Fishermen from the British Isles: a brief history of the Christmas jumper
The Christmas jumper is a long standing festive tradition for many families. From simple beginnings it has gone from garish gift to a desirable festive season must have. In 2019, it is estimated around 12 million Christmas jumpers were purchased over the Christmas period and likely only worn once! 1 From Star Wars to sparkly snowflakes the modern Christmas jumper comes in many forms, but the Christmas jumper was not always a festive fashion statement, and it has a long history dating back to traditional workwear in the nineteenth century.
Seafaring myth or truth, Brits are said to have British, Scottish, Irish and Nordic fisherman to thank for the nation’s love of novel knits. It is believed that these warm, colourful and patterned jumpers were originally designed to simply distinguish men from different communities when they were out or lost at sea.
Gansey
A gansey (or guernsey) is a hardwearing, traditionally hand knitted, woollen pull over which have been worn by fisherman around the coast of Britain for many years.
Although a tough, weatherproof garment, its purpose was more than just to keep the fisherman warm and dry. Each gansey had a unique pattern which varied from village to village and family to family. It was said that out at sea it was used to identify where the fisherman had come from and for identification in case of a shipwreck. The unique pattern or colour combinations were often named after their location such ‘Whitby Gansey’ or ‘Norfolk Gansey’.
The ganseys were usually hand knitted by the mothers, wives and sweethearts and the patterns passed down through generations via word of mouth. Gansey’s are traditionally knitted tightly and without seams to make them extra weatherproof. The tighter the stitches, the more water and weatherproof it is!
The pattern is concentrated around the upper body for extra warmth. Stitch patterns such as anchors, cables, lightning, ropes and ladders, symbolise everyday objects in fisherman’s lives, telling the story of their tools, their harvest and the weather.
Aran
The iconic Aran jumper takes its name from the trio of islands at Ireland’s most westerly point just off the coast of County Galway. The islander women knitted the first Aran jumpers as a protective layer for the island farmers and fisherman. The stitch combinations were closely guarded and passed through generations. Traditionally, the yarn was unscoured so it retains its natural lanolin making it water resistant, perfect for braving the harsh weather conditions of the Atlantic Ocean. It is highly likely that Aran knitters were inspired by intricate artwork on the megalithic monuments that surround them.
Throughout the 1930s and 40s, the Aran jumper gain popularity around the world when Grace Kelly appeared in one on the cover of Vogue in the 1950s, this humble Irish jumper was catapulted to iconic status and is now known around the world.
Fair Isle
The Fair Isle pattern is a complex design created by skillfully knitting numerous coloured yarns (traditionally five or six colours) into a distinctive motif usually worked in a circular formation around the body or shoulders and doesn’t include any large areas of one colour. The variety of patterns, shapes and colours makes a Fairl Isle designs almost infinite!
True Fair Isle garments are made on the remote island of Fair Isle- a tiny jewel in the ocean lying midway between the Orkney and Shetland islands to the north of Scotland, at the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea. Genuine Fair Isle knitwear made in Fair Isle carries Fair Isle’s own trademark ‘Star Motif’ as a guarantee of quality and place of origin.
Traditional garments are hand knitted in the round using double pointed needles- known locally as ‘wires’.
Crossing Fair Isle and Nordic motifs such as the snowflakes and fir trees has created what a lot of people today would call a Fair Isle design and have grown in popularity as a subtle nod to the Christmas jumper.
These humble fisherman’s jumpers quickly became elevated and seen as a symbol of luxury as affluent travelers came to Europe to ski and the rest is history! Here at British Wool we have seen these knitwear staples stand the test of time and have remained as treasured pieces that belong in every British wardrobe.
To shop more garments inspired by traditional fisherman knits visit us at britishwool.org.uk/shop
References
1 https://issuu.com/hubbubuk/docs/hubbub_christmas_jumpers_2019.12.06_press_release