Whitby glass ducks have travelled all over the world, said to bring luck and good fortune to those that treasure them. As we write this, queues line the narrow Whitby street, as people wait in line to buy a duck from the Sandgate store for the very last time.
The lucky duck shop holds fond memories for both locals and tourists alike, with many in line reminiscing of purchasing a lucky duck as a child.
When is the Whitby Lucky Duck Shop Closing?
The last day of trading for Whitby Glass Ltd on Sandgate will be Friday 20th June 2025.
Why is the Whitby Glass shop closing?
Recently, the owner of the lucky duck shop, Dorothy Clegg sadly passed away. The former Whitby Mayor took over the shop from the previous owner, Peter Rantell in 1972. Dorothy had lived above the Whitby Glass shop on Sandgate and had made the lucky ducks inside for many years, with tens of thousands of ducks being purchased and enjoyed all over the world.
What is a Whitby Lucky Duck?
A Whitby Lucky Duck is a small handmade glass ornament, they are transparent and the different colours represent the different birthstones for each month of the year.
There were also often themed ducks created for special milestones or events, e.g a Dracula duck to celebrate the anniversary of Bram Stoker writing Dracula in Whitby.
Where are Lucky Ducks made?
For many years Dorothy would sit inside the lucky duck shop on Sandgate, creating ornaments inside to the delight of tourists who entered. in latter years, due to the small size of the shop the ducks were made in an outbuilding.
What is a Frigger?
Many will be familiar with the hand painted exterior of Whitby Glass, reading ‘Friggers’ on the left hand side. A Frigger is a an object made by a glassworker on his own time. Most friggers were made from the molten glass that remained in the pot at the end of the day.
What are Whigmeleeries?
To the right of the shop you will see ‘Whigmeleeries’ meaning a trinket or whimsical ornament.
Can you still buy a Whitby glass lucky duck?
At the time of writing this post (16th June 2025), there is a long queue outside the shop on Sandgate. There are still lucky ducks inside as well as other glass ornaments, with discounts on some pieces. The staff inside the shop are saying they are hoping the shop may be able to open one day at another premises in Whitby, though nothing is certain at the moment. The little ducks are not available online.
It’s been a pleasure…
What we can tell you, is it has been a privilege to be opposite the Lucky Duck shop for the last seven years we have been open. The ladies in the shop have kept the magic of the shop alive in recent years as Dorothy’s health declined. The shop is a true slice of Whitby’s history. Not many people have heard of Whitby but not the Whitby lucky ducks. Said to bring luck and good fortune to those that own one, we certainly believe they hold a little bit of Whitby magic within them.
