Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Last Trip to Whitby Museum, 1977


Whitby Museum revisited after 48 years.....Last visit in 1977, when doing the Cleveland Way with Mum, Dad, Nick and Matt. I remembered seeing these tattooed heads, which were repatriated to the Maori and New Zealand in 1998.........a gruesome trade in these heads was started by Captain Cook's botanist, who apparently took one home to England and started a craze. My 11 year old self was fascinated, but didn't grasp they were someone's relatives....
 

Art Nouveau Tiles on Whitby Shop


 

                                                                  Better in colour!











 

Found By Fire.....Fylingdales Stones,


I was fascinated by the top stone, revealed after moorland fires burnt back the peat in 2003....I recognised the same pattern on chalk drum-shaped stones from Folkton on the Wolds....and the pattern is found on Orkney. What did these shapes and symbols mean, or were they just easy to scratch onto rock?!

See the excellent article 

                         http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/folkton.htm






 

Bronze Age


Bronze Age Weapons at Whitby Museum



 

Whitby Stone Heads

Stone heads from Whitby Museum

 

Sailmaking

In Whitby's sail lofts sails were handmade, rigged and stitched, back-breaking work. (Whitby Museum)


 

Whitby Abbey

I was going to draw the bowhead whale bones in Whitby, where everyone has their photo taken, but my 21st century sensibility was disturbed by the site of the harpoon on top....this collection of whaling tools from a bygone trade with macabre purposes...."flensing" knives, "strand" knives, blubber spades, a lance and harpoons...(Trip to Whitby Museum, last visit in 1977 with Mum, Dad, Nick and Matt , walking the Cleveland Way!) 
 

27 Foot Deep Well Found Under Chip shop!

Discovered under the floor of Cliffe Ash Fish and Chip shop during its conversion to the Colne Valley Museum, the old  well is under the floor, its shaft being where customers unknowingly queued for their chips!
Eagle-eyed people will spot the Museum moved the position of the door and window has been moved when the floor was repaired. With thanks to Alan of Colne Valley Museum for an entertaining trip underground in my hard hat!!








 

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

Haigh Cross

After reading up about this cross in  "Huddersfield Highways Down the Ages" by W.B. Crump, I located it 3 years ago on  the sad remnants of Lindley Moor, behind a high wall by a truck factory.... 

 

The Haigh Cross, Lindley Moor

With thanks to David Morley, Lindley Heritage Day at Lindley Methodist Church- great old postcards! 
Linked to the Elland Feud, this cross was a waymark across Lindley Moor for hundreds of years. Now not accessible to the public on a scruffy bit of land privately owned, the 1808 replica has been "saved" by Kirklees Council, unlike the moor itself, given "in perpetuity to the people of Huddersfield" and covered in houses......More info later on the Elland Feud and how the Quarmbys of Quarmby were involved in family rivalry between the Beaumonts of Crosland Hall, South Crosland (hall long gone, but just down the road!)  and the Ellands of Elland  Hall......(also long gone, under the Elland Bypass!)


 

Willfully Pulled Down

Lindley Moor's historic stone, of which more later....


 

Sunday, 14 September 2025

Lawrence of Arabia

An unexpected memorial to Lawrence of Arabia in Bridlington! Real name Aircraftman Shaw, he was based here during his time with the RAF (1929 - 1935).

 

No Fishing In Bridlington

No Fishing in Bridlington......off the harbour wall. 
There were some nice terracotta fish bricks...

 

Ducks Crossing

Sloe Down!


 

Lockup

In contrast to gateways, here's Hunmanby lockup and a pinfold, both about containment and punishment, the pinfold for cows and the lockup for rowdy locals.....

 

Gateway

During Lockdown I became obsessed with drawing old gates.......
 this one's is in Hunmanby, where I got to rest and recuperate and see Mum at last!!