1500-1800
In the 17th century Scarborough developed into a spa town. At that time when people were desperate for a cure they believed they could be healed from all sorts of diseases by drinking from a spa. A lady named Mrs Farrer discovered a spring at the bottom of the cliffs containing iron. Soon people came from all over Yorkshire to drink from the spa's waters.
In the late 18th century bathing in seawater became fashionable. Doctors claimed it was good for the health and many wealthy people went on trips to the seaside. Many new resorts grew up. Scarborough was already a flourishing spa town but it grew into a seaside resort as well. It was also a busy fishing port and had a prosperous ship building industry.
19th Century
In the 19th century Scarborough continued to be a genteel seaside resort. The fishing industry continued and Scarborough continued to be a busy port. However shipbuilding declined.
The population rose rapidly. In 1801 Scarborough had a population of about 6,000. To us it would seem tiny but by the standards of the time it was a respectably sized town. It grew rapidly during the 19th century. By 1851 the population of Scarborough was around 13,000. By the end of the 19th century the population more than doubled to over 30,000.
The 19th century saw a number of improvements to Scarborough. In 1805 an Act of Parliament formed a body of men called the Improvement Commissioners with powers to pave, clean and light the streets of Scarborough (with oil lamps).
The Rotunda Museum opened in 1829. A waterworks company was formed in Scarborough in 1844. A Market Hall was built in 1853 and the first cemetery opened in 1857. Meanwhile Cliff Bridge opened in 1827. Valley Bridge opened in 1865.
The railway reached Scarborough in 1845 which, of course, made it easier for visitors to reach the town and a hospital opened in Scarborough in 1893.
20th Century
In the 20th century Scarborough continued to be a thriving seaside resort. However the population rose only slowly. By 1951 it was 43,000. Growth then levelled off.
From 1904-1931 electric trams ran in the streets of Scarborough. However they were replaced by motor buses.
During the First World War Scarborough was bombarded by two German ships. On 16 December 1916 the Derrflinger and the Von Der Tann approached Scarborough and fired their guns at the town, killing 18 people.
After the war Scarborough recovered and continued to flourish. The council began slum clearance in the 1920s and the 1930s and the first council houses in Scarborough were built at that time.
Meanwhile the Futurist Theatre opened as a cinema in 1927 (it first became a theatre in 1958). A miniature railway opened in Scarborough in 1931 and an open air theatre opened in 1932.
Then came the Second World War. In 1939 many evacuees were sent to Scarborough but most of them soon returned home. However Scarborough did not escape wartime bombing. Some 137 people from the town were killed by German bombing.
In the 1960s the traditional seaside holiday was challenged by cheap package tours abroad. Nevertheless Scarborough continued to prosper. In 1991 a Sea Life Centre opened. Also in 1991 the Brunswick Pavilion Shopping Centre was completed.
Today the population of Scarborough is 50,000.
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