Paperback. Scarborough scene cover with white title.

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Had you looked out on Scarborough Coast millions of years ago, you may have glimpsed a marine reptile such as a Plesiosaurus or an Ichthyosaurus chasing their prey. The rocks and cliffs, such as Castle Hill and Olivers Mount, were under the sea, waiting for the ice glaciers to thaw to rise above sea level and form the backbone of the Scarborough we know today.

Thorgils Skarthi, a Viking leader and poet and his brother Cormack (Kormack) are reputed to have found the town of Skarðaborg around the year 966. (Although the town was occupied before this date)

Scarborough has a rich and varied history. At one time, almost destroyed by fire, it was transformed into a fashionable Spa Town earning it the title ‘The Queen of Watering Places’ and becoming Britain’s first seaside resort.

Illustrated with over one hundred photographs, Scarborough: A History of the Town and its People tells the story of the town’s inhabitants – their lives, tragedies and occasionally even murder.

Review: An excellent book with lots of nuggets of interesting information as well as the broader story of the town and its evolution. It complements and sits well alongside some of the other books that have been written about the town. It is also an easy read.

W. M. Rhodes is a historian and author whose work explores Victorian and early twentieth-century social history, with a particular focus on women’s lives, justice, and forgotten voices. Drawing on court records, newspaper archives, and medical evidence, she brings clarity and compassion to stories often reduced to sensational headlines. Her books include Desperate Women, Bloody Yorkshire, Dr Pritchard: The Poisoning Adulterer, and local histories of Filey and Scarborough, all examining real events and lives shaped by the social conditions of their time. Through careful research and storytelling, Rhodes aims to restore dignity to overlooked people and illuminate the realities behind historical crime and tragedy. Originally from Yorkshire, she now lives in Spain with her husband and a collection of rescue animals, where she continues to research and write.