Newhaven fishwife

Category

Library Item

Item no

37508

Title

Newhaven fishwife

Artist / maker

Hill, David Octavius

Date

1844

Size

14.3 x 11.3 cm

Type

Photograph; Reproduction

Newhaven was founded by James IV in 1504 as a royal dockyard. It became an important fishing village, famous initially for oysters and later herring. An indoor fish market was built there in 1896. Newhaven fishwives, with their distinctive striped clothes, sold their goods around Edinburgh. David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson famously photographed these fishwives and other Newhaven residents in the 1840s. The area now has a population of roughly five thousand.

The fishwives had to carry creels containing 25-50 kg of fish on their backs, while walking around Edinburgh, although in later years they would travel on trams where possible.

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Related subjects

Agriculture and fisheries > Equipment > Baskets

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Headscarves

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Shawls

People > Adults > Women

People > Agriculture and fisheries > Fisherwomen

Places > Edinburgh areas > Leith

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh