Newhaven fishwife

Category

Library Item

Item no

4778

Title

Newhaven fishwife

Description

A mature Newhaven fishwife accompanied by a young girl sells fish to a lady on her doorstep. The fishwife and the girl are wearing striped skirts and scarves round their heads. Fish is being offered to the lady from a wooden board. The girl is wearing a creel on her back, supported by a band round her forehead, whilst the older lady's creel lies on the ground. The woman buying the fish is wearing a striped dress and holding out a plate for her purchase.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1940

Size

13.5 x 8.5 cm

Type

Photograph; Postcard

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Newhaven women played a significant role the life of their fishing community: they cleaned the lines, baited the lines, put hooks on the lines, prepared the fish and then went out and sold the fish. The fishwives had to go out in all weathers and many suffered from neck and shoulder ache from carrying the heavy creels. Some fishwives, went from the harbour at Newhaven to catch a train at Waverley where they travelled far and wide daily to sell their fish. Fishwives would often fillet the fish at the buyer's door.

View Victoria Primary School's 2011 version of this image.

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Related subjects

Agriculture and fisheries > Equipment > Creels

Clothing and dress > Garments > Shawls

Clothing and dress > Garments > Shirts

People > Agriculture and fisheries > Fisherwomen

Places > Edinburgh areas > Newhaven

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh