Jewellery & Watch News
Next weekend sees The Whitby Regatta 2015 annual event here in Whitby running over 4 days from the 14th-17th August. The Regatta presents to visitors four days of entertainment, including yacht racing, rowing races and various free forms of entertainment, finishing with a prize presentation and spectacular firework display on the Monday evening over Whitby harbour.
The Whitby Regatta represents one hundred and seventy five years of aquatic competition and entertainment, and is probably the oldest sea Regatta on the northeast coast and has drawn large crowds into Whitby over the years.
It started in a very small way with the fishermen competing against each other in their fishing smacks and salmon cobbles. Then came the yachts and between 1847 up to the 1930’s, yacht racing formed the greater part of the Regatta.
Due to the high cost of building and maintaining these large yachts, they slowly disappeared from the scene. It was about 1872 that competitive rowing came into being. In that year, the Jet Works Amateur Rowing Club was formed, 1874 saw the birth of Scarborough Amateur Rowing Club and in 1879 the Friendship Amateur Rowing Club. Then came the Whitby Amateur Rowing Club in 1912, which later became the present day Whitby Fisherman's Amateur Rowing Club. All three Clubs are still going strong today, forming one of the main attractions of today's Regatta.
Over the years, rowing clubs from the Tyne to Scarborough have participated in Regattas held on the North East Coast, sadly only two Regattas are still being held, Scarborough and Whitby.
In 1901 the late Alderman JET Wilson J.P - C.C. of West Hartlepool presented the "Wilson Cup". valued at £25, for competition to Rowing Clubs based between the Tyne and Humber. This is the most coveted trophy rowed for today. 1929 saw the first fancy dress and decorated carts, this was the forerunner of the present day regatta and carnival.
Today the Regatta weekend pulls in huge crowds to Whitby with many new attractions added to the festival every year – this year includes The Whitby Regatta 4k Fun Run, The Greasy Pole Competition, Beach Volleyball, Vintage, Post War, Classic and Sports car rally, a Raft Race, the Grand Parade and a Dog Show – to name but a very few! There is also a variety of stalls and static displays up on the West Cliff plus a fun fair on the Regatta Monday.
To Celebrate this event, W Hamond has designed their own range of Sterling Silver pendants and charms to fit the occasion! You can view the collection on our website at the following link, or call in to our Whitby W Hamond Boutique to say hello and view our Regatta inspired pieces.
http://whamond.com/collections/captaincook/regatta
