Chapters of the Museum
This present building opened in August 1931, the collection having been on Pier Road for the previous 104 years.
Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, retired local photographer who was curator of the Museum from 1923 to 1941, wrote an account of how the fossil sea creatures were moved in the Museum in Pannett Park.
It was published in 1946 in “Chapters of Whitby History”, by Horace B. Browne, and edited for this website.
The crocodile and the camera
Or, how this precious fossil was nearly lost!
Chance played an important part in the setting up of the Museum’s valuable specimen of fossil crocodile, teleosaurus chapmani, named after Captain William Chapman. In preparation for display in the New Museum it was placed in a flat table case, with four stout legs.
Before the plate glass was put on to protect this rare fossil, a photograph was to be taken. The camera was being supported between two planks, with their ends resting on two pairs of steps. But some of the members were so afraid that the photographer might slip, and fall on the precious fossil, that they suggested propping the table in an upright position, so that the photograph might be taken from safer position of the floor instead of from above.
While the crocodile was in this position it was noticed how much better it looked like this; so the legs were cut off and the case left at the present angle.
The fossil crocodile is probably the finest of its kind so far discovered. It was acquired for the Museum for the great sum of £7 in 1824.
Accident or Design?
Or, the ancient fossil creature that grew!
When it was decided to build a new museum at Whitby for the better housing of its varied treasures, the question of displaying to the best advantage the seven fossil Saurians, scattered here and there in the old museum, was one of the main problems; for the main feature of Whitby Museum is its collection of Lias Fossils, gathered and arranged with such great skill by Martin Simpson.
The largest of the Saurians, Ichthyosaurus crassimanus, was measured by the architects of the new building, and the walls were made large enough to take it; in fact the size of the new building was determined by the length {25 feet or 7.6m)of this reptile.
He was too big to go through the windows of the old place, so he was cut into four; but when ready for fixing up in the new place, it was found he was longer than the wall. Either he had stretched a foot or so; or the wall had shrunk on drying; or the tape measure used in taking his measurement had shrunk in washing.
Before any of the Saurians were removed from the old walls where they had hung for nearly a hundred years, paper patterns of their full size were made of them all. So, when the paper pattern of crassimanus was stretched across the wall where he was to go, it was found to be too long. Then arose the question: should a foot or so be cut off the end of his tail, or should he be placed diagonally instead of horizontally. The wise philosophers decided on the latter course; and now everyone who sees the beast says how well he looks, and how much more alive than if he had been dead level.
This fossil had been found during jet mining below Hawsker cliffs, and was purchased for the museum for £105.
More on fossils and other geology.
Pier Road to Pannett Park
1931: The museum moved from the Pier to Pannett Park
On August 5th 1931, the Earl of Harewood opened the new museum building in Pannett Park.
The Museum moved from Baxtergate into the new Baths Building in 1827, but again they were only leasing the premises. In 1856 the Society purchased the freehold from the Whitby Bath Company. Although the purchase ensured its continued existence, possibilities for further collecting were limited.
With astonishing vision the museum was to move to the very site that its long-serving curator, Martin Simpson (1800-1892), planned. He drew up plans for a new museum in great detail, together with layouts over three floors plus estimates of cost. But nothing was to come of it.
By the end of the century the situation was grave. The building had been quickly constructed and had constant issues, not least a very leaky roof, and the baths not only needed regular maintenance but also seem to have dwindled as a source of income.
Additional property was purchased on Pier Road, but again nothing came of it. At one point land was offered on Spring Hill; this was turned down and later became the site of the town’s War Memorial Hospital. So, it wasn’t until the 1920s that the combined influence of a generous benefactor and a local aristocrat fell on the Society, and the move became reality.
In 1920 Robert Elliott Pannett, a local solicitor, died leaving the land that now forms Pannett Park in trust for the people of Whitby. He had purchased the land to save it from development, and he willed that a park be built, and a museum for his art collection – this is now known as the Pannett Art gallery. The park and gallery opened in 1928.
In 1924 the 3rd Marquis of Normanby, the Society’s patron, suggested to its Committee that they should erect a purpose-built museum behind Pannett’s gallery. They agreed, and soon sold the old building. This failed to raise enough of the £6577 eventually needed, so they decided to sell some of the collection: among other items, a number of gold coins, and two mummies, one Egyptian and one Peruvian to Hull and Halifax Museums for £10 and £7 respectively. It is rumoured that the Egyptian mummy left in the passenger seat of an open top car. On another occasion a ‘White Elephant Sale’ was held at Mulgrave Castle.
The old building is still standing. It is on Pier Road, just next to the Pier Hotel, and is now known as Quayside Restaurant.
