B.
Staithes
Behind the scenes
Staithes is a village on the North Yorkshire coast, a few miles north of Whitby and surprisingly close to the industrial sprawl of Teesside.
It was a sort of St Ives of the North, with a thriving artists' community whose stars were Harold and Laura Knight. Sydney Lough Thompson visited in 1911 and created this painting:
![Sydney Lough ThompsonStreet scene, Staithes, Yorkshire. Oil on canvas board. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased with assistance from the Olive Stirrat Bequest 1991. Reproduced courtesy of Caldwell and Thompson families](/media/cache/f6/7e/f67e8612a415e682a23be6e6af13db01.jpg)
Sydney Lough ThompsonStreet scene, Staithes, Yorkshire. Oil on canvas board. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased with assistance from the Olive Stirrat Bequest 1991. Reproduced courtesy of Caldwell and Thompson families
I visited at the weekend and thought I'd have a go at finding this flight of stairs. Fortunately I turned into the street quaintly named 'Gun Gutter' and there it was:
![Photo: Tim Jones](/media/cache/f2/63/f263ec7b914c07304180bf24b988c5f5.jpg)
Photo: Tim Jones
I began taking photos, to the curiosity of the lady within, who came out to ask my business. When I told her, she was intrigued, invited me in and offered tea. Now Sydney Lough Thompson has another convert.