional' Gilbert Scott designed public telephone boxes. Many regard these things as icons of the British way of life, alongside cricket and warm beer.

In Hull, However, they are cream. As opposed to the traditional fire-engine Red.

Hull is the only city in the UK with its own phone company, Kingston Communications, hence the cream coloured phone boxes.
KC was formed in 1910 and gives its services to over 185,000 subscribers today.

"The Vikings arrived in the 9th Century and carved the county up into 'thrithings' or thirds. These 'Thirds' would later be called the North, East and West Ridings. These administrative boundaries remained intact for well over one thousand years.
Each Riding appears to have its own specific form of dialect. The West Riding dialect is considered to have a hard, almost brash sound to it. This is seen by some as a reflection of the hardships endured by those employed within the mills.
The North and East Ridings by comparison are seen as having a much softer spoken dialect, quite possibly because it was used by farmers and others from tiny rural communities.
A good example of the hard and soft sound that differentiates the West and North/East Ridings is the word 'father'. In the West Riding it's pronounced 'fatther,' which is quite hard. Whereas people from the North/East Ridings pronounce it much softer as in, 'feyther,' or 'faather'.
However, there's one peculiarity of our regional dialect that is common in all three regions. Regarded by some an absolute treasure, it's known as the 'glottal stop.' Countless outsiders fail miserably when they try to execute the glottal stop, quite simply 'flummoxed' by this most Yorkshire of things!
To better understand it, let's take the term "There was a right bang in the night." If we then 'Yorkshire' this up, we end up with 'Ther worra reyt bang in t' neyt.' Pronounced correctly (ie Tyke!), the "t'" of "t' neyt" remains silent and the throat tightens slightly, acting as an unspoken marker for the word 'the.' "
Taken from the BBC website.

Hull has quite a 'winy' accent "Al 'ave a glass of draah wahyt wahyn" (I'll have a glass of dry white wine).
The vowels sound like this
A = aeh (like 'hay' in a posh accent, without the 'h' with a longer 'a' sound)
E = ey (as in 'he')
I = aah (short a)
O = ooah (with a Hull accent, sorry it's hard to describe, maybe like the 'o' in mow)
U = like the word 'ewe'

Amgunna = I am going to
Arfa Larga = Half a glass of beer or lager
Ayer = Have you. Usage: Ayer gorra bruvva? = Have you got a male sibling?
Bains = Children. Usage: Bains out larkin' = The children are playing outside.
Bray = Hit or beat (agressive gesture) Usage: I'll bray yer eddin' = I'm going to inflict pain on you.
Burn = Bone. Usage: Burn idol = Extreme laziness.
Canaborryit? = Can I borrow it?
Chowatmi = Shout at me Usage: Mimmams gunner chowatmi = I shall be in severe trouble with my mother.
Curl = Call
Curled = Cold
Curlslur = Coleslaw or sliced cabbage
Dinntit? = Did it not?
Dernt nerr = I do not know
Diddy farndowt? = Did he find anything?
E = He
Ed Head = Usage: Doin' me eddin = Making me confused.
Ellur = Hello
Erm = Home
Err nerr = Oh no. Meaning: An expression of dismay.
Fern = Phone. Usage and meaning: Fern curls = Telecommunications
Gerreer = Come here or come over Usage: Oi! Gerreer! = Come this way.
Gerremin = Get them in Usage: Gerremin = Get the drinks in.
Gerroff = Leave me alone
Giz/gizza = Give me. Usage: Gizza pennith 'gammy fruit = Could I please have some of those bruised apricots.
Gorrit for nowt = I did not pay anything
Gunna = Going to
Larkin = Hanging or playing out
Lerds 'n lerds = Plenty. Same as: Givin' it lerds
Mafted/mafting = Hot. Usage: I'm mafted = I'm rather hot. It's mafting = It's rather hot.
Mimmam = My mother. Usage: Mama mia = I'm here Mother. Yer mammal ner = Your Mother will have the information.
Plern block in tenfoot = Playing 'Goangerided' in an alleyway
Siling down = Raining
Skeg = To look
Croggy = A crossbar of a bicycle Usage: Giz a crogga = Can you give me a lift on your bicycle?

Hullites have warped the ‘Queen’s English’ and ‘Broad Yorkshire’ into a tragically unflattering accent. To understand natives, here’s how Hullites draw-out and flatten their vowels:

A - Ayyyya
E – Eyyyya
I - Iyyyya
O - Ohhhh
U – You-we

General Hullite greeting is “I-ya, y’alriiiight?”

Should you need to score, head to St Johns Pub, Queens Road. You should see what you need.

It is also good to visit Hull during 'Hull Fair Week'. It is the largest travelling fair in Europe and is a major event in Hull. Hull fair is held in October. This year it is 5th-13th October.

In a harbourtown like Hull you should pay respect to the harbour, the sea and the fishermen. The fishermen's harbour and market give always a great view of what lifes about in such a town. Here you can also find the fish-auction and many fresh fish-restaurants.

The Marina

Make sure you have a walk on the waterfront - lovely here, especially when it's sunny - Have a pint or two in the many pubs - Pop to 'The Minerva' round the corner for some proper ale