1996

1996

1996 saw the renewal of Whitby Town F.C's floodlights, as 1 had fallen over in the wind, another 2 were found to be badly rusted. This year also saw the opening of Whitby Hospital's 'Heather Unit', which would care for patients suffering from cancer. Sometime around the turn of the year, Whitby Fireplace Centre was opened on St. Hilda's Business Park. Whitby's Larpool Viaduct was for sale by British Railways for £1. The Northern Electric shop on Baxtergate was closed at the end of January, and was to become Heron Foods shop some months later. Also at the end of January, Whitby Fish Selling Company on Pier Road was taken over by, then rivals, Alliance Fish. A Craft Workshop in the Greengate building on Grape Lane was opened, formerly housing, Whitby Youth Trust. Also opened in this year was Burberry's Clothing shop in Market Place. In February, Howards Court was complete on the site of the old Howards Garage, which was demolished at the end of 1995. Howards Court was built by the same company that built Westfield Court just over a year earlier.

Left: Heron Food opens in former Northern Electric store; Left centre & Centre: Howards Garage replaced by Howards Court; Right: Linden Close as it appears today, complete in 1996.

In March, 'The Workplace' came to Whitby, a West Yorkshire company, which aimed in find the unemployed jobs. In the early Spring of this year, access to Tate Hill Pier was being improved, with cast iron rails and decorative posts replacing railings. Also around this time, work started on erecting the transit shed on Endeavour Wharf, which would include an access off Langborne Road. In March, Eskdale Antiques on Church Street was renovated, which opened in the Church Street shop in 1978 in a former Pet Shop, to go with the Sleights' shop that the business already had. The Sports Hall at Boulby Potash, for use be its workers was nearing completion. By this time also, automatic barriers were in operation at Ruswarp Rail crossing. Other works were also needed to go with these automatic barriers, which included a lay-by to the South of the crossing, on Sneaton Lane & telephones were added for drivers of slow vehicles to get the OK to pass over the railway. Also in March, the bingo hall in the coliseum closed its doors for the last time, which then saw Network move in to convert it for their use.

Ruswarp crossing with the telephone system for drivers of long or slow vehicles, added in 1996

In April, Whitby got a new lifeboat in the George & Mary Webb, built in 1995 had a top speed of 25 knots. Also in this month, the old mast at Dock End, which was erected in 1991, was moved to near the Captain Cook monument on the West Cliff, and the monument of the Resolution that was removed from the top of the mast due to safety reasons was restored. A new sculpture, designed by Kevin Storch of Hull, of Scoresby in a crows nest, atop of a 30ft mast was erected. Also in April, a new bingo hall opened in the community centre on Grape Lane, initiated by Carolyn Witt. The Queen Mum sent a large sum of money for this. A new ice house was built next to the old one on Pier Road, and then the old one demolished, so as not to interrupt supply. In April also, the Training Centre at Spring Vale was complete, which used to be housed at the top of Khyber Pass in the old Mount School building. Back in the town centre, a new drop in centre for young people became available, in the former Port Services Offices, in the New Quay Rooms, above the New Quay Road toilets. Whitby gained a replacement lifeboat in this month, the George & Mary Ann Hepworth. In May, work started on 30 new homes on Pembroke Way, on the former grounds of Mayfield Nurseries, which would be called Drake Close.

From left: Ice house before demolition, built on Whitby Fish Quay next to old one; Mast, moved from Dock End with its Resolution monument on top, where it was erected in 1991, but then the Resolution monument had to be removed owing to safety reasons.
Centre & right: Pembroke Way extended, later to be called Drake Close

Also in May, work on refurbishing Whitby's old Seamen's Hospital in Church Street, costing £500,000, was complete. Old doorways were found bricked up during the works which had taken 19 months to complete. A fibre glass copy of the Indian Prince was made, which stood in a niche above the central doorway, and the copy was put in place of the original. The original was thought to have been donated by the crew of the Black Prince boat, who took refuge at the hospital whilst waiting for their boat to be repaired, after an incident with a steamboat in March 1890. The facade of the building seen in the photo below was a 1842 alteration by Sir Gilbert Scott, when buildings opposite, by the harbour were cleared to make a water frontage, the site previously used for boat building. The building was founded in the 1670's for distressed seafarers and their widows.

Erection of the transit shed on Endeavour Wharf was started in May, costing £550,000. The sheds nearby were not demolished until the new one was complete. Also in May, the owners of the Whitby Gazette, Emap Newspapers, sold to Johnston Press for £211m. This included all newspapers in Yorkshire Regional Newspapers. In June, 3 year works started on maintenance for Mulgrave Castle. Works included ensuring it stayed like it was, rather than trying to re-build it. Also in June, the Normanby Barracks Territorial Army Centre on the industrial estate, closed down. Built in 1988 - when it moved from its former home in the old scout hut in Spring Hill, still used by scouts today - it housed the Sea Cadets, Army Cadets & the Air Training Corps, who were all to be re-housed in nearby, newly-built prefabricated buildings. In June also, a rundown shop at 45-46 Church Street was renovated, next to the newly renovated Seamen's Houses. Only the ground floor of number 46 was included, as the upper floors belonged to 1 Infant School Yard. Work included a new flat & maisonette. Further afield, the sports centre at Boulby Potash was officially opened to staff, with the public having to wait awhile, until it was discovered how much it would be used by staff. Also in June, Harrison's Builders & Sanctuary Housing were to build 14 new houses on an empty area of land, which would include 8 2 bedroom & 6 3 bedroom, to become Fairmead Court. The Co-op on Wellington Road was closed in May, and was taken over short-term by Paul Hodson, who had an agreement with the Co-op until January 1997, but wanted to buy the freehold. In the following year, the shop became Yorkshire Trading Company for a short time.

Left: Whitby old Seamen's Hospital can be seen in the centre of the photo, which was renovated into flats in this year, to the left of the building is 46 & 45 Church Street which were also renovated not long afterwards
Centre: Fairmead Court off Larpool Lane which was started in June; Right: Cargo Transit Shed at Endeavour Wharf under construction

In July, the Baxtergate frontage of the old Post Office building was to be converted into a shop front by W.T. Hartley from Wetherby. Around this time also, improvements were made to the railway station. In August, Freeman Hardy Willis shoe shop on Baxtergate closed down. A month later, the Sue Ryder Foundation charity shop moved into the former shoe shop. Also in this month, there was a new sign erected on Sandsend slipway after a 13 year old boy drowned. The sign warned of the 'extreme danger on the slipway at high tide'. Also in September, Yorkshire Water bought Broomfield Farm for sewerage treatment works. In the same month, Age Concern's office in Eskholme, Upgang Lane, giving advice to the elderly on insurance, housing & benefits, was closed. A new cafe-bar for young people was opened in the New Quay Rooms, called Rafters. In November, an overhaul of the swing bridge was completed, which included replacing the hydraulic fluid in the machinery of the bridge. Also in November, Unichem, which ran Moss Chemist on Baxtergate, bought Tindale's Chemist on Skinner Street. It was in this month that the cargo shed was completed on Endeavour Wharf and on December 1st, the last service was held at Fishburn Park Methodist Church, with nearly £2,000 worth of repairs needed to the building. The 2 mother and baby groups continued to meet there though. In December plans were given the go-ahead for hard standing to be placed at the foot of Lowdale Lane by Iburndale Beck in Sleights, for use as a car park by Sleights Bowling Club.

Freeman Hardy Willis Shoe Shop as it was