Fisherwoman ornament, mid-19^th century

Fisherfolk were notably insular, and the fisherfolk of St Andrews were no different. It was rare for a fisherman to marry outside the community as ‘few women not bred in the trade (were) fitted for the duties of a fish-wife’ (Dr John Adamson).

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Fisherfolk were notably insular, and the fisherfolk of St Andrews were no different. It was rare for a fisherman to marry outside the community as ‘few women not bred in the trade (were) fitted for the duties of a fish-wife’ (Dr John Adamson). These duties, indeed, were demanding and numerous. The fishwives were stalwarts for their mariner husbands, often quite literally carrying them on their backs to their boats as they waded through the shallows in order to keep their husband’s feet dry. They looked after the home, mended nets, baited lines and sold fish locally. This ornament is a wonderful tribute to these hard-working women who were at the centre of fisher life.