About Ganseys

A Gansey is the traditional garment worn by fishermen. These were sweaters knitted in oiled wool that had been dyed with the natural plant dye Indigo - imported from India. Indigo is dark blue in colour and was favoured by fishermen and sailors alike.

The development of the tradition of fisherman’s sweaters was born out of necessity. The pattern of the fisher people’s daily lives, the position of their houses, the nature of their work together with the dangers and hardships they shared, thrust them together and also cut them off from other people. These close communities were poor - women knitted for their husbands and sons, the Gansey was developed among them, as a working garment. The true Gansey clings to the body to maximise its protective and warmth giving properties and to avoid being in the way during work. The sleeves were often short as wet cuffs were uncomfortable and a nuisance for the fishermen.

Patterns were often named after local ports such as Whitby and Flamborough. Many of the stitch motifs were inspired by every day objects in the lives of fishing families, some of the best known include ropes, nets, and shingle. Some motifs are more symbolic, for example 'Marriage Lines' consists of a zigzag design to represent the ups and downs of married life. It was even possible for fishing families to recognise from the pattern of the Gansey, which fishing village, or even which family, the wearer came from. Deliberate mistakes or initials were often knitted into the design to help identify a body recovered from the sea when a ship was lost.
The tradition of the Fisherman’s Gansey, as worn by fishermen and knitted by their wives is beautifully captured in the photographs of the Whitby photographer Frank Sutcliffe. Many of which can be seen at the Sutcliffe Gallery in the town, they provide a fascinating historical record of the lives of ordinary working people and the clothes they wore.