12/09/2026
Same same, but different. Y'know?
When I lived in Whitby many moons ago, I came across a photographer called Frank Meadow Sutcliffe(FMS), who was photographing Whitby in the late 19th century, into the 20th. Now, as many of you know, I really don't like a lot of photographers' work, because frankly, I don't like photography... Anyway, FMS work stood out to me, I think, because I love the old world and the sea, and that's what his images depicted.
I was talking to a gentleman whilst waiting for the bus from Scarborough to Whitby last week, and he was telling me that, during the time FMS was photographing around Whitby, it was a very poor fishing village. I think that really comes through in the images FMS took, and it’s probably one of the reasons they resonate with me so much.
Most photographers of the time were photographing the wealthy, whereas Frank’s images were the opposite. They showed the daily lives of ordinary people in his poor fishing village. And the technical expertise involved in taking these still images using wet plate photography, often whilst working on the move, absolutely blows my mind.
With this in mind, when I planned to go up and visit a friend, I thought I would take my Frank Meadow Sutcliffe: Whitby Photographer book with me, and try and get some similar images, and I would like to say a massive "Thank You" to Jack and Company for indulging me for the first image in this selection. And finding out you lived just down the road when I lived in Ironbridge tickled me. Small world, eh?
Anyway, lots of waffle, and not much chocolate sauce, so here are some of the images I have taken around Whitby over the years as a resident and tourist, made to look like Frank's work!
