Filey’s Day To Remember

Chris Turner

There are many days to remember: 15 April 1912 – the day the Titanic sank; 3 September 1939 – the day Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced that Britain was at war; 30 July 1966 – the day England won the FIFA World Cup. 

But residents of Filey and other places along the Yorkshire coast have another day to remember: 23 September 1779 – the Battle of Flamborough Head.

In 1779, Britain was at war with the rebel colonies in America, who were fighting for independence. John Paul Jones, a Scottish-born American sea captain, was tasked with harassing British shipping in the North Sea. On 23 September 1779, Jones was leading an American/French squadron of four ships. Captaining the American flagship Bonhomme Richard, he led an attack on two British ships, the Serapis and the Countess of Scarborough, who were escorting a convoy of 40 merchant vessels carrying supplies of iron ore and wood for the Royal Navy.

The battle raged for over three hours, with the opposing ships trying to outmanoeuvre each other and firing broadside after broadside. Thanks to the protection of the British ships, the convoy escaped to Scarborough unharmed, but John Paul Jones and his men managed to board and capture the Serapis.  This enabled the Americans to say that they won, but the British ships succeeded in their mission and the Bonhomme Richard sank, so we know it was a British victory!

Hundreds of people from Filey and other places along the coast gathered on the cliffs to watch the event. So, yes, it was certainly a day to remember, and the Yorkshire Coast 1779 Research Group is working hard to ensure that we can remember it in style. Because over the weekend of 19^th and 20th September this year, there will be an exciting programme of events to commemorate the Battle.

“We are building up to the 250th anniversary in 2029,” says Margaret Hicks-Clarke, chair of the Research Group, “and 2026 is an important part of that build-up, raising awareness of this historic event.”

The weekend kicks off at the Evron Centre at 11 am on the Saturday, with Margaret and her husband, John Clarke, sharing the story of the battle with a free presentation that is open to the public.

A pop-up Heritage Centre will be open on Filey seafront from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday. At this centre, there will be a 30-minute storytelling session, “A Little Story About a Big Battle”, bringing the battle to life, at 11.30 am and 2.00pm on the Saturday and 11.30 am and 1.30 pm on the Sunday. Meet John Paul Jones and Captain Pearson of the Serapis!

A special event this year will be the unveiling of the new Filey Information Panel by our deputy mayor, Councillor Linda Randall, near the maze at Glen Gardens at 1.00 pm on the Saturday.

And rounding off the weekend will be the Sea Cadets Parade and Service of Remembrance from Coble Landing along the seafront starting at 2.30pm on the Sunday.

So there will be plenty of ways for you to immerse yourself in Filey’s special day. Will you remember to be there?

The storytellers at Scarborough Castle with David Newton dressed as Captain Pearson of the Serapis on the right