In a fairly unassuming building tucked into the cottages, red pantile rooves and winding cobbles streets which make for that unmistakable Staithes street scene, there is the most unlikely treasure trove of local history.
Some 30-odd years ago Reg Firth and his beloved wife, Anne, bought the former Primitive Methodist Chapel on Staithes High Street and turned it into Staithes Museum.
It is packed with the results and finds of Reg over his lifetime and he would spend the next three decades building a remarkable collection documenting the history of the village and its people.
He was Whitby mayor from 1984-1985, a civilian expert in locating shells used in wartime practice, one of the first traffic wardens in Scarborough, a shop owner and lorry driver as well as a keen historian.
When Reg died in 2018 there were fears over the future of the building and the collection, but locals came together to save it and preserve this unique snapshot of history from a small corner of the Yorkshire Coast.
Led by David Linley, the Staithes Museum and Heritage Trust was set up and raised the £110,000 needed to keep Reg’s collection together and accessible to the public with donations, grants and the support of a benefactor who purchased the museum building.
Over the last few years that community rescue has developed into a thriving, independent museum which has been working through its collections, improving cataloguing and documentation, developing policies and procedures, strengthening emergency planning and putting systems in place to ensure the museum can continue to care for its collections long into the future.
And now, Staithes Museum and Heritage Trust has successfully achieved Museum Accreditation, the national quality standard for museums in the UK.
The award recognises the museum’s work to properly care for its collections, improve its documentation and policies, and make sure the history of Staithes is preserved for future generations.
Rosie Barnes, curator at Staithes Museum, said the achievement was a “big deal” for a small team.
She said: “We’re absolutely thrilled. Accreditation is a national standard, so for a small independent museum like ours to achieve it is a really big deal.
“There’s been a huge amount of work behind the scenes. Visitors see the exhibitions, the objects and the stories, but they don’t necessarily see the planning, research and teamwork that make all of that possible.
“There have been plenty of moments when we wondered whether we were ever going to get through all the paperwork — but we did. This really is a team achievement. Our trustees, volunteers, staff and supporters have all played a part, and so has the wider Staithes community.”
The museum preserves and shares the history of Staithes and its people, with collections covering fishing and maritime life, Captain Cook, mining and the railway, Methodism, the Staithes Group of Artists and everyday life in the village.
There are simply thousands of exhibits ranging from model ships, paintings, photographs, tools, books, remains from ship and boat wrecks, crockery, tools, coins and of course, Staithes Bonnets.
The collection isn’t just about famous people or big events. It’s about ordinary people who lived in Staithes the fishermen, miners, shopkeepers, artists, families and children.
Rosie says: “That’s what makes this museum special.
“People still come through the door and say, ‘That’s my grandmother,’ or ‘I remember that carnival,’ or bring us a photograph they’ve found in a drawer at home.
“The museum belongs to Staithes in a very real sense. People saved it, people continue to add to it. There are still thousands of stories in Staithes waiting to be uncovered, and we want to make sure we’re here to look after them.”
The team is already looking at how it can build on the achievement of gaining museum accreditation, continuing to improve accessibility and documentation while finding new ways for visitors and local people to engage with Staithes’ history.
The museum welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every year but remains a small independent charity, relying on donations, shop sales, grants and volunteers to keep its doors open.
