Staithes was once one of the largest fishing ports on the north east coast of North Yorkshire and an important source of the minerals Jet, Iron, Alum and Potash. At the turn of the 20th century, there were eighty full time fishing boats putting out from Staithes (or Steers as it is known by the locals). A hundred years later there is only one. Still a father and son fishing operation, three generations of the Hanson family currently work the lone full time fishing boat. There is a long tradition of using the coble (a traditional locally made fishing vessel) in Staithes.
In 1745-1746, Staithes's most famous resident, the young James Cook (born in Marton near Middlesbrough), worked in Staithes as a grocer's apprentice where he first gained his passion for the sea. He later moved to nearby Whitby where he joined the Royal Navy. William Sanderson's shop, where Cook worked, was destroyed by the sea, but parts were recovered and incorporated into "Captain Cook's Cottage". This has been the residency of a local Staithes family for several generations.
Today, Staithes is a very attractive tourist destination.
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