Details provided by Harbour Master, Arthur Miller, source unknown.
1252: First wooden quay built
1290: Robert Acclam, a wealthy bailiff, tried to force a monopoly on the sale of herrings by going out to sea and meeting the fishing fleet before it could enter the harbour.
1378: A Scots spy in the pay of the French was imprisoned in the castle. His son, John Mercer, raised a fleet of French, Scots and Spaniards and set out to rescue him. The venture was fatal to the harbour, ships were spoiled and plundered and many inhabitants were carried off to Boulogne and ransomed for £1000. The attack was so fierce that fishing boats dared not put to sea and visiting craft would not approach the harbour.
1398: The ships of Scarborough were ordered to be manned and to attack the pirates who lay in wait for the merchantmen who traded along the Yorkshire Coast.
1444: Scarborough was so poor that parliament gave back half of taxes. this was due to the French wars and the dilapidated state of the harbour.
1565: The Queen, Elizabeth I, granted £500, 100 tons of timber and 6 tons of iron to repair the harbour.
1552: Richard Harton, London fishmonger, owned a house in Scarborough.
1605: The bailiffs and burgesses petitioned King James for remission of taxes. They spent £100 a year on maintenance of the harbour.
1635: The harbour saw stirring times, the Dunkirk men-of-war caused damage to Scarborough during the reign of Charles I and a Dutch ship defeated a Dunkirk M-O-W. Dutch and Spanish vessels entered the harbour to fight despite protests from the bailiffs.
1653: De Witt sailed into Scarborough bay with 18 ships and 2 Hoys. They crowded as near shore as possible, protected by 9 guns on the pier head and 6 elsewhere. The enemy sailed in and fired 20 guns and stood off. De Witt sailed with the convoy only to return a few days later as they were too weak to engage the Flemings.
1752: An act of parliament was passed appointing 100 harbour commissioners. Vincent’s pier, from the old locker house seawards, was completed.
1798: 760 feet of the proposed 1200 feet of the outer sea wall, East pier, was completed in 5 years (1796 to 1800). 1140 float loads (18 tons per load) were brought from the quarry at White Nab. 10 yards were added each year working from April to October.
1803 to 1806: 780 ships took shelter in the harbour.
1806: First lighthouse was built by Mr Dixon, a local surveyor. The lighthouse was cone shaped with an oblong window facing seawards and lit by 6 tallow candles.
1811: New outer pier was completed.
1816-1817: During the winter, a pier from West Sandgate towards the Vincent pier was constructed of timber backed with stones. This experiment was successful and it was soon followed by a more permanent erection of stone. This pier was called the West pier.
1828: Ships left for Quebec with 130 passengers, mostly women and children.
1832: Scarborough is the 10th port of Great Britain.
1844: A second storey cupola was added to the lighthouse. A copper reflector was fitted and residence for the keeper.
1850: The floating dock was added.
1879: West pier was lengthened and widened by Mr Hawkins, engineer.
1879: Mr Wyld was the resident engineer.
1879: Marine Drive started.
1908: Marine Drive finished. It took 10 years, 10 months and 10 days. The Council bought all property on the harbour side of Sandside and demolished it.
1925: North wharf constructed.
1931: Lighthouse reconstructed paid for by local townsmen. the lighthouse was hit by shells from the 3 German battleships on 16/12/1914. Damage was so bad the tower had to be demolished. 19 people were killed in the town.
