It is a hundred years since Whitby’s historic hand-turned capstans were in daily use when the town thrived as a busy shipping port for cargo, passengers and fishing.
Motorised vessels and changes to maritime methods mean capstans – devices which were turned using manpower and poles to pull in ship’s ropes when vessels wanted to moor – are now redundant, museum pieces or lost forever.
However, Whitby’s eight capstans – two on the east pier and six on the west pier – have been restored over the last few years with one being re-made so it would turn as it did all those years ago.
Now, Dave Wharton, a Whitby resident and veteran sailor and lifeboat man, hopes the capstans can become part of town life once again, following last year’s pioneering project by local joiner Jack Hallam to rebuild the working one.
While they will likely never be needed for maritime purposes, he wants to see this piece of Whitby history used again so future generations can learn about their importance.
Dave, 82, has been painstakingly hand-shaping two wooden poles with a planer to fit the capstan and, with the help of volunteers, turned them again last night – even successfully pulling a Land Rover to test the strength.
He said: “It could not have gone better. I had a few sleepless nights but it was great and I was really impressed with how it works.
“Whether is it Folk Week or the Fish and Ships Festival, when these things are in town we could make something of it. I don’t think they have been used that much since the early 1900s but nobody seems to know when they were last used.
“It would be such a waste if we didn’t make them work and people couldn’t see what they were. I have sailed all over and seem some amazing things. I love the history of the harbour and this is where all this has come from.”
With it being Folk Week in town from August 22, Dave hopes they can be turned again next week to the sound of sea shanties. Historically, shanties were sung to coordinate heavy physical work, keep everyone pulling in rhythm and boost morale.
