My Dear Whitby Peeps and lots of wonderful folks worldwide, things are at a bit of a standstill as we wait for permissions for the work that is still to do; however, even after three centuries, I’m still transfixed by the beautiful view as the sun goes down over the harbour.
I’ve got to the stage now where I feel relaxed; removal of the thick concrete that had been smeared on my walls and had been sucking the life out of my three-hundred-year-old hand-crafted bricks was causing me some significant distress and whilst the process of removal; like the extraction of a tooth, was not pleasant, at least it’s given the experts some inside knowledge of what has happened to my fabric. The result has been the production of detailed plans with appropriate materials to deliver them and these have been submitted for approval. I’m feeling somewhat exhausted but positive about the plans and looking back at the transformations that have taken place over the years, things are looking decidedly ‘up’.
I’ve had minor alterations as the time has passed and a wonderful extension added that included a tiny kitchen, I think it was added around 1900 when a relatively unknown but great speaker was making his maiden speech in parliament. He was later to lead us through a very testing time but for now, Winston Churchill was an ex-army officer, ex-reporter and not even sure of his politics.
Queen Victoria had her Diamond Jubilee and there were bunting and long trestle tables in the street where children and adults could celebrate with shared food and drink. In those days I was big enough to be a pub so there was plenty of activity both inside and outside of its tiny front bar. In another 3 years and 7 months, we would enter the Edwardian era and the ladies occupying my rooms were becoming increasingly vociferous about not having a vote and many a meal was consumed accompanied by lively debate.
In 1905, Whitby Urban District Council enacted a by-law that stated, ’All revenue raised from the harbours should be used to make improvements to them’. Little did they know that this same by-law would be used in over a hundred years’ time to allege that, ‘Scarborough Council has been using the excess income to swell the coffers of its general fund’ when the piers were deteriorating and match funding was required for a £4m DEFRA grant.
Come back and have a look at the full story by clicking the photo below:
There was no TV or radio at the time so, at meal times, conversations would go on for some time and both world and local events would take turns to be the ‘hot topic’ and sometimes the two would combine.
I remember the smell of the evening meal drifting up my semi-spiral staircase as the family discussed the War. It had only been ‘official’ for only a few months and there was some controversy over the switching off of the navigation lights outside the harbour. The conversation was animated and exciting as the previous day’s activities were reviewed…
The SS Rohilla was in a horrendous storm and way off course when it hit the rocks. It was a hospital ship and was on its way from Scotland to Dunkirk. There were several astonishing facts.
Mary Roberts from Liverpool survived for a second time in her life as she’d been on the Titanic two years earlier. Clearly, a lady who should buy a lottery ticket.
The RNLI learned a lot from that night and oar-propelled lifeboats would be on the wane in favour of engine based craft.
The people of Whitby showed their exceptional public spirit and humanity yet again by initially lowering a lifeboat from the cliffs but the storm was too strong so, not to be outdone, they formed a human chain into the sea hauling survivors from the boiling waters and pulling them along the chain to safety whilst the ones on shore took them to their homes to look after them.
Read more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-29807414
Two months later on 16th December 1914, the Imperial German Navy attacked Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool. Their target at Whitby was the coast guard station but the shells were wide and hit the abbey. The war had been headlines in newspapers and many miles away in Europe until this happened. Now it was real and there were many nervous people sleeping in my bedrooms after that night and all meals were taken with a backdrop of conversation that included the previous day’s headlines and how ‘our boy’s bravery’ was winning the war. It would take four bloody years of course but the bunting eventually came out and there was dancing in all of the streets of Whitby including Church Street just outside my door.
There may be some minor repairs and wiring taking place over the next four weeks but now it’s a waiting game for me and time for George to look at light switches and other accessories that will be suitable for a three-hundred-year-old lady. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Finally, last week, there was a wonderful surprise as some wet and rotten hardboard was removed to let my wall breathe. My excited building crew found a lovely little artefact illustrating my recent past in the form of a note left by some thoughtful person nearly 50 years ago.
It was written on the inside of a window/hatch and is another quirky feature that I’m revealing as work continues.
Take care and give me a wave if you pass…
Yours with love,
The Little Yellow Cottage xx
PS: Please feel free to comment below – I love comments…LYC x
Click here to go to my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/whitbyyellowcottage
I think we should have a fan club for you, Little Yellow Cottage. We come from County Durham which has some beautiful places and scenery and buildings, but none are as wonderful as you x Can hardly wait to see you again next year.
Hi George,
Thank you very much for your response. I am not local to Whitby but visited for the weekend a few weeks back and I was immediately very ‘taken’ with the character of the LYC, especially the expression in your door’s ‘face’.
Please tell me, will you be keeping the door as it is? It would be such a shame not to, but it’s just that you mention about replacing rotten wood. What condition is it in?
Do you know how long the wonderful door has been there and whether it was custom-made? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it, so full of expression.
I have a family connection to Whitby and I would love to come back and have a look at the house when you are open for visitors, thank you very much for your kind offer. Much appreciated!
Very best wishes to you and the enchanting Little Yellow Cottage x
I, too, have fallen in love with you, Little Yellow Cottage! ❤️ I am pleased beyond measure to have come across your website where I can hopefully keep up to date with your renovations. There is something enchanting and very special about the face in your door – just beautiful! ❤️️ ?
Hi Joanne,
Thank you so much for taking the time to send me such a delightful message.
As you can see, things are at a stand-still just now as planning permissions are needed for some of the renovations. There is nothing being done to change my character but there is plenty to do to remove concrete and rotten wood. This will be replaced with reclaimed wood where it can be sourced and the concrete will be replaced with traditional lime based mortar and latte and plaster ceilings.
When complete I’ll be open on various weekends or through the week for people to have a look and see what has been done.
You’ll have one of the first invitations so watch out in your email.
Thank you again for your lovely comment.
Kind regards,
George pp. LYC x
Dear Little Yellow Cottage, Thank you for replying, my sister and I are fascinated by your history and to stay in you would be amazing! We are 2 mature ladies who used to come to Whitby many years ago with our late parents but never met you before. If we were lucky enough to be able to stay in you in the future we would treat you with the love and respect you deserve. Stay strong throughout all your renovations and we will see you next year even if only passing by, if you are not ready for guests by then xx
My sister and I had a few days in Whitby in February and fell in love with you when we saw you, Little Yellow Cottage. We have talked many a time since then about you and wondered about your history. We returned for a few days again in September and of course came to see you again and were thrilled to see the scaffolding up and that you are being repaired.Today I have just found this interesting information all about you! We hope to return to Whitby again next year, is there any chance you will be restored to your original beauty by then? Better still is there any chance you will be available as a holiday rental in the future? How we would love to stay in you!
Dear Ruth, I’m so glad you took the time to express such kind thoughts. Work is currently at a standstill as I’m grade 2 listed and need consent for some of the renovations and materials which will be as close to the original as is possible. I hope that work will be completed by Spring and yes, I’d be delighted to have you stay. I’ll let you know when things are approaching conclusion and in the meantime do please keep an eye on this site and keep up to date. Kind regards. George pp Little Yellow Cottage x