Staithes is an inimitable place. It’s a place close to my heart and a place close to my good friend Gloria Wilson’s heart.

Over the past few years both Gloria and myself have been working on a book about Staithes. Gloria writing, me helping to digitise the vast collection of her images from over the years and myself and Gloria visiting and researching. It’s been a true pleasure to do so and I’d like to thank Gloria for allowing me to be part of the process.

The book, using her images (a few of her mother Lilian Colbourn’s images and two of mine), her mothers paintings and her own artwork, looks at the village in a deeply personal and indeed a psychogeographic way. The character of the place. It’s “Staithes-yness”

Thanks to publisher Lodestar Books this massively important work is now printed and will be available from Thursday 6th October 2022.

If you wish to order you can visit Lodestar Books; https://lodestarbooks.com/product/staithes-a-place-apart/ it will also be stocked in The Whitby Bookshop and other local outlets.

If you’re having difficulty finding a copy. Please contact me via this website.

Lilian Colbourn (1897 – 1967) was an artist known for her energetic and expressionist paintings and drawings. She spent happy years living and painting in the North Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes.

Painting in a few studios in the village, one being Sunnyside in Elliot’s Yard in Staithes.

Lilian’s paintings have been exhibited in London at Messum’s, with the last exhibition in 2004. Reaching acclaim in the 50’s and 60’s, because of a lack of gallery or individual promoting her work, she then slipped into relative obscurity.

I am privileged to be friends with Lilian’s daughter, and to have been able to look at some of the many items she retains of her mother’s work, including emotional oil paintings and sketches, and items relating to her life. I illustrate some tiles which were painted by Lilian in the village.

I hope this small slice of history appeals.