Beyond Whitby the lives of the Scoresbys, both father and son, rate very little mention. The prosperity of Whitby during the 1700 and 1800s, when it was the sixth most important port in the British Isles, came principally from the sea and whaling made a major contribution. The Scoresbys, father and son, were both very successful whalers.

SCORESBY SENIOR (1760-1829)

The father, Capt. William Scoresby, was born near Cropton in 1760 and died in 1829. During his life he was a renowned whaling captain and navigator in the Arctic Regions. Scoresby Senior's achievements include navigating to 81°-30', much further north than any other captain at that time, the invention of the crow's nest and schemes for the improvement of the harbour and access roads to the town using the high number of unemployed. The crow's nest protected seamen from severe weather conditions when on watch in the Arctic seas.

Orrery belonging to Scoresby Junior

SCORESBY JUNIOR (1789-1857)

His son the Rev. William Scoresby was also born near Cropton in 1789 and lived until 1857. Like his father he rose to be captain of a whaling ship and was for some 30 years a successful whaler. While in the Arctic regions he surveyed the coasts of Greenland and Jan Mayan island. He studied the flora and fauna and ice and snowflake formations under different weather conditions. During the winter months, when on shore, he studied science subjects at Edinburgh University under Joseph Black. His invention of a "Marine Diver" enabled him to measure the temperature, density and the marine life at different depths of the Arctic waters. The many drawings he made of marine and bird life are on display. He made a detail study of refraction both in the Arctic seas and in the North Sea of the coast of Bridlington, surveyed and mapped the East Coast of Greenland and Jan Meyene Island north of Greenland. In the field of magnetism he carried out some 300 experiments to determine the maximum strength achievable using components made from iron and steels of varying quality. The purpose of the experiments were part of his search for a more reliable magnetic needle for the compass. He carried out extensive experiments to determine the effects on the compass and the chronometer by iron and steel on a ship. These two instruments being the prime source of navigation at that time. His experiments led him, in conjunction with Joule, to the design of a magneto-electric machine to determine the relation between magnetism and electricity the precursor of the dynamo.

At the age of 33 he left the sea to be ordained priest in the Church of England and eventually became the Vicar of Bradford.

Sketches of Snowflakes

He was a profound scientist and naturalist. The Museum's collection includes artefacts concerned with whaling, many of the instruments used by Scoresby Junior in his experiments, his sea logs, scientific papers and journals. His eminence as a scientist can be measured by the fact that he worked with Faraday, Joule and Ampere, met and corresponded with Sir Joseph Banks, Black and other eminent scientists of the time.