John Parkin. The Scarborough sailmaker turned bailiff. - John Rushton

Wyvill Todd in 1782 and Thomas Parkin in 1796 were Scarborough sailmakers. Little is known of them or of others in the craft. Their sail lofts were near the harbour. Both Scarborough and Whitby also had sail cloth manufactories in the same period . The bleach house was outside the town, at the head of the valley which today leads down to the Rotunda Geology Museum, the Spa buildings and to the sands . Standardisation of the sails of the full rigged ship came in the late 18th century. A ship might have as many as thirty seven sails as its normal equipment.

Sails were made by sewing breadths of canvas together.They were double seamed at the edges, and circuited with a bolt rope. Something over a hundred stitches went into the yard . Extra pieces of canvas were stitched on, to strengthen parts open to strain. Many holes had to be made, and well sewn around, to receive cordage for reefing the sail. All sails took their name from the mast, stay or yard on which they were extended.

Sailmaker John Parkin aspired to become a Bailiff of Scarborough Corporation in 1788. The Corporation had bailiffs then, where we have a Mayor. He was one of the forty four councillors .He had prospered and had houses on the both sides of Scalby village street . On some accounts , he held the distinctve house called Yew court . He took his family to Scalby each Summer. When he came to town, he rode in a "Yarmouth cart" ,with "john parkin esquire" inscribed on the side.

The Scalby squire of high renown this morning came from that fair town apparelled in his best array in honour of the happy day when he should shine in bailiffs gown and on the vulgar proudly frown."

His body decked with care and art He scorned to ride in his Yarmouth cart so trudged along with stick in hand upheld, and fancying it a wand And, as he mark'd the dreary way Thus to himself was heard to say.

"When I'm locked up as now I must I'll in the house kick up a dust Myself I will a bailiff make And for my daughter Tompy's sake Robson my soin shall Town Clerk be Then who so great as he and me"

Alas, John Parkin wasn't well enough connected. He was mocked as "the dung cart squire". William Clarkson, a butcher and John Travis, a surgeon mustered their forces and voted him off. James Tindall and W. Duesbery were named bailiffs. They said that he said..........

"God damn the butcher, curse the day when all my plans for self and son are by his malice, quite undone "



OTHER ARTICLES
• The national RNLI and the Scarborough lifeboat of 1861.
• The 200 year history of scarboroughs RNLI
• The port of Scarborough in the late 15th Century
• Seabathing in scarborough - an article by John Rushton
• Scarborough ships in the baltic - an article by John Rushton
• Harwood Brierleys description of Scarborough harbour at the opening of the 20th century
• The early years of the Scarborough Lifeboat
• Coastal erosion in the 19th Century around the North Bay and Scarborough Castle area
• Thomas Crimlisk - First of the Crimlisks
• The history of the Scarborough Spa pump rooms
• Hinderwells account of the first launch of the Scarborough Lifeboat in 1802
• Filey and the gales of 1860,1867,1869 AND 1880
• Scarborough pleasure boats - the Bilsdale, Coronia and Royal Lady
• The need for canals in the scarborough area - discussions in the late 1700's
• The Borough of Scarborough formed in the 12th Century
• Fighting the Scots in Scarborough Waters in the early 16th century. John Rushton
• The U-Boat campaign in the First World War
• A sea shanty about a storm on the Scarborough coast
• The Yorkshire smuggler - the smuggling of contraband

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