Leeds Arts University researcher uncovers hidden histories of Hull’s Orchard Park Estate

Dr Joe Sheehan, Senior Lecturer in BA (Hons) Animation at Leeds Arts University, has contributed to We Are Orchard Park, a community heritage project exploring the history of Hull’s Orchard Park Estate.

Delivered in partnership with Back to Ours and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project celebrated the estate’s heritage and strong sense of community by uncovering and retelling overlooked stories. This encompassed family life, acts of goodwill, art, crime, community spirit, folklore and humour, and highlighted the people, places and animals that have shaped Orchard Park over the years.

Dr Sheehan’s research combined archival research, family history and site visits with interviews with current and former residents. He presented his research through a zine, bringing the stories together in an accessible, illustrated format, and also created a model recreation of the Laxthorpe high-rise flats, a former block of flats on the estate.

The project’s exhibition took place at the Orchard Centre in Hull from 21 to 23 October 2026. It featured the model flats alongside archive materials, audio interviews and photographs of life on the estate, and visitors were able to pick up a free copy of the zine. Visitors could also share their own memories and stories, with the project team on hand throughout to speak to residents and record additional stories for the project’s archive. The display will move on to Hull History Centre.

Dr Sheehan also contributed to the BBC Sounds podcast Hidden East Yorkshire, in the episode When Orchard Park was Hull’s future, where he discussed his research, the wider history of the estate and his own family’s connections to the area.