The archives contain many thousands of archive documents ranging from personal diaries, deeds and collections of family papers, through ships' muster-rolls, journals, logs, account books and shipping company records, to village and administrative records. The most distinctive individual item is perhaps the Abbots' Book or Cartulary of Whitby Abbey. Much of the collection has been given by members; for example papers and journals bequeathed byWilliam Scoresby the Younger (1789 - 1857) - whaling captain, explorer of the Arctic and pioneer in the investigation of electromagnetism.

The archives also include the notes and collected documents of two local antiquaries. There are at least 39 volumes of notes and copied records collected by George Waddington (1821 - 98), specialising in deeds, North Riding records, family and religious records and including the epitaphs and gravestones in all the churchyards of the district. There are also 104 volumes of the Percy Burnett Papers containing copies of thousands of local history documents, together with 75 mss. volumes and 9 of press cuttings. Burnett (1903 - 72) was a deputy Treasurer of Whitby Urban District Council and Librarian of the Lit. and Phil., who for over 40 years collected anything relevant to Whitby's past.

The archives also include the working notes and manuscripts of several local authors, such as Canon John Atkinson (1814 - 1900), an indefatigable but sceptical local historian and archaeologist; Frank Elgee (1903 - 72) the father of modern archaeology in Cleveland and North Yorkshire; and Mary Linskill (1840 - 91) a local novelist.

Abbots' Book / Whitby CartularyC12 - C16th Abbey charters and records (left)   Apprentice Book of Henry Simpson 1711 - Mss. workbook of apprentice seaman with beautifully written and illustrated exercises in navigation, etc (right)

Shipping records :

More than 30 eighteenth / nineteenth century ships' logs, journals and account books. Muster rolls of Whitby ships' crews from 1708 - 1805, 1835 - 38. Eighteenth century Protest Book (cases of damage to ships brought before the magistrates) Various ship-owners' records, e.g. Chapman ships 1667 - 1777, ledger of 1732 - 1839, early C20th records of Turnbull, Rowland and Marwood; early C20th Whitby Iron & Steam Ship Insurance Company records. Journal of Thos. Etty of "George", 1800 - 1 (prisoner of war in Russia). Lloyds Registers - Mid 19C to 1984, 2003 -

1749 Muster Roll showing James Cook as Seaman

Scoresby papers - papers of William Scoresby, younger (1789 - 1857) relating to Whaling, Arctic exploration, early experiments in electro-magnetism and his later career as Vicar of Bradford.

	(above)Wm Scoresby's Journal for 11 April 1807 with survey of Balta Sound (left)Page from Wm Scoresby's Journal for 25 June 1806 recording killing of three whales & a narwhal	(above)Water colour by Wm Scoresby at back of Journal for 1808

Diaries :

Katherine Manley's Midwifery Register of Births 1720 - 1764 9 vols.of Rev. Daniel Duck's Diary(1788 - 1824) Robert Campion's Journal (1791 - 1806) local banker, industrialist. Dr Ripley's Common Place Book (1805 - 36) - local GP Danby emigrants voyage to Canada (1834) Transcribed version of Marmaduke James' Diary (1840's) - local observer of life and shipping Mary Linskill's diary (1876 - 7) - novelist

Page from Marmaduke James' Diary for 1843 recording ships into and out of Whitby Harbour, with sketches in margin

Authors' working papers and original manuscripts :

	Lionel Charlton (History of Whitby 1779), Dr George Young (sermons, History of Whitby 1817), Martin Simpson (Geology mss. 1855), Mary Linskill (novelist), Frank Elgee (early C20th archaeologist), Leo Walmsley (1932 novel), P Shaw Jeffrey (Early C20th local historian). L Atkinson Richard Weatherill "The ancient Port of Whitby".
	(left) Title page of mss. of Mary Linskill's novel "Joshua Perlcote's Lost Son", written under the pseudonym of Stephen Yorke

• Constable's / Highways / Poor Relief accounts for 5 local villages (c. 1774 - 1840);
• Whitby Union Corn Mill papers - C19th;
• Grosmont Co-operative Society accounts 1869-98;
• papers relating to Whitby Seamen's Hospital (1735 - 1851) and Public Dispensary (1786 - 1830's);
• papers relating to Whitby's Mission to Seamen.

Church papers : St Mary's Parish Church, St Ninian's, St Michael's (all Whitby).
School records : e.g. Hawsker, St Michael's, Jonathan Hornby School (Danby) 1796 - 1806

Legal and Financial : local Deeds, Land Tax documents.

Dr English's Prints - fine collection of prints of Whitby from early C18th

	(left)Print of Old Drawbridge, 1833
	(right)Print of New Swivel Bridge, 1835

Albert Pile Ink / Wash Drawings Well-known local artist's records of Old Whitby in 1950's, much of it now demolished.

(right) "The Crag", November 1958 - now demolished.