fishwife

A fishwife, fish-fag or fishlass is a woman who sells fish.

Some wives and daughters of fishermen were notoriously loud and foul-mouthed, as noted in the expression, ''To swear like a fishwife'' as they sold fish in the marketplace. One reason for their outspokenness is that their wares were highly perishable and so lost value if not sold quickly. Also, having to manage alone while their menfolk were away fishing for extended periods, they needed to become strong and self-sufficient. Fishwives in fishing villages such as Cullercoats and Newhaven were noted for their beauty, hardiness and industry and were celebrated by artists and royalty.

In this context, the word ''wife'' means ''woman'' rather than ''married woman'', from the Old English ''wif'' (woman).

Billingsgate

London's traditional fish market was frequented by such types who were known as "''the wives of Billingsgate''". "''They dressed in strong 'stuff' gowns and quilted petticoats; their hair, caps and bonnets were flattened into one indistinguishable mass upon their heads. ... They smoked small pipes of tobacco, took snuff, drank gin and were known for their colourful language.''"

In the 18th century, fishwives frequently appeared in satires as fearsome scourges of fops and foreigners. Their vigorous and decisive mien was contrasted with that of politicians who were, by contrast, portrayed as vacillating and weak. For example, in Isaac Cruikshank's ''A New Catamaran Expedition!!!'', a fleet of Billingsgate fishwives sails across the English Channel to terrorise the French and shame the British Prime Minister Pitt for his inaction.

Cullercoats

William Finden noted, in 1842, that the wives and daughters of the Cullercoats fishermen searched for the bait, digging sand-worms, gathering mussels or seeking limpets and dog-crabs. They also assisted in baiting the hooks. In addition to this, they carried the fish to the market to sell them. "When fish are scarce, they not unfrequently carried a load on their shoulders, weighing between , to Newcastle, which is about ten miles distant from Cullercoats, in the hope of meeting with a better market."

Edward Corvan wrote and performed a popular music hall song about the Cullercoats Fish Lass in 1862:

:Aw's a Cullercoats fish-lass, se cozy an' free
:Browt up in a cottage close on by the sea;
:An' aw sell fine fresh fish ti poor an' ti rich—
:Will ye buy, will ye buy, will ye buy maw fresh fish?

The Cullercoats Fishlass became a popular subject of American artist, Winslow Homer, who resided in the picturesque fishing village, to paint, from the spring of 1881 to November 1882. Homer soon became sensitive to the strenuous and courageous lives of its inhabitants, particularly the women, whom he depicted hauling and cleaning fish, mending nets, and, most poignantly, standing at the water's edge, awaiting the return of their men.

Jean F. Terry wrote, in 1913, "The Cullercoats fishwife, with her cheerful weather-bronzed face, her short jacket and ample skirts of blue flannel, and her heavily laden "creel" of fish is not only appreciated by the brotherhood of brush and pencil, but is one of the notable sights of the district".

William S. Garson, in his 1935 book, ''The Romance of Old Tynemouth and Cullercoats'', wrote: "The Cullercoats fishwife plays a man's part in helping to launch the lifeboat, frequently wading waist-high into furious and ice-cold waters, and she never hesitates to allow her man to take a place on the boat, though he may go to face death and disaster."

Newhaven

The Scottish fishwives of Newhaven had a reputation for their beauty and industry and so were celebrated by royalty—George IV and Queen Victoria. They were hard-bargainers though, and all the fishermen of the Firth of Forth brought their catches to Newhaven for the fishwives to sell in Edinburgh. The fishwives wore distinctive costumes of blue duffle coats covering layers of colourful striped petticoats with a muslin cap or other similar headdress. Their fish, such as haddock and herring, were carried on their backs in creels.

Law

The case ''Bourhill v Young'' of 1942 concerned a pregnant Glasgow fishwife who had suffered psychiatric illness after witnessing a motorcycle accident. This went to the House of Lords which held that a person of "''customary phlegm''" would not have been expected to suffer so.

Gallery

Image:fishwives baiting lines.jpg, Fishwives in St Andrews, Scotland bait their lines
File:Fiskerkone July 2022.jpg, ''Fishwife'' (1940), Gammel Strand, Copenhagen
File:Bust of the 'Nairn Fishwife. - geograph.org.uk - 1530781.jpg, Statue of the Nairn Fishwife
File:Adriaen van Ostade 009.jpg, ''The fishwife'', Holland 1672 by Adriaen van Ostade
File:Dollypeelportrait.jpg, Notorious Victorian fishwife Dolly Peel, of South Shields
File:Alexander Ignatius Roche - A Newhaven Fishwife.jpg, Newhaven fishwife with creel (by Alexander Ignatius Roche 1861–1921)
File:Fisher Jessie statue, Peterhead - geograph.org.uk - 1077905.jpg, Bronze cast statue of a fishwife and little girl, Peterhead
File:William Hogarth - The Shrimp Girl - WGA11467.jpg, ''The Shrimp Girl'' by William Hogarth, c. 1740–1745
File:Homer, Winslow - 'Fisherwomen, Cullercoats', 1881, graphite & watercolor on paper.jpg, ''Fisherwomen, Cullercoats'', Winslow Homer 1881
File:Dorothy Pentreath.jpg, Dolly Pentreath (a Cornish fish jowster), in an engraved portrait published in 1781

Famous fishwives

* Dolly Peel – a fishwife of South Shields
* Dolly Pentreath – the last native speaker of Cornish
* Marretje Arents – Dutch fishwife and rebel
* Molly Malone – the subject of an Irish song

See also

* Fishmonger

References

{{fishing industry topics

Fish products sales
Food services occupations
Gendered occupations
Women by occupation