John Edward Cooper’s Notes

[i] These are my previously researched timings for the bus to Whitby, using Google Maps.

Janet wrote: “We went to the bus stop, only to find an enormous queue of morons waiting — most not wearing masks. I was really upset, and finally said I was not getting on that bus with all those fuckwits. What is wrong with people?! I don’t think there was a [vacant] seat left when it departed. (Hoped the bus would crash, saving the driver and the slack handful of mask wearers. Bastards!)” Incidentally, my equivalent expression for Janet’s “morons… fuckwits… bastards” in the caption, below, is “maskless, COVID super-spreading scumbags”. Janet went to the station to ask when the next train to Whitby would depart, to be told that the last one departed 40 years ago! She declined the offer of a bus timetable.


Thursday 2 September 2021 10:02:20
Outside Scarborough Railway Station: our intended X93 bus, too crowded with maskless, COVID super-spreading scumbags for us to board

On more than one occasion, as we emerged from Valley Park, we’d noticed, on the other side of the road, a colonnaded corner, with a pillared entrance with “Plantation Hill” inscribed on the lintel; so (as Janet wrote) “We decided to look in Plantation Gardens, before waiting for the 10.50am bus, and were surprised to find it was part of the gardens we’d been walking [through].”[ii] (The sign actually said “Plantation Hill”, but our idea that the area was “Plantation Gardens” persisted, till I found more or less definitively a day or two later that it was “Valley Park” or “Valley Gardens”. Anyway, from here on in this account I shall use “Valley Park”, regardless of whether we knew that to be its name at the time.)

[ii] Through: “to” in the Ms.

Thursday 2 September 2021 10:05:52
Entrance to Plantation Hill, Scarborough


Thursday 2 September 2021 10:07:08
Plantation Hill, Scarborough


Thursday 2 September 2021 10:09:22
Valley Park and Valley Bridge, Scarborough

“We headed back to the station,” Janet wrote, “and I spotted a double decker bus leaving at 10.20am. Almost empty and most people wearing masks. We went upstairs.”


Thursday 2 September 2021 10:15:04
Boarding the X94 bus outside Scarborough Railway Station

I had the Asus computer with me, and logged on to the Wi-Fi provided on the bus (10:24): “Welcome to the Wi-Fi zone, powered by Icomera.” I looked at this and that (10:27–10:29), including my Gmail inbox. But when I tried to access my video of the 18 August 2014 trip to Robin Hood’s Bay on Blogger, the page appeared but the video window stayed blank. Attempts to access the video on YouTube also failed (10:29–10:33). So I shut down the computer.
 I logged on again (10:49–10:52), because the map that we bought, fairly detailed though it was, didn’t show Whitby Bus Station. So I looked it up in Google and in Bing Maps, to get an impression of its position relative to the other things we wanted to see.
 On the way, although we left the main road to go up hill and down dale, I failed to spot when we went along Thorpe Lane, Robin Hood’s Bay, and turned left into Station Road; this led me to wonder whether the X94 bus went a different way from the X93, avoiding Robin Hood’s Bay. (It was the X93, on which I’d travelled, when I had a day trip to Robin Hood’s Bay on 18 August 2014.)
 Janet’s account continued: “We arrived in Whitby a little late, around 11.30am. I used a loo in a pub (I asked!)[iii] — the public loo had a huge queue and I was desperate — then we went to find somewhere for me to have lunch.” I followed a sign saying “Toilets” into the railway station, which was just across a side street from the bus station; but couldn’t find any in there. I did see a steam locomotive, however, so went onto the platform to look at it. I went out of a side exit onto a car park, still not having found toilets; and now I was looking for Janet. I was getting worried, but eventually she emerged from the door of The Station Inn across the main road from where I was.

[iii] Indeed, she offered to pay.

Thursday 2 September 2021 11:33:14
LMS Stanier Class 5 “Black 5” 4–6–0 locomotive, operated by North Yorkshire Moors Railway, at Whitby Station


Thursday 2 September 2021 11:33:56
LMS Stanier Class 5 “Black 5” 4–6–0 locomotive, operated by North Yorkshire Moors Railway, at Whitby Station

“We found a Wetherspoon’s, The Angel Hotel,” Janet wrote. “It was just before noon and we found a table. I had a side salad and bread, and a Pepsi Max (yes!), and [John] had a pint of San Mig[uel].” Janet didn’t mention that, atypically for a Wetherspoon’s, the table was clean!


Receipt from The Angel Hotel, issued “12:00”

I logged on to the Wi-Fi there (12:25), called up the Blogger page of my 18 August 2014 trip to Robin Hood’s Bay (12:31), and Janet and I watched the video (with the sound turned off: we didn’t want to cause a nuisance; and it was just a music track, anyway). I was relieved that the video would play, i.e. that there was nothing wrong with it, or with my YouTube account.


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:05:00
The Angel Hotel, New Quay Road, Whitby YO21 1DH

“We headed for St. Mary’s Church and the Abbey,” Janet wrote, “and again, as in Brid[lington], were astounded by all the people milling around, not social distancing or wearing masks. I remarked again that we won’t get away with this. This is definitely ‘a time bomb waiting to go off’. Unbelievable. We went up by the ‘199 Steps’ and looked in St. Mary’s Church. Again, morons walking around without masks. [I’m] ‘speechless’!”
 I don’t need to add further details, because the photos (below) tell the story of our walk up there.


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:07:12
In Whitby Harbour, a scaled-down, motorised replica of HMS Endeavour that James Cook commanded to Australia and New Zealand


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:11:24
Whitby Swing Bridge over the River Esk; (above:) Church of St. Mary


Whitby Harbour [postcard printed by Judge Sampson Limited]


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:14:06
In Bridge Street, Whitby, about to turn left into Church Street


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:16:56
In Church Street, Whitby, approaching the Old Town Hall in Market Place


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:24:00
Continuing along Church Street, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:25:36
Church Steps, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:27:46
Church Steps, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:31:30
Cædmon Memorial Cross, St. Mary’s Churchyard, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:31:30 (detail 1)
Detail of Cædmon Memorial Cross, St. Mary’s Churchyard, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:31:30 (detail 2)
Detail of Cædmon Memorial Cross, St. Mary’s Churchyard, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:31:30 (detail 3)
Detail of Cædmon Memorial Cross, St. Mary’s Churchyard, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:32:54
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:36:42
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:36:54
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:39:48
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby: “Sailor’s Paraphrase of the 23rd Psalm”


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:39:48 (detail)
“Sailor’s Paraphrase of the 23rd Psalm”


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:42:24
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby: the Chancel


St. Mary’s Church, Whitby: the Chancel
Photograph © John Townley 2011


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:44:06
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby: pulpit; entrance to the Chancel


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:47:42
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:53:20
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby: three-tier pulpit


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:56:24
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 13:56:24 (detail)
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby: three-tier pulpit

I urgently needed to pee, but there were no toilets, nor even any bushes behind which I could go; but after I re-entered the Church, the woman looking after it kindly unlocked their toilet door behind the sales counter. Janet went in after I vacated it. I bought some souvenir postcards.


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:17:32
St. Mary’s Church, Whitby

“Then we went to the Abbey ruins,” Janet wrote. “Would have been very impressive [when it was whole], although the remains were still worth seeing.”


Receipt from Whitby Abbey, issued “14:29:18”


Booking confirmation from Whitby Abbey, issued “14:29:31”


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:19:06
Whitby Abbey: ticket office and entrance


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:20:14
Cholmley House or Whitby Hall


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:21:48
Cholmley House or Whitby Hall


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:21:48 (detail)
Replica of the Borghese Gladiator

I walked around the Abbey grounds, photographing the Abbey from different angles as I did so.


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:34:16
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:35:28
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:38:44
Whitby Abbey

I wondered whether this structure (below), south-east of the Abbey beyond a pond, would have been an ancient well; but cast-iron pipe-work coming out of it suggested more recent construction and purpose. (“Tank” is all that the North Yorkshire County Council mapping calls it.) At this point Janet left and headed for the building itself. I continued to walk more or less around the perimeter of the grounds.


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:44:36
Old tank near Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:45:30
Pond near Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:49:54
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:53:12
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:53:34
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:53:44
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:53:52
Whitby Abbey


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:55:08
Whitby Abbey: looking west


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:55:22
Whitby Abbey: looking east


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:56:16
Whitby Abbey: north transept


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:57:08
Whitby Abbey: north transept; north aisle; east end

I found Janet in the eastern half of the building, talking to a woman who had considerable knowledge of the Abbey. She told us that the central tower was still standing till the 19th century; and she pointed out where the vaulted roof of a side-aisle was still intact, so I went to look at it.


Thursday 2 September 2021 14:58:40
Whitby Abbey: north aisle


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:03:30
Whitby Abbey: vaulted roof of north aisle

The exit from the Abbey grounds was over a stone-arch footbridge into the upper floor of Cholmley House, which was a museum.


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:06:20
Whitby Abbey: exit via the upper floor of Cholmley House


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:07:58
Engraving dated 1711 in Cholmley House, showing south transept and tower still standing


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:09:40
“Dracula by Bram Stoker”, first edition (℗ 1897), in Cholmley House…


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:10:20
…with an inscription by the author on the flyleaf:
  Miss Mulligan
   with Bram Stoker’s
   very kind remembrance
     7 Feb’y 1901


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:13:42
Cholmley House


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:14:16
Cholmley House


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:15:52
Exhibit in Cholmley House

We returned westwards along Church Lane (or in fact a footpath parallel to the cobbled Church Lane, separated from it by a stone wall), at the east end of which is the ticket office for the Abbey, and on the north side of which is the Church of St. Mary. To the south, ca. 0.7 mile away, I saw the slender Whitby New Bridge crossing the River Esk, over which we’d come earlier on the bus.


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:20:34
Views from Church Lane, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:20:48
Views from Church Lane, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:20:56
Views from Church Lane, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:21:04
Views from Church Lane, Whitby

“The ‘199 Steps’ were quite precarious,” Janet wrote: “very worn with parts missing in places, so I decided it would be quicker for me to go down the steep (and it got steeper the further I went) path at the side. It was terrifying and I wept with fear. Too scared to go back and too scared to carry on, I inched my way down, clinging desperately to the wall. A terrifying experience.” So at the Church Steps, Janet decided to take the cobbled Church Lane, running parallel to them, down. Its gradient seemed impossibly steep for any wheeled vehicle, be it horse-drawn or motorised, to my eyes appearing to approach 50% in places. I could see that she was struggling, but there was little I could do to expedite my progress among the crowds coming up and going down.


Church Steps, Whitby
© Beachcomber Cards


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:22:46
Church Steps, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:23:24
Church Steps, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:25:00
Church Steps, Whitby


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:25:50
West and East Piers of the Lower Harbour, Whitby

Going back to our exiting the Abbey through Cholmley House, I read in Janet’s account: “We had a brief look in the museum then set off for the 4.11pm bus to Scarborough. Before we left I wanted a drink and a pee, and suggested we go to the pub I’d been allowed to have a drink in earlier.”


Receipt from Station Inn, issued “15:41”


Thursday 2 September 2021 15:56:40
Station Inn, New Quay Road, Whitby YO21 1DH


16:11–17:06 X94, Whitby – Peasholm Gap
16:41–17:43 X93 MAX, Whitby – Scarborough[iv]

[iv] These are my previously researched timings for buses back from Whitby, using Google Maps. According to Google Maps, the X94 would terminate at “Peasholm Gap” near Peasholm Park; so I anticipated that if we got this bus, we’d have to walk a little over a mile back to the hotel.

At the bus station, someone was handing out copies of the X93/X94 bus timetable, so we accepted one (or two, in fact). Earlier, at Scarborough railway station, Janet had declined one; but then, expecting the buses to depart at 50 minutes past the hour, we were surprised by finding one departing at 20 minutes past — so we accepted the offer this time. We were planning to use the same service to go to Robin Hood’s Bay tomorrow, so we thought it might be useful.
 My surmise that perhaps the X94 didn’t go through Robin Hood’s Bay was proved to be a false one, for not only did I observe it to go through Robin Hood’s Bay on the way back, but also the timetable showed that the only difference between the routes of the X93 and the X94 was in Scarborough itself and nowhere else: the X93 went via Scarborough Hospital, and the X94 via the Alpamare water park. What’s more, on the outward journey, I scribbled “B1447” in my notebook, so if I’d received no other evidence, I could have looked it up and found that this is the road that connects Robin Hood’s Bay with the “A171” road to Whitby and beyond.
 On Thorpe Lane, Robin Hood’s Bay, we passed what I now know to be “The Parish Church of St. Stephen, Fylingdales”, and thinking that the double-pitch roof of its tower reminded me of the similar structure of the church in Unterseen, I logged on to the Wi-Fi and looked up the Blogger version of “Friday 19 July 2019” (16:34–16:39).
 The notion, gained from Google Maps, that we’d have to walk, or otherwise find our way, from “Peasholm Gap” back to the hotel, was shown to be unfounded in the timetable we received, and the bus took us all the way to Scarborough Railway Station.








Thursday 2 September 2021 16:09:18
Arrival of the X94 bus at Whitby Bus Station

“The bus back was a single decker and not very full. Perfect,” Janet wrote. “We were back in Scarborough just before 5.30pm and returned to the hotel. I made us coffees then it was dinner time.” Janet made cups of coffee. I transferred 62 photos from the camera’s SD card to the WD Elements HDD (17:48–17:49); I viewed them in Windows Photo Viewer, but none needed to be rotated. Then it was time to go down for dinner. “The Geordie couple had gone home,” Janet recalled, “but there was another couple there we’d not seen before and we got chatting. Vicky had taken on board the [suggestion or implication that she was] ‘over-catering’, and we were pleased to be served manageable portions.” I had lamb chops. Janet had salmon, I think. I had a pint of Birra Moretti and later another half-pint, and Janet had two Coke. “We ate the lot,” Janet continued, “and, unlike last night, I had fruit salad and [John] had rhubarb pie and custard![v] We stayed chatting to the ‘Mr.’ [of the couple] then returned to our room at 7.30pm.”… I used the hotel Wi-Fi on the Samsung computer, checking e-mail accounts (19:49).… Remembered that I hadn’t checked Messenger so did that (20:12), and looked at something in Bing Maps (21:15). Janet showered, meanwhile. “We were in bed at 9.45pm,” she recalled.

[v] The exclamation mark is because it’s rare for me to have a substantial dessert, especially something sweet.

[Friday 3 September 2021]