After the war several members bo

Whitby Yacht Club History

Whitby Abbey

Perched high on a cliff, the gaunt remains of this once magnificent abbey stand high above the picturesque seaside town of Whitby.

The first abbey was founded in 657 by the formidable St Hilda, a princess of the Northumbrian royal house, whose Saxon name Hild means 'battle'. Recent archaeological research undertaken by English Heritage suggests that it was once a bustling settlement, as well as the burial place of monarchs, the setting of an epoch-making international meeting between Celtic and Roman clerics, and the home of saints such as the poet Caedmon.

The Saxon abbey was destroyed during a Viking invasion in 867, but one of William the Conqueror's knights refounded it in the late 1070s. By 1220, his Norman church proved inadequate for the many pilgrims, and the building of the present church began. After its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1538, the abbey did not suffer as much destruction as many other monasteries, as it was (and still is) used by shipping as a navigation marker.

The first lifeboat arrived at Whitby 1802. Built at a cost of £160. She was 30 feet long, rowed by 10 oars, and was kept on a carriage specially built for her on the west pier.

She was soon in action saving the crew of the sloop Edinburgh It is doubtful if any other lifeboat varried out as many rescues this boat, she was taken out of service in 1817 when it was decided she was no longer serviceable.

The last pulling Lifeboat Robert & Ellen Robson 1947 - 1957 is on view at the Lifeboat Museum and is open Easter to October 10 am to 4pm

The Mary Ann Hepworth 1938-1974 is moored at Whitby and is available daily for short trips to sea.

Whitby`s current lifeboat the George and Mary Webb is a Trent Class boat. Length 14.26m, beam 4.9m with a range of 250nm

Henry Freeman
Sole survivor of the the
1861 Lifeboat disaster

henry freeman

Whitby Lifeboats

The site then passed to the Cholmley family, who built a mansion largely out of materials plundered from the monastery.

An imaginative visitor centre now sits within the walls of the Cholmley family mansion, part of a major interpretation and access project encompassing the whole of the headland, hailed as one of the most important archaeological sites in England. One of the aims of the project has been to enhance and protect the natural beauty and historic character of the headland. English Heritage's research excavations have added to our understanding of Whitby's complex history, including the discovery of a rare 17th-century 'hard garden', inspired by Cholmley' visits to France and Spain and now restored. Continuing research may yield further insights into this multi-layered site.

The visitor centre houses archaeological material excavated at Whitby, as well as computer-generated images revealing how the headland has changed over time. Rich finds from the Anglo-Saxon and medieval abbeys are also exhibited, together with objects relating to the Cholmley family. Spectacular audio-visual displays recreate the medieval abbey and the 17th-century house, its interiors and gardens. Visitors can also gain an insight into the people who have lived in Whitby, from St Hilda to Bram Stoker, author of Dracula.

In 1997 with the co-operation of the Harbour Master who dredged what had been Whitby Yacht Club's drying moorings the club purchased a number of pontoons and now have 56 metres of deep water pontoon moorings between Fish Pier and Town Bridge.
Many were the rumours of plans for a new marina and a new Clubhouse during these last years but, as yet, there are no concrete plans. Whitby Yacht Club goes forward into the twenty-first century financially sound and with plans well under way to maintain and refurbish the present Clubhouse for the benefit of members, yet bearing in mind that there may well be a move some time in the future.

By the 1970's the surge of interest in sailing required the premises to be enlarged to accommodate increased membership. The improvements and extensions were officially opened by the Patron, the Marquis of Normanby. At the same time the Club moorings were increased by leasing and dredging the area between Tate Hill Pier and Fish Pier.
In the 1980's the Club had Racing, Cruising, Powerboat and Dinghy sections with a strong diving membership. 1989 saw the narrow section of the lounge entrance converted and refurbished as a dining/social area and two years later the cadet room was refurbished to form a family lounge/multi-functional room.
In 1993, 1994 and 1995 there was three very successful Whitby Sailing Weeks with competing visitors from all over Britain. The renowned Whitbread Round the World challenger 'Heath Insured' was brought from the south coast to Whitby with a Yacht Club crew led by the Commodore John Webster and moored in the harbour for the whole week, (1993) craft were rafted up to ten deep.
1995 saw Whitby Yacht Club's first Lady Commodore,
Mrs Ann E Hope.

The first recorded sailing regattas at Whitby took place in the 1840's under the burgee of Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club. Entries were few and craft tended to be large with substantial prizes. A memento of these early days is the 'Hilda Salver'
A Whitby Yacht Club was formed at a meeting in I H Harrowing's Shipping Office, now the Magpie Cafe, in 1895.
The first year to commence was January 1896 and the annual subscriptions were half a guinea per member. Regular races and regattas were held up to the outbreak of the 1914-1918 war. The club appears to have been disbanded and not reformed.
The present Club was formed in 1932 under Commodore Elect F H Pyman and eighteen founder members. The fleet was somewhat mixed, the greater proportion being motor vessels. The Club rented rooms in the Old Harbour Office in the beginning but in 1937 obtained a lease from the RNLI to erect the present Clubhouse over the Old Lifeboat House, now the RNLI Museum.
After the war several members bought redundant ship's lifeboats and turned them into yachts. A major development in small boat sailing began in the 1950's and a fleet of Dragons raced at Whitby and adjacent clubs. On the Cruiser/Racer front the Folkboat was the boat to aspire to although the fleet was mixed and dinghies raced with larger boats in the bay.