Newhaven Fishwives

Category

Library Item

Item no

5422

Title

Newhaven Fishwives

Description

Two Newhaven fishwives wearing capes sit beside boxes, wicker baskets and creels in Newhaven in Edinburgh. One of the women is standing over the other woman who is reading a letter. Both women have sombre expressions on their faces.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1890

Size

27.9 x 21.6 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Newhaven women played a significant role: 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.

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

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Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Garments > Capes

People > Agriculture and fisheries > Fisherwomen

Places > Edinburgh areas > Leith

Places > Edinburgh areas > Newhaven

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Activities > Reading and books