For such a small museum, Whitby's ceramic section is quite diverse as the result of a number of bequests - notably the Trattles' collection of 18th & 19th century English pottery and porcelain.

Staffordshire figures - 'Courtship'

Coalport flower-encrusted basket

Derby Peacocks and Chelsea Derby Figures

Amongst this collection are a number of Rockingham poodles, small groups of Derby cats, early Staffordshire pottery groups - mainly of a bucolic character, some fine Coalport encrusted and flower moulded baskets, a set of four Derby porcelain peacocks, and a rare pair of Bloor Derby tailor and his wife on goats with all their possessions in baskets including children etc., ca. 1825. There is a rare pair of Derby Mansion House dwarfs or grotesque punches, made by Bloor & Co ca. 1825, based on famous figures that stood outside the Mansion house in the City of London with advertisements on their large hats. Their original cost was 18/-, now worth thousands of pounds. Staffordshire pastille burners in the form of cottages encrusted with flowers, were used in sick rooms where the windows were hermetically sealed in the Victorian era.

There is a late Victorian porcelain dessert service with bird paintings of the highest quality, on an apple green ground, in mint condition.

Amongst other bequests is an extremely rare vase transfer printed creamware commemorative Sunderland mug, depicting the Union Mill, Whitby (formerly situated at the top of the town) with the Mill and the words Ch. Watkin Chairman on one side and on the reverse -

                            From Stormy Blasts
                            And Danger Ill
                            May God Protect
                            The Union Mill
                   Foundation Stone laid June 16th 1800
                      by T Fishburn & T Broderick Esq

also a circular Staffordshire pottery plaque, ca. 1830, banded with canary yellow and depicting three local Whitby characters : Willy Dickinson, 'Spanker' and Hockley Hole, etched by the renowned Whitby artist, George Weatherill 1810 - 1890. Both these items are badly damaged.

There is a good small collection of English Delft tiles, mostly in good condition, and a beautiful mint set of six Scottish carpet bowls.

Of note there are some commemorative jugs and mugs of the Napoleonic wars, with transfer prints and inscriptions, and an 18th century Sunderland frog mug with a transfer print of Sunderland Bridge.

There are Sunderland lustre religious text plaques, mugs and jugs, a Staffordshire mug showing Princess Mary opening the Whitby Memorial Hospital, and a good collection of Whitby memorabilia from Victorian to the present day.

19thC Green Glazed Chinese Dragon

Moorcroft ceramics old and new, Wedgwood jasper and creamware and a large barge teapot, a magnificent pair of Copeland Spode large serving dishes with powder blue ground and floral decoration in mint condition, some examples of Chinese Export porcelain ca. 1760, and last but certainly not least - a perfect little toy from the Doulton Lambeth factory of a pottery pocket watch, are all part of Whitby Museum's possessions.

Scent Bottles

In the glass section are early glass bottles; rolling pins and fancy glass walking sticks. There are also examples of blue Bristol glass on show.