Selby Civic Society will have their next speaker meeting on Thursday 21st May 2026, starting at 7.30pm, which will be held at Portholme Church, Portholme Road, Selby. £2 for members, £5 for non-members, which includes light refreshments.
Our subject for the May meeting is the “Battle of Flamborough Head.” The speakers will be Margaret Hicks-Clarke and John Clarke, who are trustees of the Yorkshire Coast 1779 Research Group.
On 23rd September 1779 the American War of Independence came to the Yorkshire Coast with one of the most famous naval battles in US history. The Battle of Flamborough Head resulted in US revolutionary John Paul Jones being hailed as the Father of the American Navy but receives barely a mention in British history books.
More than 400 men and boys lost their lives in the bloody engagement and Jones’s ship, the ‘Bonhomme Richard’, sank shortly afterwards. Numerous attempts and millions of dollars have been spent trying to locate the wreck, which lies on the seabed somewhere off Flamborough Head.
The Yorkshire Coast 1779 Research Group was established to research the battle and fate of the ‘Bonhomme Richard’ and to raise awareness of this significant historical event. As the 250th anniversary approaches in 2029, the group is telling the story as widely as possible and hopes to create a lasting memorial to the battle.
The Civic Society look forward to welcoming the Yorkshire Coast 1779 research group and hearing more about the Battle of Flamborough Head.
Selby Civic Society has worked for over 50 years to make Selby a better place for residents and visitors. Selby has a rich history, heritage and character, which the Civic Society believes are worth celebrating and protecting. The Society aims to promote quality architecture and town planning in Selby, and to deliver projects to improve the town, which will benefit all who live in, work in, or visit Selby. They look forward to seeing you at their meetings.
The full programme of Selby Civic Society events for 2026 can be found on the website: selbycivicsociety.org.uk and on Facebook at /selbycivicsociety