• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Strangeness At Whitby

B

B Smith

Fresh Blood
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Messages
1
In 2002 we took a short break in Whitby, North Yorkshire. With us was our young puppy Midge, a charmer who managed to endear himself even to non-dog lovers. Having heard that the 'Grand Turk' (the frigate used in the 'Hornblower Series ) was in harbour we decided to take a look. Despite the overcast and humid weather, the quayside was thronged wwith holidaymakers trying to push forward for a better view. To our immediate left stood a young man of about 24 years of age. He smiled at us and Midge who had been hoisted to my husband's shoulder out of the way of the pressing crowd. We returned the smile and both began to wonder if we were seeing things: the young man wore a white linen suit and cravat and a white panama hat. He appeared to be a perfect representation of a late Victorian/early Edwardian gentlemen in summer attire. What astonished us was that none of the other holidaymakers appeared to notice him, indeed some were crowding into his personal space which he likewise appeared to ignore Now I know that there are many artists based in Whitby - but 100 years out of date! My husband and I both looked at each otheer, then returned our gaze to the young man - who simply wasn't there. Neither had seen him leave the quayside and he was so distinctive we would have spotted him even in the now diminishing crowd. We often still think about him and wonder if somehow our twp time zones had briefly merged.
 
Whitby not only gets Goths, but also Steampunkers (the two overlap somewhat). You can usually identify the steampunks by their goggles and Victorian attire.
One steampunker I saw was accompanied by a dog which was wearing two 1-litre plastic bottles on its back, painted copper and masquerading as oxygen tanks.
 
B Smith said:
In 2002 we took a short break in Whitby, North Yorkshire. With us was our young puppy Midge, a charmer who managed to endear himself even to non-dog lovers. Having heard that the 'Grand Turk' (the frigate used in the 'Hornblower Series ) was in harbour we decided to take a look. Despite the overcast and humid weather, the quayside was thronged wwith holidaymakers trying to push forward for a better view. To our immediate left stood a young man of about 24 years of age. He smiled at us and Midge who had been hoisted to my husband's shoulder out of the way of the pressing crowd. We returned the smile and both began to wonder if we were seeing things: the young man wore a white linen suit and cravat and a white panama hat. He appeared to be a perfect representation of a late Victorian/early Edwardian gentlemen in summer attire. What astonished us was that none of the other holidaymakers appeared to notice him, indeed some were crowding into his personal space which he likewise appeared to ignore Now I know that there are many artists based in Whitby - but 100 years out of date! My husband and I both looked at each otheer, then returned our gaze to the young man - who simply wasn't there. Neither had seen him leave the quayside and he was so distinctive we would have spotted him even in the now diminishing crowd. We often still think about him and wonder if somehow our twp time zones had briefly merged.
Click to expand...

I think you probably just spotted David Plankton. He's been known to visit Whitby.
 
eburacum said:
Whitby not only gets Goths, but also Steampunkers (the two overlap somewhat). You can usually identify the steampunks by their goggles and Victorian attire.
One steampunker I saw was accompanied by a dog which was wearing two 1-litre plastic bottles on its back, painted copper and masquerading as oxygen tanks.
Click to expand...

It seems to have found a niche for itself in hosting quite a selection of period or alternative themed weekends, 40s-70s as well as all the goth offshoots, there does always seem to be someone there dressed up.

Locals and regulars are probably so used to it they don't give any particular reaction.

Most bonkers outft I ever saw at a goth weekend was the clockwork nazi ninja from Hellboy!
 
Then there are the fancy outfits worn apropos of no event whatsoever. One of my all time favorites was the pair of swan sized wings worn by a man emerging from the subway station at Market Street and Van Ness in San Francisco, CA. No, it wasn't even close to Halloween.
 
B Smith said:
In 2002 we took a short break in Whitby, North Yorkshire. With us was our young puppy Midge, a charmer who managed to endear himself even to non-dog lovers. Having heard that the 'Grand Turk' (the frigate used in the 'Hornblower Series ) was in harbour we decided to take a look. Despite the overcast and humid weather, the quayside was thronged wwith holidaymakers trying to push forward for a better view. To our immediate left stood a young man of about 24 years of age. He smiled at us and Midge who had been hoisted to my husband's shoulder out of the way of the pressing crowd. We returned the smile and both began to wonder if we were seeing things: the young man wore a white linen suit and cravat and a white panama hat. He appeared to be a perfect representation of a late Victorian/early Edwardian gentlemen in summer attire. What astonished us was that none of the other holidaymakers appeared to notice him, indeed some were crowding into his personal space which he likewise appeared to ignore Now I know that there are many artists based in Whitby - but 100 years out of date! My husband and I both looked at each otheer, then returned our gaze to the young man - who simply wasn't there. Neither had seen him leave the quayside and he was so distinctive we would have spotted him even in the now diminishing crowd. We often still think about him and wonder if somehow our twp time zones had briefly merged.
Click to expand...
Ooh I know the Grand Turk very well - always used to take the kids on it when we went to Whitby, years ago. Brilliant story. He could even have been a sailor - I think they wore white linen trousers in Regency times, but the jacket would have been distinctively not modern and probably not white... So maybe Edwardian gentleman artist?
 
I live not a million miles from Whitby, so am a frequent visitor... sometimes in costume...

Whitby has two Goth events, one in spring one in autumn, but the town does attract a lot of 'alternative culture', so there are frequently people in the streets in steampunk, goth, vampire outfits. People go to see and be seen. It can be a bit weird when walking up the steps by the Abbey to see someone dressed as Dracula step out of St Mary's Churchyard, but you get used to it.
 
catseye said:
It can be a bit weird when walking up the steps by the Abbey to see someone dressed as Dracula step out of St Mary's Churchyard, but you get used to it.
Click to expand...

I wondered why that bloke I staked in '17 didn't turn to goo. I had to drag him all the way to the cliff to get rid of him.

Some people have no consideration.

maximus otter
 
catseye said:
I live not a million miles from Whitby, so am a frequent visitor... sometimes in costume...

Whitby has two Goth events, one in spring one in autumn, but the town does attract a lot of 'alternative culture', so there are frequently people in the streets in steampunk, goth, vampire outfits. People go to see and be seen. It can be a bit weird when walking up the steps by the Abbey to see someone dressed as Dracula step out of St Mary's Churchyard, but you get used to it.
Click to expand...

As in Chester, where there are always Roman legionaries wandering around. Half of them could be ghosts. You'd never know.
 
I used to go to Whitby regular with my hubby, he used to get together with a load of his mates and go fishing, we would park the car in the clifftop car park and stay there over night, never saw all this goth stuff going on tho, shame, cause i would have loved it.
 
Weirdest thing I ever saw at Whitby was over the cliff at the sea-ward edge of the churchyard. Looking straight down into the sea I became aware of a strange, dark discolouration in the open water, about the size of a tennis court, that gradually spread out and dissipated.

Presumably some kind of outfall from the town's various waste processes - except it looked (to my eyes anyway) like blood in the water. Never found out what it was.
 
eburacum said:
Weirdest thing I ever saw at Whitby was over the cliff at the sea-ward edge of the churchyard. Looking straight down into the sea I became aware of a strange, dark discolouration in the open water, about the size of a tennis court, that gradually spread out and dissipated.

Presumably some kind of outfall from the town's various waste processes - except it looked (to my eyes anyway) like blood in the water. Never found out what it was.
Click to expand...

A shoal of fish? Whitby is noted for its fishery.

maximus otter
 
I wondered if it were some effluvia from fish-processing. It was on the sea-ward side of the pier, so it was outside the harbour. If it were a shoal of fish they were small ones.
 
All the Goth festivals were cancelled this year. Unfortunately many many MANY people decided to spend their half term holidays in Whitby and Scarborough and they now have above average numbers of cases of Covid.
 
Similar to the local saying about Whitby - that not many escape...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top