Whitby, West Cliff c.1960
Photo ref: W81132
Made in Britain logo

More about this scene

Kirby's Hotel was at the other end of the Royal Hotel, beyond that we can just see South Terrace. The oyster stall is at the start of Pier Road, the Magpie café is in the centre and amusement arcades have started to appear towards its end. Some of the Crag houses can be seen behind. The big building by the harbour is Slaters, who exported many cargoes of lime at that time. Whitby was rather at a crossroads position at that period, unsure whether her main income was to be harbour trade or tourism. The lime shipments caused a great deal of dust blowing about and Slaters were made to put up the large shed which is shown in this photograph. Forty years on, it appears that tourism has proved to be a more profitable source of income for the town.

Buy a Print

Unframed, Mounted, Framed and Canvas prints in a range of sizes and styles.

View Sizes & Prices

A Selection of Memories from Whitby

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Whitby

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

Throughout our childhood our Mother talked about Whitby. During WWII she served as a gunner (Ack Ack girl) operating a predictor machine in the ATS. Her unit started protecting Felixstowe docks, then Sutton Coldfield covering the Midlands manufacturing. Later on Anglesey to cover Liverpool and the vital shipping lanes, lastly in Glasgow to protect ship building on the River Clyde. During this time ...see more
Became the Smugglers Cafe I think
Wonderful Experience spent my sixteenth birthday at the school, Memories fade, I believe my house master was a Mr Morrell? My badge was all blue, I had to go to his room for my assessment sat in front of a blazing log fire. We had a lecture by I believe a famous mountaineer (the 1st Ascent of the Mustagh Tower!!?) one of the instructors, had a red sports car, spent a lot of time fishing in the Tarn, and was writing a ...see more
In the above picture, the two cobles in the background are Jean (right) and Valerie (the smaller one), and the one with a man on the foredeck is Enterprise WY.47 my Dad's coble, and that is Dad painting the foredeck. Enterprise was built as a open coble in Amble, Northumberland in 1947 and Dad had her half decked in Whitby by Will Clarkson who was a well known boat builder and whose yard was further up the river. The ...see more