Visit to Whitby

Martin and family live on the outskirts of Robin Hood’s Bay. Alex and Ellen go to Fylingdales school which happily is very close to their house. Even year Robin Hood’s Bay holds a Victorian weekend around the end of November. The school holds a mini concert to coincide with Victorian weekend.

The concert supplements the traditional nativity play. It is held in St Stephens church which is also the venue for a big display of Christmas trees. After Queen Victoria arrives to open proceedings, there is a ceremonial switching on of the lights. This is supervised by a local radio presenter and broadcast on local radio.

We have been able to attend for the past three years.  Alex has graduated from the cornet to the trumpet. This year he played a short trumpet duet. It appears Alex has some real musical talent. He is also playing with the Esk Valley junior band. This is an ad hoc group tagged onto the full Esk Valley band. We heard a little bit of their rehearsal but unfortunately we will miss the full concert. I was rather surprised at how many amateur musicians there are in the area.

We also went to the Winterfest market. Held in Whitby Pavilion this featured many stalls and was supporting the Air Ambulance. While we were there the local U3A had two bands performing. I was surprised ( and a bit daunted ) that Susan, Lindsey’s mother attends many U3A activities in Leicester including three walking groups.

On our last visit the new TV programme , the Grand Tour, was visiting. This is the new Clarkson/Hammond/May venture for Amazon.  This is a ( sort of ) successor to Top Gear. We watched a stunt which involved someone fished out of the River Esk by the swing bridge in the middle of Whitby. A source of local pride is that Jeremy Clarkson has declared the drive over the moors from Pickering one of the best drives in the country. A part is through bleak but beautiful moorland. I have never seen anywhere like it elsewhere in England.

As our flat is in one of the very old parts of Whitby Annette has been trying without success to find out about its history. More recently  Mariners House, where our flat is situated, was an ARP centre in WW11 with its basement an air raid shelter. Then postwar for some 40 years it was the municipal offices( along with a neighbouring house with connecting door still visible ) before conversion some ten or twelve years ago. There is still evidence of its municipal use in the elaborate fire alarm system.