Discover the archive behind the museum
Staithes Museum is more than the objects in its display cases. Behind the museum is a growing archive of photographs, documents, books, oral histories and other records that can help us understand the people and places of Staithes.
Our archive is particularly useful for anyone researching Staithes families, local history, fishing, mining, Methodism, Captain Cook, the Staithes artists and the everyday life of the village.
Much of this material has been collected by local people over many years, and we are continuing to add to it, catalogue it and make it easier to discover.
What can you find in the archive?
Photographs
We hold a growing collection of photographs showing Staithes and the surrounding villages. These include fishing families, streets and buildings, schools, businesses, village events and everyday life.
Some photographs are well identified; others are still waiting for someone to tell us who is pictured or where they were taken.
Family history
If you have Staithes ancestors, the museum may be able to help you find clues about them. Send us a message if you want us to have a rummage through the collection for a particular person, business or cottage.
Our records include photographs, family information, local publications, oral histories and other material relating to people who lived and worked in Staithes and the surrounding area.
We are particularly interested in hearing from families who have their own photographs, memories or documents relating to Staithes.
We have recently accepted an incredible collection of family history research material created by Eileen Huby. Thank you for your patience while we work to digitise and catalogue this work! We're recruiting volunteers to speed up our efforts.
Books and local publications
The museum library contains books about Staithes and the surrounding area, as well as material relating to Captain Cook, maritime history, fishing, mining, textiles, artists and exploration.
We also hold locally produced booklets, pamphlets and other material that can be difficult to find elsewhere.
Oral histories
Some of the most valuable history in our collection is held in people's memories.
We are recording conversations with people who remember Staithes as it was, capturing stories about childhood, fishing, work, shops, schools, chapels, celebrations and the characters who made the village what it was.
These recordings help preserve parts of Staithes' history that may never have appeared in official records.
Family papers and personal collections
We are gradually adding personal papers, family trees, handwritten records and other material donated or loaned by local families.
These collections can be particularly valuable to family historians because they often contain the small details that don't appear in formal records.
Can I visit to do research?
Yes. We welcome research enquiries and are particularly interested in helping people investigate connections with Staithes.
If you are researching a particular person, family, house, business or aspect of village history, please contact us before travelling. This gives us a chance to see what material we hold and make sure that anything relevant is available when you visit.
Some material is still being catalogued and digitised, so we cannot promise that we will have an answer to every question — but we are always happy to see what we can find.
Our archive is growing
The archive is an ongoing project. We are photographing, cataloguing, digitising and researching material all the time, and new collections continue to arrive.
If you have photographs, documents, family papers or memories relating to Staithes that you think the museum should know about, we'd love to hear from you.