First Fleet Plaque, Whitby

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Two boats from Whitby the Fishburn and the Golden Grove were part of the First Fleet that set out for Botany Bay in Australia on 13th May 1787, both arriving on 20th January 1788 (less that 8 years after the discovery by Captain Cook)

First Fleet, Whitby

The fleet consisted of six convict transports carrying over 700 prisoners to the penal colony, three food and supply transports which included the Fishburn and Golden Grove, two Naval escorts the HMS Sirius and HMS Supply.

The plaque was unveiled by Sir Donald Barron on 25th June 1988 as part of the bicentenary.

Congregational Church, Loftus

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The Congregational Church in Loftus dates from 1906, the builder was a Mr Charles Hebditch, who also married there.

Congregational Church, Loftus
In later years it was the Loftus United Reformed Church which closed in the 1990s. Sadly it’s now in a sad state of disrepair stuck in a stalled redevelopment as flats by a London owner. Its rare open-air pulpit has already been lost. It was apparently up for sale  again for £30,000 in 2012.

Congregational Church, Loftus

One entrance carries the inscription “Bolton Memorial School” although I have not yet traces its exact origin. A large number of initialled stones appear around the base of the church, presumably placed to record those who contributed to its construction.
Congregational Church, Loftus
Congregational Church, Loftus
Congregational Church, Loftus
The corner stone carries the name Alderman C H Baines and a April 1906 date, so perhaps he opened it or layed the foundation ?

Locomotion No.1 and the Bulmer Stone

Richard Freeman kindly sent me this photo of a plaque he recently purchased
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It depicts Locomotion No.1 and the Bulmer Stone. The Head of Steam museum has the mould for these which was made by Stephen Bell in 1909 with the plaque being registered as a medal design in 1911.

They appear to have been sold by the Pawnbroker,  Arthur E Berry of 58 – 61 Northgate