Coastal Libraries Celebrate Local History Month With Sex Pistols And Giant Crabs

Residents in Scarborough, Whitby, and Pickering are being encouraged to explore their community’s past during a month-long local history campaign at North Yorkshire libraries.

Residents along the Yorkshire Coast are being invited to delve into their community's past as North Yorkshire Council’s library service marks the annual Local and Community History Month.

Throughout the month of May, a series of exhibitions, guest speakers, and special events will take place across the region to encourage people to explore their heritage and local history.

This year's history campaign coincides with the National Year of Reading.

As part of this initiative, libraries are actively encouraging visitors to share stories about the history of their local area during the planned activities.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for libraries, Councillor Simon Myers, said:

"Once again we are joining the national initiative to showcase the county’s history, whether that be a local beauty spot, a quirky tradition or an unknown author. We are using it as an opportunity to promote the National Year of Reading, inviting children, families, schools and communities to connect through books and storytelling. I would encourage everybody to find out what activities are happening at their nearest library and get involved in exploring their heritage."

In Scarborough, the town's library is hosting a special exhibition throughout the month.

The display will showcase a collection of images from summer shows at theatres across Scarborough.

Notably, the exhibition will feature the Sex Pistols and mark the fiftieth anniversary of their legendary gig at the Penthouse.

According to the council, this Scarborough performance was highly significant as it marked the first time the iconic punk band had toured outside of London.

Further up the coast, Whitby Library is preparing to take part in the town’s popular Fish and Ships Festival, which is scheduled for the sixteenth and seventeenth of May.

During the festival, the library will be celebrating the work of Joseph Banks.

Banks was the renowned botanist who accompanied Captain James Cook during his historic voyages of discovery to the South Seas.

As part of the festival preparations, Whitby Library is working closely with local primary schools to create a variety of puppets.

This collaborative community effort will culminate in a giant crab puppet being paraded through the festival crowds during the event.

Meanwhile, in Pickering, residents will have the chance to explore a pop-up archive at the town's library.

Taking place on the eighth of May between 10am and 2pm, the display will feature a fascinating array of maps and documents relating to Pickering from the eighteen-thirties onwards.

North Yorkshire Council’s archives team will be present at the Pickering event to answer questions from the public and assist individuals with their historical research.

Beyond the special events, the council has reminded residents that most local libraries hold dedicated local history book sections.

Some branches offer microfilm access to historic newspapers, census data, maps, and photographs, while others hold collections related to specific topics or individuals.

Library users can also access online platforms such as Find My Past and Ancestry.

These digital resources allow people to trace the history of their high streets using census records, trade directories, and electoral registers.

Additionally, the British Newspaper Archive provides access to newspapers dating back to the seventeen-hundreds, while NewsBank offers papers from the nineteen-nineties onwards.

Residents can also explore digital magazines via Press Reader and view local films and videos through the British Film Institute collection.

For more details on the events and online resources, residents are advised to contact their local library or visit the North Yorkshire Council libraries website.