3 January 1850
A letter from Fecamp of the 30th ult. announces the wreck on that coast of the
English brig the Planet, of Whitby, and the Anna Lucy, of London. The crew of
the Planet were saved; the fate of the crew of the Anna Lucy is not known.

18 January1851
Early on Saturday morning, the 11th inst., the brig New Commercial, of Whitby,
250 tons burden, Sanderson, master, bound from Liverpool to the Spanish
Main, in a thick fog and strong gale from the S.S.W., struck upon a ledge
of rocks between the Great and Little Brisson - two high rocks rising
between 60 and 70 feet above high water mark, about one mile off the bluff
headland of Cape Cornwall, and four miles northwards from Land's End. The
sea running very high the vessel immediately went to pieces, and the crew, 
nine men, with one woman, the wife of the master, got on the ledge. They
were discovered from the shore as soon as day broke, but no assistance 
could then be possibly rendered them. In this perilous condition the poor
creatures remained until about 9 o'clock, when they were all washed off
together by one tremendous wave, and hurled them into the boiling deep.
Seven of the ten sunk at once into as watery grave. Of the remaining three,
one, a mulatto, contrived to get on a portion of the floating wreck, and after
having been beaten about for some hours in imminent peril of being every
instant swallowed up by the breakers, managed with remarkable coolness
and presence of mind, by means of a plank which he used as a paddle, and
a piece of canvas which served him for a sail, with the assistance of the
strong tides, to keep clear of the broken waters.
While the poor fellow was thus struggling for life, amid the anxious
expectations of the people who witnessed his attempt from the shore, whose
lofty cliffs were now crowded by upwards of 2,000 spectators, five fishermen,
belonging to Sennen, a small fishing cove close to Land's End, determined, 
with that bold and resolute spirit for which these men are distinguished, to 
launch their boat (the Grace) through the breakers, in which they happily
succeeded, and eventually, after encountering great risk, they rescued the
poor mulatto from his perilous situation.
The other two, the master and his wife, when they were carried off the ledge, 
were washed upon the Little Brisson Rock, which rises in a peaked head,
and is the resort of numerous sea fowl. The master first gained a footing upon
the rock, and upon looking around him saw his wife struggling in the waves, 
but sufficiently near to enable him to stretch out his hand and pull her in.
While the Sennen fishermen were occupied in rescuing the mulatto, Her Majesty's 
revenue cutter Sylvia, commanded by Mr.Forward, was seen
gallantly working round the Land's End, having been ordered to the spot by 
Captain Davies, R.N., the late and still acting inspecting commander of the
coast guard of this district. Captain Davies himself and several of the officers
took up their stations upon the lofty promontory overlooking Cape Cornwall,
overlooking the Brissons. On reaching the point Mr.Forward launched his
boat, and attempted, with a crew of four men, to get near the rock; but the
attempt was fruitless, and it was only with great difficulty that he regained the
cutter, to the great relief of Captain Davies and the numerous spectators
upon the cliffs, who rejoiced to perceive that, though success did not attend
his daring exploit, still he himself and his gallant crew at least were safe. It 
was now growing late, and nothing more could be attempted in the way of
rescue for the day, so Mr.Forward hoisted his colours and hove-to his craft, to
encourage the poor sufferers, who were now to be left to spend the wretched
night without food or shelter, exposed to the wind and rain upon this desolate
rock amidst the wide waste of waters, and to assure them that they had still a 
friend who would stand by and not forsake them.
On Sunday morning the wind happily drew a little to the south-east, which 
caused the sea to abate; all hands were immediately on the alert. At 1 o'clock
four boats were seen approaching from the Sennen Cove - three manned by
fishermen and one by the coastguard; at the same time Captain Davies 
arrived, having embarked in a preventive boat at a small cove named
Pendeen, about three miles north-east of the spot, with four preventive men 
and one miner, taking rockets with him. The cutter's boat also was manned by
Mr.Forward - so that six boats were quickly on the spot. By this time the scene 
had become one of the most exciting description, and the crowds of people
upon the cliffs could not have numbered less than 5,000 or 6,000; and as
each boat arrived at the spot, the cheers of this vast multitude, awakening all
the echoes of this cavernous coast, added not a little to the excitement.
The sea ran so high that no boat could venture within 100 yards of the rock.
The rockets which Captain Davies had taken with him in the preventive boat
had never been tried here before, even from the shore, and we believe never
elsewhere from a boat.
After making his arrangements, he with his own hand discharged the rocket. 
he was enveloped for a moment in a sheet of flame from the back fire.
Happily, however, he sustained no injury, but unfortunately the line which 
reached the rock fell upon a sharp ledge, which cut the rope so that the end
of it slipped of into the sea.
It is impossible to describe the disappointment experienced by the people 
upon the cliffs and in the boats at this unfavourable result of such a daring
experiment.
After a short delay, however, another rocket was prepared, which Captain
Davies again himself discharged, and this time the cord fell on the rock close
by the man, to the great joy and delight of the assembled mulitude. 
At this critical moment the sun shone forth with brilliancy. The man on the rock
was seen to fasten the rope around the waste of his wife, and to encourage
her to take the fearful leap, while she lingered and hesitated to jump into the 
foaming waters. After some little time, however, his persuasions prevailed.
They took an affecting leave of each other, and, amid the breathless
expectation of all, she made the awful plunge for life or death from a height of
about 12 feet. At this moment three immense waves broke in rapid
succession, perilling the safety of all. For a time, indeed, the boats were 
entirely hidden from the view of the spectators, and the loud cry broke forth
from thousands of voices "They are gone". But soon again the boats were
seen above the swelling waves, and the lofty cliffs once more rang with 
approving cheers. The cord was drawn with great judgement, and after about
three minutes the poor woman was taken into one of the boats; but the blows
from the waves were more than her exhausted frame could bear. No
attention that could be shown her was spared. The men took off their own
clothes to cover her, and used every effort to restore her. She breathed, but 
by the time the boat reached the cove life had fled. After the master had 
persuaded his wife to leave him he fastened the cord round his own waist
and was drawn, greatly exhausted, into one of the other boats.
It is impossible to speak too highly of the conduct of those who were
employed on this occasion. All who witnessed it agree in declaring that a more
gallant, humane, and praiseworthy act has seldom been recorded.

31 October 1851
RNLI awards
The gallantry of five labourers in the employ of Mr.Maberly, of the alum works,
Sandsend, near Whitby, was also recognised by the committee by being
Rewarded with one sovereign each, in consideration of their having gone off
In a common coble to the rescue of a poor fellow who was seen clinging to
The side of the sloop Friends Goodwill, which had been capsized near Whitby
During the terrific storm on the 25th of September, and whom they reached
Just as he was washed off, and only in time to grasp his hand as he was
sinking.

29 December 1851
Wadham College
The Rev. Richard Palgrave Manclarke, B.A., of this college has been licenced
to the curacy of Whitby.

8 January 1852
Mysterious death at Dartford - Report of the death of Alexander Reed, of Whitby, 
"a fine young man", a sailor belonging to the "Lavinia, of Stockton,
now lying in Long Reach". He was discovered with his neck broken in a
railway cutting about half a mile from Dartford station, and 40 yards from
Fulwich Bridge. Reed was lodging at Bull and George yard, High Street, Dartford, 
and had been out with a girl who was a visitor to the town. She had asked another 
man to go and look for Reed, who she feared was dead, which he did, but she then 
disappeared.  

31 July 1852
Apothecary's Hall
The following are the names of the gentlemen who passed their examination 
In the science and practice of medicine, and received certificates to practice,
On Thursday, July 29, 1852
Matthew Corner, Whitby, York

10 March 1853
Vice-Chancellor's Courts, March 10th
Simpson v Chapman
The bill in this case was filed by George Simpson, a residuary legatee, for the
administration of the estate of the late Thomas Simpson, who carried on the
business of a banker, at Whitby, in Yorkshire, in co-partnership with John
Chapman and Abel Chapman, up to the period of his decease. The testator
died in May 1843, having by his will appointed John Chapman, and his sons
Henry Simpson and T.B.Simpson, his executors. The bill was filed in April
1850, and charged that Henry Simpson, who was one of the testator's
residuary legatees, had, after the testator's death, assumed to be, and had
acted as if he were, a partner in the bank, and employed a portion of the
testator's assets in the business, and it sought to have the assets so
employed, and the share of the profits received by or credited to Henry
Simpson, accounted for as part of the testator's residuary estate. 
(Henry Simpson's case was that his father had no funds in the business when
he died and therefore there was nothing to account for. However, the Judge 
disagreed and said that there were funds from the business which were due to
Thomas Simpson when he died, and that Henry Simpson and John Chapman 
should be held to account for these funds are the proceeds therefrom).  

6 February 1854
Royal College of Surgeons 
The following gentlemen, having undergone the neccessary examination
for the diploma, were admitted members of the college at the meeting of
the Court of Examiners on the 3rd inst.,
Robert Gibson Brown, Whitby, York

11 July 1854
Court of Common Pleas, Guildhall, 10 July 1854
A lengthy report on a case, Milne, and another v Marwood and others.
The case was brought by insurance brokers against Thomas Marwood,
for representing his ship, Dowthorp, built 1837, as sound, in the process
by which the plaintiffs purchased her for the Aiustralian passenger service.
Milne then paid out for refit of the ship but she was found to be unsuitable.
Marwood took her back when Milne complained, but the case was to claim the
costs of refitting.
The jury found for the plaintiffs and awarded £430 damages, but acquitted
Marwood of fraudulent intent.

19 July 1854
Summer Assizes
Northern Circuit
William Campion, aged 29, was indicted for the wilful murder of Ann Campion,
On the 1st of June last, at Ruswarp, near Whitby.
It appears that the prisoner was a mariner, and many years ago, when on
Board a vessel called La Poule, in Canada, had received an injury on his 
head, which had caused concussion of the brain, since which time he had
been subject to fits of excitement, and his mother had frequently complained
that he behaved sometimes as though he were crazy. On the 1st of June the
prisoner's mother had been to carry her husband his dinner, and on her return
she found the prisoner and his sister in her house. The prisoner's sister
chanced to mention that she had heard the prisoner had been to
Middlesborough to get married. The prisoner got into a great rage and his
Sister left. His mother used some soothing expressions to him to pacify him,
When he suddenly turned upon her and stabbed her in the back with a sharp
Pointed kitchen knife. The knife penetrated the vertebrae and his mother fell,
Having lost the use of her limbs by the wound, which had the effect of
Paralysing them. The prisoner cried out "I have done for you; you will not live
Long". He then ran into the house of a neighbour named Andrews, without his
Hat or coat on, and said in a wild and excited way to a young girl "Come and 
Look at the old _____; I have done for her". Mrs. Andrews was so frightened 
At his demeanour that she locked the door as soon as he had gone. Shortly
After, another neighbour entered the house and saw the deceased sitting on
The floor, with a pool of blood on one side, and her son standing near her. 
She asked the deceased what was the matter, and she said she could not tell
Her.  She then asked the prisoner what he had done to his mother. The 
Prisoner answered, "The old _____will soon croak, and I would have served
My father worse if he had been here." The prisoner was then taken into 
Custody, and the deceased died about a week afterwards. Before her death
Her deposition was taken in the presence of the prisoner, who continued in
A very excited state for some time, and the deposition, (giving the deceased's
Account of the transaction was now put in, and read). Medical testimony was
Given, showing that the deceased had died from a wound in the spine, and
Also that the prisoner had exhibited strong symptoms of insanity.
The prisoner was Acquitted on the grounds of insanity. He was ordered to 
Be kept in custody during Her Majesty's pleasure.


27 February 1855
Apothecaries'-Hall - The following are the names of gentlemen who passed their 
examination in the practice of medicine, and received certificates to practise, on 
Thursday, February 22nd, 1855 -
Francis Mead Corner, Whitby

19 March 1855
Shields, Saturday Night, - In a despatch sent to Tynemouth yesterday, at noon, it 
was stated that three vessels - the Heather, brig, of this place, and the Hugh Bourne, 
and the Thomas and Mary, of Whitby, schooners, had come ashoreon Tynemouth 
rocks during the night in a gale of wind. They have since become total wrecks. The 
crew of the Thomas and Mary were yesterday supposed to have been lost in the storm, 
as the vessel appears to have gone to pieces immediately upon touching the ground. 
This impression is confirmed by a body drifting ashore from the wreck today. As 
described in my despatch yesterday, the condition of the crew of the schooner Hugh 
Bourne was most perilous during Thursday night. She struck upon a most dangerous 
reef of rocks to the northward of this harbour shortly after 10 o'clock on Thursday night, 
and the crew were exposed in the rigging to a most fearful storm of wind and snow until 
4 o'clock on Friday morning, when, as the tide fell, they were rescued. In the early part 
of the night neither lifeboats nor rockets could approach them. 

24 March 1855
The wind yesterday blew very heavily from E. to E.N.E., with the barometer down to 28.35 degrees.
The master and crew of the John Stewart, of Whitby, have been brought into Sheerness by the master 
of the Liberty, of Newcastle. The John Stewart got on the Barrow sand in her upward passage from
Seaham, coal-laden, and was abandoned by master and crew, leaving her with the water two feet 
over the cabin floor, and the ship at times rolling on her broadside. On the crew of the John Stewart 
having to take to their boats to save their lives, they found, to their utter dismay, that their longboat, 
which had recently been surveyed by an official belonging to the Board of Trade (not 100 miles from
Whitby), was only bored on the gunwale for one rollock on the port bow, abreast of the foremast 
thwart, and one on the starboard quarter, abreast of the afterthwart. The jollyboat could not live in the 
sea; they were, therefore, obliged to get all hands into the longboat. They were buffetted about, only 
being able to use two oars, with eight hands in the boat, and each oar being at the reverse extreme 
ends they were pulled round and round, and had the greatest difficulty in getting off the sand, being 
several hours in the boat, and nearly perished; they desire publicly to thank Mr. William Cloak, the 
master, and the crew of the Liberty for their kind and seamanlike conduct.

21 May 1855
A new valuable steel field gun, the invention of Mr W.G.Armstrong, of the Elswick works, Newcastle-onTyne,
has been tried with eminent success upon Whitby sands, on the Northumberland (?) coast. It has all the
precision of the Minie rifle, and on Saturday last repeatedly hit a target, five feet in diameter, at a 
distance of 2,200 yards.

24 May 1855
Royal College of Surgeons - The following gentlemen having undergone the necessary examinations for the
diploma were admitted members of the College at the meeting at the Court of Examiners on the 21st inst.,
Robert Edmund Jackson, Whitby, Yorkshire.....

7 July 1855
Murder on the High Seas
(by electric telegraph)
Queenstown, July 6
The brig Her Majesty, of Whitby, arrived today.
She reports the murder of her captain, mate, and cook, and the wounding severely of two of the crew, by a
seaman named Neale, who afterwards hung himself.

13 October 1856
Shipping Casualties on the Norfolk and Suffolk Coast
The Electra, Turnbull, master, of Whitby, was run into a few miles north of Great
Yarmouth by a schooner, name unknown.

 13 December 1856
Vacancies, Appointments and Promotions in the Civil Service
Customs: Mr.Henry, controller at Banff, has been appointed controller at Whitby.

9 April 1857
Royal College of Surgeons
The following gentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations for the
diploma, were admitted members of the College at the meeting of the Court of
Examiners on the 3rd inst., ....John Wilson, Whitby....

29 July 1857
Royal College of Surgeons
The following gentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations for the
diploma, were admitted members of the College at the meeting of the Court of
Examiners on the 27th inst.,.....Frederick Clarkson, Whitby,....

26 October 1857
The Shipwrecks on the Eastern Coast
The brig, Zillah, of Whitby, Watson, master, and 230 tons burden, laden with coals
from Hartlepool, lost her canvas during the gale and drove on shore opposite the
Thawt Lights, south of Winterton, where she soon afterwards went to pieces. The
master and four of the crew were drowned, but three hands were saved. The names of
two of the three survivors are George Dring and John Foster. Attempts were made for
some time to communicate with the wreck from the shore, but the lines projected
unfortunately broke. Eventually the survivors were rescued by a boat got off by the
Winterton beachmen. 
  
27 November 1857
Fatal Steamship Collision off Erith
Yesterday Mr.W.Baker held a long enquiry at the town of Ramsgate, Wapping, on the
body of George Granger, a seaman on board the collier brig, Welthen, of Whitby,
who, with another of the crew, was drowned by their vessel being run into off Erith 
by the European and American Steam Company's powerful steamship Argo. (long
outline of the accident - verdict accidental death, but placing some blame on the 
management of the steamer)

5 May 1858
Bow-street:
Joseph Lockwood Bulmer, alias John Brown, aged 33, was charged with having
obtained £5from Mr.R.Stephenson, M.P., by false pretences.
(Summary)
Bulmer had called on Mr.Stephenson, claiming to be one of his constituents, John 
Brown, who had failed in business. He said he was a grocer with a shop at Whitby 
Opposite Mr.Taylorson, a friend of Stephenson. Bulmer went into details of his
Misfortune and was plausible in his story, but Stephenson said he would need some
Proof of identity before he could give him any help. He suggested that he would
Get Mr Taylorson to write confirming his story. A few days later a letter arrived, 
purporting to be from Taylorson saying that he knew Brown well and that the latter
had left Whitby a few years before with the intention of emigrating. It said that 
Brown was "A dark man, about 33 years old, talked the Yorkshire dialect very strongly, 
and was, no doubt, deserving of any kindness" Stephenson showed him. The letter was 
thought to be a forgery so Stephenson sent it to Taylorson, who confirmed that it was 
forged, and that the writing was that of a former apprentice of his named Joseph
Bulmer. The real Brown was around 60 and had gone to America. Stephenson,
however, decided to "set up" Brown alias Bulmer, and arranged for his clerk to
give him £5, but in the presence of a member of the Mendicity Society, who then 
handed him over to the police. One of the witnesses was Mr. J.Corner, teadealer, of
Whitby, who proved that the prisoner was Bulmer and not the real Brown. Bulmer then 
pleaded for his wife and children, and mentioned the names of several respectable 
families to whom he said he was related. He was committed to 3 months
hard labour.

10 July 1858
Banquet at Trinity House
Whitby Lighthouses - the erection of lighthouses on High Whitby had long been
regarded as a measure likely to contribute much to the safety of the numerous vessels 
passing along the east coast of England to and from our important coal ports, and the
erection of two towers on that spot was commenced in April 1857. They are now
nearly completed and it is expected that the lights will be exhibited therefrom before
the Winter storms again bring danger to the mariner on those coasts.

3 February 1859
Royal College of Surgeons
At a meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 2ndinst., the follwing gentlemen who had 
been examined on the 25th ultimo., and three following days, were declared to have passed 
their first, or anatomical and physiological examination, viz
James Andrew, Whitby, Yorkshire.....

10 December 1859
Royal College of Surgeons
The following members of the College having been elected Fellows at previous
Meetings of the council, were admitted as such on the 8th inst., 
William Nicholson Clarkson, Whitby, April 18th 1842