Guest lecture by Matt Wright, Head of Operations at RSPCA Hull & East Riding, on two centuries of animal welfare history.
Matt Wright, Head of Operations at RSPCA Hull & East Riding, is taking to the stage at Hull Guildhall on Tuesday 16th February to talk through more than 200 years of animal welfare, kindness and compassion. The talk is part of the Hull Literary & Philosophical Society's 2026/27 guest lecture programme.
Wright traces the history of the (R)SPCA from its very beginning, starting with William Wilberforce's role in its founding in 1824 and the Royal Patronage later granted by Queen Victoria. From there, the story moves closer to home, following the creation of the independent Hull Branch in 1904. It's a long line to pull, from the early days of the national society through to the local branch that's become such a fixture of the city.
Much of the talk focuses on the Branch's own history here in Hull. Wright shares stories from its past, including the opening of the Clough Road site, animal rescues during the Blitz, and the charity's fight for survival back in the 1990s. It's the kind of local history that's easy to overlook, but it's the stuff that really shows how the place has held on over the decades.
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Doors open at 6.45pm and the talk starts at 7.30pm prompt, running for one hour. It's a mid-week evening, so it's one of those things you can slip into on a Tuesday night.
