Scarborough with its sheltering Castle headland and its sandy beach clear of rocks was an ideal place for a port to be built and men have sailed from here for a thousand years, long before Hull and Liverpool came into existence. Legends in the old town tell of a wooden Roman pier and a later stone Viking pier. Usually there is some truth in legends and to a seaman these legends ring true. Kormak’s Saga narrates the Viking colonisation of Scarborough in 966AD and the Romans may have used this shore on their trading and military ventures. Scarborough must have been a town of some importance by 1163AD when the first town farm of twenty pounds was paid to the Royal Exchequer. This growth in prosperity was part cause, part effect of the development of the harbour. By 1202 Scarborough was known as a port of Yorkshire and her success was aided by the suppression of local competition by a Royal grant of 1256 which prevented the establishment of any other port on this coast between Scarborough and Ravenser (near Hull). Four years earlier King Henry III had given a grant 'to make a certain new port with stone and timber towards the sea’. The cost of building this quay was to be met by dues exacted on all shipping calling here over the next five years. This royal privilege was extended throughout the remainder of the 13th and 14th centuries. Two centuries when Scarborough with its royal Castle and great summer fair reached its height as an international port and seafaring centre for fishing, mercantile trade and piracy. This prosperous state of affairs is reflected by the royal demands for ships. King Edward I ordered Scarborough to supply two ships and men for an expedition against the Scots in 1301, whilst Hull was asked to provide only one. Similar situations occurred again in 1310, 1324 and 1336. Scarborough has had a deep sea fishing fleet almost as long as records go back, often varying in numbers. The local monasteries were greatly involved with the fishing fleet - a monk was in charge of the fleet and others were navigators. Fishing was carried out with lines, the fish being dried, salted and packed into barrels. Malton Priory held land on the foreshore and had a 'herrynghouse' in the town. There were strict regulations concerning the marketing of fish. Most of it was transported by pack horses through the forests of Yorkshire to the great abbeys, some of it being hi-jacked on the way by hungry farm labourers. In 1336 nine fishing vessels, all named after saints, are recorded belonging to Scarborough. In the 15th century book "Shetland Saga" some 240 Crayers ( fishing vessels ) from Skarborrow came to fish the herring.
An exciting incident shattered the peaceful business of the harbour in 1377A. when Mercer, a Scottish pirate, entered the harbour with some Scotch, Irish, Philpott gave chase with the remainder of the ships. He caught up with him off the river Thames, brought Mercer to action and captured him and all the ships, taking the whole fleet into London. King Edward III was so pleased with Philpott's exploits that he ordered a new road, then under construction in London, to be called Philpott's Lane, where, in 1892, shipowners still had offices.
King Richard III, one of Scarborough’s famous royal visitors, stationed his war galleys here as a protection against the Scots: In 1484AD he found himself with a Cod War on his hands with Iceland. When the fishing fleet, most of which were Scarborough craft, sailed for Iceland, his war galleys accompanied them as an escort, on the royal command that the galleys could retaliate with all the means at their disposal if they encountered any Icelandic interference. This was the beginning of the Fishery Protection Service, now maintained by the Royal Navy.
Until the continued development of the port from the late 1600 s, Scarborough as a maritime centre remained in the doldrums during the 15th and 16th centuries. Her mercantile trade declined, it was only fish and the carrying of sea coal which kept the port alive.
Scarborough suffered not only from storm and at the hands of pirates - the Mercer incident is just one of many on the records - but also from centuries of near constant warfare against the Scots, French, Dunkirkers, Flemings, Hollanders and Spanish. Ships fled for refuge to the harbour, even vessels sheltering within were not safe from attack. In 1637 two Dutch vessels entered the harbour, captured a Spanish ship and took it away. Scarborough also witnessed great sea battles. One such occurred in 1572 between the English and the French when the French Admiral's ship was driven into the bay - the Admiral being taken prisoner by Scarborough fishermen and sent on to London. Two hundred years later life was no more peaceful. In 1778 five Scarborough ships, the "Duke", the "Catherine", the "Royal Union", the 'Crow" and the "Aislabie", were captured by the enemy and ransomed just as another five were nineteen years later.
During the 17th century Scarborough was taking part in the Greenland whale fishery and was manufacturing oil. Stephen Wharton was one owner who had an oil house for boiling blubber brought in by his ships. In 1787 the whalers "Brothers" and"Industry" sailed for the Davis Straits and the "Britannia" returned from Greenland with 33 butts of blubber. At this time Scarborough owned vessels totalling 33,400 tons, valued at £450,000 and crewed by 1,500 seamen. The whole economy of the town was based on maritime interests - fishing, shipping, shipbuilding and ship owning while the tourist trade was still in its embryonic stages.
Scarborough seafarers have left their mark throughout the world. Our fishermen founded the trawling fisheries at both Hartlepool and Aberdeen where there are many families of Scarborough descent. "Scarborough" can be seen many times on the world map - the capitol of Tobago Island, West Indies, a town just north of Fremantle in Western Australia, a coral reef in the centre of the China Sea and a channel leading directly over the Columbia River bar are just a few.
SCARBOROUGH HARBOUR - PIERS, LIGHTHOUSE AND MANAGEMENT
John Leland described Scarborough's pier as he saw it around 1539 as 'sore decayed', In 1564 Queen Elizabeth I granted £500 and 100 tons of timber together with six tons of iron to strengthen the Outer Pier. The harbour and pier at this time came under the responsibility of the Corporation of Scarborough represented by the bailiffs and burgesses. Maintenance of the pier during the decline of the Tudor and Stuart port frequently posed problems for the town and appeals for government aid were numerous during the 17th century. Moreover it was not unknown for the town's officials to misappropriate funds intended for the harbour. Indeed in 1752 a government enquiry into this abuse resulted in removing the harbour from the care of the Corporation to a body of Harbour Commissioners. It was not until 1949 that the harbour was restored to the jurisdiction of the Corporation. It was in George II's reign in 1732 that the Board of Trade decided to create a Harbour of Refuge for small craft along this coast, choosing Scarborough for the location. It was formed by building Vincent's Pier and the present East Pier. Vincent's Pier, a continuation seawards from the old Locker House on the early pier, was completed by 1752. The East Pier was a much larger enterprise. It was designed by William Smeaton, builder of the third Eddystone Lighthouse. Each stone was carefully dovetailed into its four adjacent neighbours, without using mortar or any binding material, so that when struck by heavy waves, it gave slightly and was not damaged greatly. The success of this design can be viewed today. The stones, some of which weigh about 30 tons, were quarried from the south shore near White Nab and rafted to the harbour where they were dressed before being placed in their final position. The work was all done by hand, using some convict labour. In the centre of this harbour was a tier of three large buoys where wind-bound vessels or those with dangerous cargoes could be moored. The cost of £12, 000 was met by a Board of Trade one penny levy on every chaldron of coal carried by all vessels on their passage south from the northern coalfields. It was remitted to the Custom House at Sunderland who sent it in to the Board of Trade London. It took over half a century to complete this project. Hinderwell states that 760 feet of the 1,380 feet length had been built by 1798 and it was finally completed, some time after 1811. During the early years of the 19th century the isolated Inner Island Pier was demolished and the stone reused to build the West Pier from West Sandgate. In 1879/80 the West and Outer Island Piers were joined together, the additional space used by the fish trade and market. Originally the gap between these two piers had provided sailing ships with a second chance to enter the inner harbour in heavy seas. With steam power increasing, this was no longer felt necessary.
The Harbourside became less industrialised as shipbuilding declined. The last of the warehouses, yards and shipping suppliers which clustered around the harbour disappeared when most of Sandside was demolished in 1905-07 to make way for the new Marine Drive promenade. The north jetty adjoining Sandside was built in 1926 for the landing of herrings. It is now used for the discharge of cargo vessels. The three arches under it are to help break the ferocity of the sea.
For as long as shipping has used Scarborough as a safe harbour,a means of advertising danger was devised. From medieval times when it was too dangerous to enter the harbour a fire, usually a tar barrel, was lit on the pier as a warning to shipping. This practice was called 'burning off'. Sometimes ships ignored this and took the risk, some making harbour safely, others losing men overboard as they made their hazardous passage. In 1804 Scarborough had its first recorded lighthouse built on Vincent's Pier. Originally there was no dome on the top, simply a flat roof on which a brazier stood. The fire was lit when the rising tide reached a depth of 12 feet at the harbour entrance and was extinguished when the falling tide dropped to 12 feet. A flag replaced the fire by day. Very soon the fire was found to be impracticable and 6 huge tallow candles with a reflector behind were exhibited from the upper window. Then oil lamps replaced candles to be superceded in turn by gas, after the gas works had opened in Quay Street in 1850. By this time the lighthouse had a second storey and the cupola. A ball hoisted on a mast replaced the flag by day. The light is now an electric isophase light ie. bright for 2.5 seconds, dark 2.5 seconds and is visible for 9 miles. A compressed air fog signal was installed, giving one blast every minute. There are still tidal signals - an amber light is shown from the tower's window from 12 feet to 6 feet depth of water at the harbour entrance.
The Harbour and the Great War 1914 -18
The Lighthouse signals were abruptly interrupted on that tragic day 16th December 1-914 when a sleepy Scarborough was bombarded by three German ships. A shell passed clean through the lighthouse tower, which had to be dismantled to the level of the house. Undeterred, a temporary signal was rigged up - a mast on which two red lights 6 feet apart were hoisted at tide times. This continued until 1931, when a rebuilt lighthouse tower, paid for by public subscription, was opened by the Mayoress, Mrs. Butler. There was a gun emplacement on the West Pier with an arc of fire ranging to White Nab. Another gun was in the old Aquarium sea wall covering the area from the beach to seawards of the East Pier. Both installed to counter any German landings. There were two single engined, single seater biplane Seaplanes one painted red and called the "Red Devil", the other blue and known as "Blue Bottle", were used as submarine spotters. They landed on the sea close to the harbour during heavy gales using the beach and taxied ashore where they refuelled before relaunching back to their convoy duties, As boys we took great pleasure in helping with this operation: On the beach itself rows of sandbags were rigged up and Army recruits used to practice bayonet drill on these, just as some twenty or so years later troops practiced beach. landings in preparation for the Normandy landings. All roads and passages from Sandside and the Foreshore were barricaded with sandbags and barbed wire, leaving a space for one person to get through. At Eastborough there was a gap to allow trams to pass. A barrel was hoisted on a mast on the Castle Hill when a German submarine was known to be in the vicinity. When in 1917 one surfaced in the south bay and opened fire on the town, she was quickly chased away by minesweepers. Many ships were damaged by enemy action off Scarborough. These were towed in and beached on the south sands where they were patched up before towing them to a northern shipyard for permanent repairs. Some of these were the 'Torquay", the 'Clyde", the "Nith" and the "Lucida". The "Trelyon", a St. Ives ship, laden with timber on passage from Archangel to Hull, beached first at White Nab. She was towed off and beached in the South Bay almost closing the port with her stern nearly touching the East Pier and her bow at Ramshill Scar. Unfortunately the gales came and she broke up, her cargo covering the south sands. Salvage contractors cut her up but her bottom, which could not be got at, is still there and can be seen at certain low tides.
SHIPBUILDERS AND OWNERS OF SCARBOROUGH
Shipbuilding has been carried on at Scarborough from a very early date and at one time Scarborough was the fifth largest shipbuilding centre of England. Before the registration of ships became compulsory in 1786, musterolls of ships and owners were kept at all ports for the government to act on in time of war. In Scarborough they were used to improve the Trinity House levy on all ships and seamen belonging to Scarborough. They give a good indication of the ships owned: in 1748 Scarborough had 44 ships and 724 men. in 1775 105 ships and 516 men: 1825 62 ships and 540 men, in 1825 137 ships and 1210 men, in 1845 163 ships and 1172 men and in 1851, the last year recorded, 142 ships and 1045 men.
The foundation of the large ocean-going shipbuilding industry stems back to the seventeenth century when John and James Cockerill of Paradise House were shipbuilders. They built their first ocean-going ship in 1685. William Tindall was also building ships at this time and his daughters, Mary and Thomasin, married shipbuilders George Cockerill and Joshua Sollitt. Other shipbuilders known were William Allotson, who was married to John Cockerill's daughter, Richard Allotson, Richard Belborough and Messrs. Dodsworth, Cooper and Porrett. All these people belonged to the Society of Owners, Masters and Mariners, which was founded in 1602 by 35 shipowners and 39 master mariners.
In the 18th and 19th centuries shipbuilding flourished and there were fourteen shipyards between the bottom of Blands Cliff and where Ivy House now stands. The largest of these yards was Tindall's situated in front of King Richard III's house. They built ocean-going ships mostly for their own company but also for other ports. They built a first class ship in every way and their timber was hand-picked and grown to shape at the Castle Howard estate. Between 1763 and 1862 this yard built two hundred ocean-going ships, their one hundredth ship being named the "CENTURION" launched in 1804. In 1857 they built the two largest ships ever constructed in Scarborough. They were the "NIMROD" for their Scarborough office and the "DIAMOND" for their London office. Both were sister ships of 1022 tons, each about the size of the timber ships that come here now. Tindall's built a floating pontoon to lift sailing vessels out of the water so bottom repairs could be done. This was eventually sold to Thomas Edward Hick who carried on the repair work to his own and other vessels. It was berthed in the Outer Harbour alongside Vincent Pier. As vessels grew larger it was found to be too small and old. The last two vessels to use it were the barques "CORAL ISLE" and "OLIVE BRANCH" before its disposal. The business also owned a dry dock in Millwall Dock, London where their ships were copper sheathed and overhauled. The unfortunate death of Richard Harris Tindall, the yard's Chief Designer, led to the closure and
sale of the Scarborough yard in 1862, though William Henry Tindall continued the family shipping business at London. A young apprentice at the time, Edward was forced to complete apprenticeship on Tyneside before joining up with Mr. Wolff to form the world-famous Harland & Wolff shipyard at Queen’s Island, Belfast. Following in Tindall’s footsteps they built only the finest ships. In 1863 they built the iron barques ‘Palestine’ and “Boyne’ - the former for William Tindall of Scarborough, the latter for the London business. The last ocean-going vessel built by the Scarborough yard was the "CLYDE", which was launched in 1863.
It is not surprising that with their shipping interests the Tindall family should be the largest shipowners in Scarborough. At one time they had nearly one hundred ships out of Scarborough and another one hundred out of Tokenhouse Yard, their London office. Their ships traded mainly with Persia, India and China and they also owned the whaler "RAVENSBOURNE". A fleet of Tindall ships were used as transports in the American War of Independence, the "HARMONY", the "SYMMETRY", the "EMERALD", the "DIANA" and the "OCEAN" are named. After unloading her guns the crew of the Emerald helped man the town's defences in the attack on Yorktown. The order came to scuttle the Emerald and probably the Diana and after Yorktown had fallen to the Americans and French, Robert Tindall and the survivors of the Emerald crew were taken prisoners and later returned to Scarborough. Only the Ocean, under command of Captain Willis, broke through the blockade and escaped to Jamaica - the last British vessel to escape from America. Tindalls vessels were also used by the government as transports in the Crimean War.
Wharton's shipyard was on the site of the Lord Nelson Hotel. It is the custom world-wide to build vessels stern on to the sea, but at Scarborough they were all built stem to the sea with one exception, the "VULNERABLE", built by Stephen Wharton. The Fowler family had varied shipping interests as ship owners, builders of many ocean-going ships and marine insurers. In 1811 Benjamin Fowler had 128 ships insured at his office for sea and war risk. Moving along the foreshore were yards belonging to Sedgefield Dale which were later occupied by George Dale Smith and George Smith, William Henry, Mr. Howard, John Shaw, William Newham, George Riby, George Porrett and George Moorsom. In 1854 the government directed that the Moorsom system of ship measurement regarding tonnage should be used in Britain and all colonies. Ten years later this system of measurement was used world-wide and is in use today. Maybe he came from this yard in Scarborough. Smaller yards were owned by John Edmund, Robert Skelton and the Smith family, namely Edward, William, George, John, James, Christopher and Matthew. Shipowners Robert Smith moved his business to London and Thomas Smith to Liverpool. James Bentley also moved to London but kept shares in numerous Scarborough vessels and was a leading coal contractor.
The last large sailing fishing vessel was the "SNOWDROP" built at Thomas Walker’s yard. She was launched in a snow storm in 1885 and was lost in the Baffin Straits on the west coast of Greenland whilst on a scientific expedition in 1908. Thomas Burlinson Walker had many vessels out of Scarborough and, like the Tindalls as many out of London. His vessels traded world wide and were also used as transports in the Crimean War. His son, Thomas Boss Walker, carried on the family tradition and became Chairman of Lloyd's Register Shipping. He owned China Tea Clippers and operated from the family yard in Scarborough and one at Deptford on the Thames One of his clippers, the "SHUN LEE", captained by J. Millbank set up the record distance run from noon one day to noon the next day in the China Seas.
The Hick family were prominent shipowners in Scarborough. Pantland Hick changed from sailing vessels to iron steamers in 1879. His fleet of eight vessels, whose names all ended with the suffix 'Dale", traded world wide. He also had a broker's office in Cardiff acting as agent for vessels loading coal in the Bristol Channel. Thomas Edward Hick owned sailing vessels and three iron steamers whose names ended with the suffix "A" trading world wide. His last sailing vessel was the iron barque "ARABELLA" which traded with Australia until she was sold to Sweden in 1901. He also had a broker's office in London. The iron steamship "LOCKTON" was owned by Burlinson Walker Hick as well as sailing vessels.
James Knott was a Scarborough shipowner before moving his business to Newcastle-on-Tyne. He had the iron steamer "AFRICAN PRINCE" and formed the "Prince Line" of steamers which traded world-wide. He founded the Seamen's Almshouses at Tynemouth and became Sir James Knott. On his death the firm passed to Messrs. Furness, Withy & Co which is still in existence today.
Mark Whitwell of Scarborough moved his ship owning business to Bristol in 1849, where he formed the "Mark Whitwell" line of steamers. Almost one hundred years later the company managed steamships for the Ministry of Transport in World War II.
Other prominent sailing vessel owners were John Woodall, banker, the Herbert family, Thomas Hinderwell, antiquarian and his son, Richard Wilson, John Hill Coulson, William Williamson, Hodgson Smith, William Wear and many others with one or two ships. The Scarborough Steam Shipping Company had three steamers in the coasting trade and William Aiston had five steamers, the last being sold to Liverpool in 1932.
It was an important necessity that ships be insured from an early date. Two insurance companies were founded by members of Trinity House and held meetings at the Golden Ball around 1800. On 5th September 1780 a notice advertised that "Robert Burn in Westgate had commenced as an Insurance Broker on ships and merchandise". There was also the Scarborough Friendly Association in 1799 and the Scarborough Marine Association, with a special section for coppered transport - the ships, which had been copper bottomed to prevent them becoming worm eaten, used by the Admiralty.
All the ancillary trades and crafts associated with shipbuilding were also carried out around the harbour. Some builders, like Stephen Wharton, provided their own sail loft, ropery, mash and block shop. Thomas Hick also had a sail loft and ropery. William Parkin made most of the sails for Scarborough ships at his loft in Parkin's Lane, behind the Golden Ball Hotel. On the 1725 New and Exact Plan of the Town of Scarborough a ropery is shown on the site of present North Street; ten years later Setterington calls Castle Road the East and West Rope Walk and this is where Stephen Wharton, Thomas Hick and the Tindalls spun their ropes. The Tindalls also made their own masts but in the nineteenth century Terry and Jennings made masts, spurs and blocks on the Olympia site, then known as the Raft yard. Large anchors for Scarborough ships were made by John and William Smith. All personnel involved with ship-building could be members of the Shipwright's Society which was founded on 11th January 1774. The society met at the Lancaster Inn, which was then known as the Shipwrights Arms and cared for distressed shipwrights and their dependants. Both William and later his son William Henry became Chairmen of Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
SCARBOROUGH ALMSHOUSES
Scarborough Trinity House
Trinity Houses are institutions peculiar to seafaring. There are only four Trinity Houses namely Scarborough, Hull, London and Newcastle-on-Tyne. Scarborough was one of the first ports to give the Trinity of shelter, comfort and security to ships and seamen. The foundation of the Scarborough house came about after the Elizabethan war against Spain which left so many Scarborough seamen "broken and maimed in defence of their country’. Local shipowners and Sea captains called a meeting and decided that something must be done to alleviate their suffering. Funds were raised and a parcel of land in 'St. Pulchre' Street was bought off the Old Friarage for £100 and a Trinity House was built. Fifteen Trustees, including a President and two Wardens, were elected by the seafaring fraternity to administer the Trust. The Trustees had to be either shipowners, sea captains or naval officers. Merchant Seamen and their wives, widows or unmarried daughters over 50 years old were eligible to reside in the House. Since the House opened on 21st. December 1602 the Trustees have continued, voluntarily, to administer the Trust and provide care for needy seafarers. Trinity House became the focal point of the port. All business connected with the sea was transacted in the Board Room. New ships were ordered, others bought and sold, cargoes exchanged, insurances effected, apprentices indentures signed, etc. The decision to have the first lifeboat was taken here. Shipwrecked mariners were taken there for succour until they could be sent to their homes. In 1832 building works were carried out on Trinity House and again in 1972 when the interior was extensively modernised. Admiral Sir William Davis, GCB.,DSO.,DL. performed the reopening ceremony. The three chandeliers in the Board Room are of interest - they were presented by the Belfast branch of the Harland family of the shipbuilding firm Harland & Wolff.
Merchant Seamen's Homes
This new Trust was set up in 1752 on the same basis as Trinity House to cater for the rising demand for dwellings. They were built on three sides of a square of land on Castle Road, between North Marine Road and New Queen Street and were always referred to locally as "Tom Bowling's Square". However this Trust ran out of funds in 1910 and was taken over by Trinity House. In 1929 the Corporation required this land for police and firemen's housing and as the old buildings were very dilapidated, Trinity House Trustees agreed to exchange them for 18 new self-contained flats, maintained free of charge for 10 years, at the junction of Longwestgate and Tollergate, where they now are.
Wilson’s Mariners Homes
Richard. Wilson, shipowner of Scarborough and a Trinity House Trustee, bequeathed the proceeds from his estate to provide almshouses for needy seamen. He stated that the Homes should be in the care of fifteen Trustees, including the Vicar of Scarborough as Chairman, the Mayor and three Castle Ward councillors with a management committee of five attending to the daily administration, The fourteen Almshouses, situated in Castle Road opposite St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, were opened in 1826 and in 1922 four more were added through the will of Woodall, shipowner and banker of Scarborough. A portrait of Richard Wilson hangs in the Boardroom of Scarborough
Trinity House and there is a stained glass window to his memory in St. Mary's Parish Church. A huge stone slab with a carving of Wilson’s Mariners Homes can be seen over the Choir Stalls in Seamer Church. These Almshouses are now due for modernisation.
Some notable Trustees were:
Admiral Sir John Lawson, William Henry Tindall, William Tindall, Thomas Boss Walker, James Bentley, Thomas Edward Hick, Pantland Hick, Robert Smith, Thomas Smith, Mark Whitwell, Sir James Knott, Edward Harland, Thomas Hinderwell, John Woodall, Captain Brown, Lt. C. Pickles, RNVR., MBE., J.P.
THE SCARBOROUGH LIFEBOATS
Scarborough's first lifeboat was built here by Christopher Smith, boatbuilder, at a cost of £129 5s plus 17 guineas for cork buoyancy. Henry Greathead, inventor of the lifeboat, charged 5 guineas for the plans and she was always referred to as the 'Greathead Boat'. 16 The Trustees of Trinity House were the first Lifeboat Committee which resolved that two crews should be selected from the fishermen, each appointing one of their number to be coxswain. The boat was not to be used without the consent of one of the Committee and the key to the Lifeboat House was to be kept at Christopher Smith's. The Lifeboat House was then at the Mill Beck, now an underground car park but in 1821 the Committee decided it would be more convenient to house the lifeboat near the harbour, on a site almost opposite the present station; The Greathead boat was launched many times, saving lives until she became too heavy and worn.
In 1823 another local boatbuilder provided the next lifeboat, always known as the 'Skelton' Boat after the builder Robert Skelton. This boat capsized on Ash Wednesday 1836 whilst attempting to rescue the crew of the vessel "JOHN" of Aberdeen - ten of the crew were lost.
Since 1861 the Lifeboat Service has been maintained by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The only time their first lifeboat here, the "AMELIA" went out was the last. In a tremendous gale on 7th November 1861 the South Shields schooner "Coupland" drove in to the rocks opposite the Spa and the lifeboat, attempting to rescue the crew, was smashed against the Spa wall, some of the crew being drowned. Onlookers on shore formed human chains to try and rescue some of the lifeboatmen. One of these chains broke and amongst those drowned was young William Tindall of Tindall's shipyard, a factor which contributed to its closure.
In October 1914 the Hospital ship "Rohilla" was wrecked on Whitby Scar with 230 people on board, in a raging sea and snow squalls. The Whitby lifeboat gave heroic service attempting to rescue the survivors. Scarborough lifeboat was called for. She was towed to Whitby by the steam trawler "Morning Star" SH61 but when she arrived on the scene it was virtually impossible to get in among the rocks owing to the fury of the sea. The lifeboat crew were willing to make the attempt but whilst getting into the boat from the trawler, the two craft touched each other and the lifeboat’s forward buoyancy tank was stove in rendering it useless. The attempt was abandoned and sadly, she was towed home. The only motor lifeboat was sent for. She had fourteen Miles to come from Tynemouth and by that time the weather had eased allowing her to take off any remaining passengers. Altogether 84 lives were saved. Fragments of the "Rohilla's" lifebuoy can be seen in the Rotunda Museum.
A further fatality occurred in a tragic incident on December 8th 1954. The lifeboat returning in a heavy south east gale after escorting fishing vessels to safety capsized in the south bay and the Coxswain John Sheader, Second Coxswain John Cammish and Francis Bayes were drowned. Fortunately since then missions have been completed safely.
GRAHAM SEA TRAINING SCHOOL
This school was founded by the Mayer of Scarborough and director of a Hull shipping company, Mr, G. C. Graham to provide pre-sea training for boys who wished to make the sea their career. Twenty-four boys, aged twelve from St. Thomas's School and twelve from Friarage School, aged twelve years old were formed into a Sea Scout unit and attended in school hours at Tuthill School.
The first four boys went to Sea in a large cargo vessel as apprentices in 1917. However within a short while they were back again as survivors after their ship was damaged. When their ship was repaired, they rejoined her and carried on. Other boys followed on.
In 1918 Mr. Graham obtained possession of Paradise House the ancient home of the ‘Cockerill’ and Tindall families, which he gave to the town for use as a Sea Training Centre and the Sea Scout unit moved in. They had two boats, one an old lifeboat called the "NADIR" and a rowing boat called the "IRENE". Rigid discipline was maintained in the unit, which also had its own band.
By 1920 the unit had grown so large that it was divided into two; the "Seamen" who wished to go to sea and the "Engineers" who wished to follow that profession. It then became the "Scarborough Sea Cadets" with the uniform changing from a blue scout's outfit to a naval uniform and continuing with the same strict discipline. The school also came under the eye of the Admiralty and twice a year was inspected by a high ranking Naval Officer. "Seamen" went on cruises in a large sailing cutter, the "BONAVENTURE" whilst the "Engineers" worked mainly on an old motor boat, the "Natal". Later a two masted schooner, formerly a River Elbe Pilot Vessel, was acquired. Renamed the "MAISIE GRAHAM" she took the Cadets on cruises to the continent and Baltic. (She was eventually sold to Gordonstoun School where Prince Phillip learnt his sailorising on board her, prior to becoming a Midshipman in the Royal Navy.) Throughout all this time boys kept going from the school to sea and Scarborough was very proud of this school - the only one of its kind in the country. When it closed pupils transferred to the nautical wing of the new Graham School. They now have a motor vessel called the "MAISIE GRAHAM" for cruising. She was formerly a Scottish fishing vessel named the "VILLAGE BELLE" and was salvaged by the author when on fire off Amble, Northumberland. The old school has produced Captains, Officers and Crews for the Merchant Navy, Officers and Ratings for the Royal Navy and numerous skippers and crews in the fishing fleets, Trustees for Scarborough Trinity House and Wilson's Mariners Homes, Coxswains for Scarborough Lifeboat, a Deputy Harbour Master for Scarborough a Mayor of Epsom and many who reached the top of their professions ashore. Let us hope that this win continue in the new school.
THE GREAT STORM OF 1953
was a storm of unparalleled ferocity. A NORTH-WEST wind combined with a peak spring tide turned the bay into a boiling cauldron of water. As the tide and wind rose, the sea was piling up to the southward where the Straits of Dover were not wide enough to release it all. There was widespread death and destruction with flooding from the Humber to the Thames and along the low-lying shores of Germany, Holland and Belgium. At Scarborough the tide seemed as though it would never stop rising until eventually all the piers were under water, except the parapet of the East pier, which was swept clean by every wave breaking over it. Sandside and the Foreshore were awash and the sea stove in the doors of the Lifeboat House. The Lifeboat had to be pulled up in East Sandgate to prevent her from being washed off her carriage. Craft were breaking adrift from their moorings, some washing out of the harbour to break up on the beach. At the height of the storm the booms in the Outer Harbour came adrift, eventually washing up in Cornelian Bay from where they were salvaged. The flagstones paving the Lighthouse Pier extension lifted and washed overboard. Fears were then expressed for the safety of the Lighthouse itself. The mast on which the ball was hoisted at the Lighthouse Tower broke off at the upper band. A temporary rig had to be fixed up which is still in use. The following low water was no respite, as there was still 12 feet of water at the harbour entrance and all craft were still afloat. It was 36 hours before the tides were normal again. The dredger "Skarthi" was moored in the Outer Harbour being tended throughout this period by myself and Robert Crawford. As her mooring ropes snapped, others were put on altogether 240 fathoms of mooring rope were used that night, keeping the dredger secure behind the Lighthouse.
THE FISHING INDUSTRY
COBLES: The coble has been the work boat on this coast for centuries, designed to work off open beaches, its lines have been taken from the Viking longship. A will, dated 20 May 1568, of Robert Richardson, shipowner, states that he "left his sons Francis, Matthew and Henry quarter of a ship, half share of a Cote and the furniture and nets of a coble”. A sailing coble was around to 25' to 28’ in length overall and a 6' beam with a high bow and deep forefoot. Aft she was flat with no draught at her stern, that was small when ballasted. Her rudder projected below the stern from 4' to 5' and this rudder grip with the deep forefoot gave her a tremendous grip in the water. A wide top strake (upper plank) was laid inboard at an angle of 30' so she could lay over nearly on her beam ends without shipping water. She carried a dipping lug sail with six sets of reef points and two masts, one, a long mast, the same length as the coble, for light winds and the second a short mast, about two thirds the length of the coble, for bad weather, with the sails reefed. Cobles were very fast and quick on the helm and excellent for beating to windward, some being reported as lying as close as 2.5 points to the wind. At most places on the coast the coble has what is called a square stern, it looks almost as if the real stern has been sawn off and boarded across. However, at Scarborough and Filey almost all the cobles had male sterns ie. the planks came together at the stern post. It was always said that the square stemed cobles were faster, but the mules better when running before a heavy sea. In 1913 the first motor coble appeared, the "Amelia" built for Lewis Plummer. Two years later she was sold to Bridlington. However, in 1917 the government gave a loan for four motors to be installed in existing motor cobles and after the end of World War I this idea caught on and only motor cobles were built. Nowadays they are around 25' to 38' overall and most are back to the square stern. The Yorkshire inshore fisherman still regards the coble as the finest craft for his work. Many of the sailing cobles lived to be a great age, being impregnated with linseed oil, inside and out, when being built and before painting. In 1914 the "Rock of Ages" was reputed to be. eighty years old, although she did not last much longer. Cobles used for fishing took part in line fishing, crab and lobster fishing and some salmon fishing. When 'lining', the coble carried a crew of three,and the lines, each with about 400 hooks baited mostly with mussels. The crew carried the 6 - 9 lines down to the coble by means of yokes across their shoulders. The lines had to be in the sea before daylight and each man's line would be shot in rotation so if part were lost, the loss would be evenly spread. After daybreak and a while"tiding" the lines were hauled in by hand and the coble headed home, the crew cleaning the fish on the way in. Crab and lobster pots were shot very close into the land against the rocks in fleets of thirty, The pots are shaped like a house With hazel rods bent over to form the roof. These hazel rods were called ‘bows’ - a crab pot has two entrances , a lobster pot three bows and one entrance. Canes are now used to make the pots. The catch was taken aboard everyday, the pots rebaited and shot again. A little salmon fishing was done locally with a net from the beach. Some of these cobles made quite long passages. When working lines on the Dogger with their yawl and bad weather prevented them from getting back to her, they were known to sail back to Filey Bay. At the turn of the century some Filey fishermen went to fish from Milford Haven, their wives and children travelled down on the train whilst they followed in their cobles. Cobles were not used for fishing alone. They have been employed in almost any kind of work - as pilot beats, as lifeboats before Greathead's invention, salvage work, carrying gravel. Up to the time of World War II cobles were used as gravel transports for the corporation which paid about 7 shillings per ton. Crewed by two men, they would go to Cornelian Bay, fill up with about three to three and a half tons of gravel and sail home with only six inches of freeboard at the most. Practically all the roads in Scarborough are bedded with Cornelian Bay gravel. It was dangerous work, several people losing their lives in this occupation. In the middle of the nineteenth century a larger type of coble came to be built, from 37' to 42' overall with a 13' beam. They were rigged just like a coble too, except they carried a jib, set by using whichever mast was not in use as a bowsprit. They had a cabin forward with bunks and a stove. These were called herring cobles to distinguish them from the ordinary coble and were used exclusively for herring fishing. At one time they worked as far afield as Berwick-on-Tweed to the north and Lowestoft to the south. The last herring coble of all was the "Our Maggie" SH307 which was broken up in 1954. The last one built for Scarborough was the "Edith Cavell" SH216 which was sunk by a german submarine.
FIVE MAN BOAT
The five man boat was a dual purpose craft suitable for line and herring fishing. They were three-masted luggers from 50' to 60' long and square sterned. When working lines, they carried two cobles on deck. On arriving at the fishing grounds, the fishing was done from the cables, which were then towed behind the boat as it returned to port where they were again hoisted on board. When fishing for herring the Midship mast was taken out and left ashore, as it was in the way of working the nets. They were called five man boats because five men were sharemen. There were seven in the crew, but the cook and boy got a weekly wage. An item reads "December 1595 John Marshall, shipowner, left a five man boat called "Jesus" to Matthew Richardson, son-in-law; of which John Thompson is master". These craft continued in use oil the 1860s when they were completely superseded by yawls.
YAWL
The yawl evolved from the five man boat and were fine able sea boats working all over the northern North Sea. They were clinker built and had a lute stern. Owing to the custom of the five man boats leaving their midship mast ashore, in the 1840s some owners decided to away with it altogether and lengthen the other two masts. The rig became a dipping lugsail on the
foremast and a standing lugsail with topmast and topsail on the mizzen, a jib and bowsprit being used to and from the fishing grounds. Two Filey yawls the "Mary Jane" SH394 and the "Elizabeth and Susanah SH412 also carried a top-mast and topsail on the foremast as well. They carried one coble on deck, from which the lines were worked during the fishing operation, then it was shipped on deck again for the passage home. In the late 1870s many yawls were doubled, the doubling being carvel and at the same time the owners changed their rig from the huge lugsails to the handier dandy rig with jib headed topsail. It was a better rig for working on the fishing grounds but old fishermen always said the yawls never sailed as well as they did with the lugs. The yawls continued working until about 1915 when most were laid up and finally broken up. The last yawl to sail was the Filey yawl "Susie" SH197. She was sunk by gun fire from a German submarine, the skipper Mark Scotter being killed. The rest of the crew escaped in the coble with the skipper's body and were rescued by the steam drifter "Lord Kitchener" SH175, skipper B. C. Collin.
SMACK
Smacks first came to the area in the 1800s from Brixham, Devonshire, attracted here by the good price paid by the hotel keepers for good quality flat fish. These fishermen brought a new method of fishing, the trawl net, which was a bag shaped net towed astern of the smack with a huge wooden beam to keep the mouth of the net open. Scarborough men soon took over this method of fishing and many smacks were built for this purpose. They were cutter rigged and around 15' in length. By the 1860s larger craft were being built; too large for cutter rig, so they were rigged as ketches. Quite a number of local cutter were cut in two, drawn apart and a new midship section added, the work being done in the local boatbuilding yards, then rigged as ketches. As the demand for fresh fish increased, the fleeting system came into being. Smacks had to stay at sea in all weathers for eight weeks, then came home for eight days, the fish being gathered daily by fast cutters and brought to the markets. The fleet was under the orders of a Senior Fishing Skipper who gave his orders with flags by day and rockets by night, He was called the 'Admiral" and flew the fleet’s flag at his mast head. The Scarborough fleet of around one hundred smacks was known as the White Cross Fleet because the flag was red with a white diagonal cross. The skippers of these old smacks were amazing men. Practically all of them were illiterate but they could bring their smacks home from off Heliogoland or the Danish coast, where the fleet mostly worked, right across the North Sea through fog or snow with just a compass and a lead line. They knew the depths of the
sea like the palm on their hands. The fishing was very dangerous and loss of life very heavy. Many smacks were lost in heavy weather, mainly through their net becoming entangled on an obstruction on the bottom. In one case the smack "Queen of England" SH76 was sinking in a severe storm
off Heligoland and the "Intrepid" SH-58, skipper George Ives tried to rescue the
crew. Both smacks had lost their small boats and bulwarks and it was night. The two craft were hurled together, both stove in and sank with all hands. Another smack, the "Northern Belle" SH-100, an iron craft, was in collision with a large cargo vessel in fog just off Scarborough. The crew took to the boat and the cargo vessel picked them up. The smack disappeared in the fog. Much later she ran ashore at Montrose, Scotland with her sails still set. By 1895 steam had totally ousted sail for trawling purposes and what smacks were left were sold to be coasting cargo ketches, apart from the "Contrast" SH221, which was sold to Dakar, Africa, and the "Snowdrop" SH25, which was lost in Baffin Bay, Greenland on a scientific expedition in 1908.
PADDLE TRAWLERS
Steam paddle tugs towing a trawl net began to be used on the River Tyne in 1887, many of them also landing their catches of fish at Scarborough. Their great advantage was being able to tow a trawl in calm weather when a smack was laid idle. It was not long before this idea took hold. In 1880 John Woodall, banker of St. Nicholas House, brought the paddle tug "Dandy" from Liverpool and fitted her up for trawling. She was numbered SH1. By 1882 the number of these craft had increased to about twenty. This signalled the beginning of the end for the sailing smack. These tugs had plenty of power and with bobbins on the foot rope of their nets they could tow their gear on rough ground, where even a screw propelled trawler could not. They made short trips, sometimes daily, landing their catch in excellent condition. They gave good service but eventually being old and unsuitable for the latest type of net and unable to stay out in rough weather, they were superceded by the screw propelled steam trawler. The last one was the "Constance" SH21 wrecked at Hartlepool in 1910. Prominent owners were Messrs. Woodalls, Wyrill, Sellers & Ness, Brogden, Shawcross, Middleton and G Anderson Smith.
SCREW TRAWLERS
In 1881 Mr, James Sellers, smack owner of 28 East Sandgate, had a screw propelled steam trawler of iron at Hull, named the "Pioneer". She was the first of the type ever built and was far superior to the paddle tugs. The "Zodiac" of Grimsby came six months later, quickly followed by the "Albatross"" SH37, the "Cygnet" SH103 and the "Osprey" SH79. The former for Middletons and the latter for the Woodyers. The Yorkshire Steam Fishing Company Ltd. had the "Prince Albert" SH19 and G. Alderson Smith the "Dolphin" SH59.
In 1894 / 95 the first successful experiments were carried out with a different method of keeping the mouth of the net open by the screw trawler "Otter" SH70, skipper Thomas Normandale, owner C. Alderson Smith.. Two wooden boards were placed at the extremes of the net's mouth which, when towed, moved outwards thus opening the mouth of the net. The success of this net was, according to two fishermen, due to modifications suggested by the Vicar of Scarborough. This new net became known as the "Otter" trawl and the opening boards as "otter boards". In a very short while the beam trawl had disappeared from steam trawling. The new method meant that the nets had to be hauled aboard over the broadside, which was very awkward with a paddle steamer as the paddle box and spounsons took up too much room on the broadside. As the old paddle trawlers disappeared, certain Hull firms sent screw trawlers here to work from Scarborough with local crews - a practice which continued until 1915. The first were Messrs. F. &. T. Ross, quickly followed by the Humber Steam Trawling Company Ltd. and the British Steam Trawling Company Ltd. War came in 1914 and the first inkling of what was to come was the loss of the Humber trawler the "Merrie England" H183, skipper James Walker. She was mined in 1915 though the crew were saved. This was followed by the tradegy of the "Condor" SH12. She was mined and went down with all hands. During the war years a total of twenty seven Scarborough trawlers were lost. On a single day in September 1916 a german submarine took a toll of eleven Scarborough trawlers. The "Morning Star" SH61 was taken by the Admiralty for minesweeping and she survived the war. After peace had been declared mines continued to take their toll of shipping along this coast. Scarborough steam trawlers ranged the northern North Sea over the years until they grew uneconomic owing to rising costs, especially of coal. The last one, the "Emulator" SH83 went to the breaker's yard in 1960 when she was sixty-one years old. Some prominent owners were George Alderson Smith, Richard W. Crawford, John S. Ellis, Fred Harrison, James Johnson, who also had a fleet of twelve of trawlers out of Hull working Iceland, the Stepney Steam Trawling Company ltd. which became the Co-operative Steam Trawling Company Ltd., and Mr. T. Whitehead.. R. F. Scoffer and R. F. Cammish worked out of Filey as did Crimlis & Company, who also owned and Icelandic fleet out of Hull.
STEAM DRIFTERS
These craft evolved out of the yawl type, the early ones of around 1900 carrying almost the same rig. Some Of these craft were built of wood, some of steel and they were around 75' to 80' long. The first to come to Scarborough was the "Lord Kitchener" SH175 bought by Mr. W. J. Watkinson of Filey in 1913 for line and herring fishing. She sounded the death knell for the old yawls and was quickly followed by other drifters, With the outbreak of war in 1914 many were taken over by the Admiralty as patrol vessels, tenders, etc. The newly built “ZEBULUN” SH103, belonging to the same owner was one such commandeered and took part in the Dardanelles campaign. They returned after the war but the "Emulator" SH164 was mined and lost with all hands in 1919. They continued line and herring fishing from North Shields, Scarborough, Yarmouth and Lowestoft until the herring expert markets collapsed in the mid 1920s, after which they carried on line fishing from the Dogger Bank to the Fisher Bank. One steel drifter, the "Silver Line" SHSO, skipper W. J. Watkinson, jun., went in for seine netting and became very successful at that type of fishing. She was the last steam drifter at Scarborough; like the steam trawlers they grew uneconomic and old and finished up at breaker's yards, their place being taken by motor craft.
MOTOR CRAFT
During the 1914 - 18 war when craft had been commandeered for Admiralty service, old craft of all kinds which could go to sea and catch fish were brought out and fitted motor engines. As the drifters grew uneconomic, their crews went in for a type of craft called Keel boats. They were really a Scottish fifie with bulwarks drifter rigged, a wheelhouse and around fifty feet overall. They were used for line fishing and herring fishing during the local season. One, the "progress" SH62 , skipper James Douglas of Filey, used to go to Lowestoft fishing. Most of these were called up by the Navy in 1939 - 45 war. They were superceded by bigger cruiser sterned craft around fifty-six to sixty-one feet in length and the last vessel to go herring fishing at Lowestoft was one of these, the "Progressive" SH28, successor to the "Progress". These vessels gradually went over to trawling and now the fleet is composed of motor trawlers, which still range the northern North Sea as far north as Shetland Isles. Much money is invested in the fleet and the running costs are very high, mainly due to the high cost of oil. Most of these craft are skipper owned with everyone having a share in the catch.
HERRING FISHING
July 15th heralded the opening of Scarborough herring season. It was the day when buyers, curers and exporters, the first herring craft and the fisher lasses arrived to partake in this great fishing. Before 1914, the craft, sail and steam, journeyed here from Cornwall, Lowestoft, 'Yarmouth, the Yorkshire Coast and Hartlepool to join the local boats. Craft were arriving with herring all day and into the night. Those which we lightly fished anchored in the bay and loaded into cobles which ferried the catch ashore. Herring cobles beached on the sands and discharged their catch into carts. Other craft landed wherever they could along both sides of the west and Vincent pier, the East pier and even at the lighthouse pier where the basket was carried over the bridge to the waiting carts.
The harbour was crowded with craft, the entrance often being blocked. As soon as one boat unloaded, he was ordered to anchor out in the bay to make room for another one coming in. At weekends the harbour was especially packed solid with boats - it was possible to walk from Sandside to the East Pier across the decks of the decks of the craft. The craft belonging to the Yorkshire coast, Hartlepool and Cornwall did not go to sea on Sundays but the East Anglians did, which often caused friction. At the end of August, the Cornishmen and East Anglians departed for home and their place was taken by even more craft from every fishing village on the east coast of Scotland. They did not fish on Sundays either, filling the harbour entirely at weekends. One September Monday morning report stated that "400 herring craft left the harbour this tide", in 1904.
The Scottish lasses worked at herring troughs which were erected on all the piers, on Sandside opposite Bethel Chapel, on the Lancaster flat and on a small jetty that has since grown into Corrigan' s Jetty. Empty barrels were stacked on the West Pier, as high as the fish market roof. Full barrels were stacked on the East Pier until loaded into steamers for Germany, the Baltic ports and Russia. Herrings were laid over all the piers. There were several local smoke houses making kippers and bloaters. The railways ran special excursions bringing in crowds of trippers to see the herring fleet. The trains arrived in the station about 6 a.m. The visitors were met by cafe touts who led them like armies to their cafes for breakfast. After 1920 herring fishing started to decline, owing to the loss of the Russian market and although many craft still continued to come for the season, it never reached the heights of the pre-war years. Herrings could be caught but there was no market for them and sometimes they had to be taken back to sea and dumped. As steam drifters became uneconomic motor drifters took their place. When the returns became lower more men gave up herring fishing. Ring net fishing came into vogue on the west of Scotland but they caught too many
Herrings. Then ring netters outnumbered the driftnetters here until trawling for herring became the thing to do. The last herring fishing from here was by Scottish trawlers. Now the stocks are so reduced there is a ban on herring fishing altogether.
Interesting snippets of information:
The Corporation had two horse drawn carts carrying water tanks with two large sprinklers at the rear. In summer they sprinkled the streets with fresh water whilst in winter's ice and snow, they filled up at the harbour with salt water and sprinkled up the main street, Carts also filled up with wet sand off the beach which was scattered throughout the town. When the thaw came, the ice melted under the sand but the sand remained - one cannot wash the Stuff away! It had to be swept up and deposited back on the beach. This sand was also used for building. Builders from far and near came to the beach to fill their carts, the Corporation charging a nominal fee. A large part of Scarborough is built with sea sand in the mortar from the beach, most likely including the Castle and St. Mary's Church.
In the days before the railways there were two fast schooners carrying passengers and mail. This kind of craft was known, as a 'packet'. One ran to Newcastle-on-Tyne, the passengers and mail gathering at the Newcastle Packet Inn. The other ran to London and the passengers and mails for that craft met at the London Packet Inn, which, I understand, was situated in Eastborough, then known as Palace Hill. This passenger service continued until the turn of the century.
John Woodall, banker and shipowner, John Tindall, banker and shipbuilder and Henry Cook, banker, built the bank at the corner of St. Nicholas Street which eventually became Barclay's Bank. Henry Cook also had interests with the Fowler family enterprises. Meanwhile Thomas Outhet was a master mariner with the Fowlers. The outcome was Messrs. Cook, Fowler and Outhet, Solicitors - a firm which acts for Scarborough Trinity House and was also largely responsible for the founding of the Scarborough Building Society, the second oldest in the country.
On the East Pier there is a mast, painted white and in the days of the old Harbour Commissioners any vessel anchoring westwards of a line from that mast to White Nab was liable to pay harbour dues. A rowing boat was used by the Collector of dues for this purpose.
