"lookin’ out to buy cheap jet"
Jet Mourning Jewellery
Creative Commons Attribution Share AlikeJet Mourning Jewellery - Credit: Detlef Thomas/Wikimedia Commons

Deciphering Whitby dialect: ‘Feet-folks’ refers to tourists who walk rather than ride in carriages. ‘Fash masel’ means ‘fuss myself.’ ‘Creed aught’ means ‘believe anything.’ For more translations, refer to the Glossary.


Whitby is famous for its jet, a semi-precious black mineraloid formed from the fossilised remains of decaying wood. It has been mined and used to make jewellery since the Bronze Age, and was particularly popular in the 19th century after Queen Victoria used it for mourning jewellery. Jet continues to be sold in the town today.

Whitby Jet Heritage Centre.