Newhaven Fishwives

Category

Library Item

Item no

3916

Title

Newhaven Fishwives

Description

Two fisherwomen from Newhaven stand beside a column. They carry creels on their backs. The women wear headscarves and striped skirts, one wears a shawl.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1850

Size

15 x 17.3 cm

Type

Salted paper print

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. 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

Clothing and dress > Garments > Shawls

Clothing and dress > Garments > Skirts

People > Adults > Women

People > Agriculture and fisheries > Fisherwomen

Places > Edinburgh areas > Newhaven

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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