John
'Sparrow' Hardingham, Sheringham lifeboatman and fisherman about
1920. |
A fisherman's
gansey was once his most distinctive feature.
A navy blue jumper, patterned on the top half and part of the sleeves,
was a proud possession.
It was likely to be knitted by a loved one and carried a pattern
characteristic of the fishing port or the family.
Ganseys could
be found all round the North Sea from the early 19th century to
the middle of the 20th century and the tradition lives on with a
few Norfolk fishermen today.
Henry
Little's gansey |
Of all the Norfolk
fishing ports, Sheringham is particularly noted for its ganseys.
They are extremely fine, knitted on size 16 or even 17 needles with
three-ply worstead wool. The result is a fabric that is difficult
to believe is handknitted with extremely crisp and delicate patterns.
Rope
pattern |
The several
dozen patterns are known from Sheringham quash the oft-repeated
remark that 'each port has its own pattern'.
Text
courtesy of Cromer Museum.
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