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THIS OBJECT IS PART OF THE PROJECT 'A HISTORY OF CORNWALL IN 100 OBJECTS'.

POLPERRO MUSEUM. Polperro knitfrocks (jerseys) were knitted for the fishermen by village girls employed for that purpose. Knitfrock is a Polperro term, elsewhere they are called guernseys or ganseys. Each family had its own dedicated pattern so that any man lost at sea could be identified if his body was found. Sailors' tattoos once served a similar purpose.

In the mid 19th century 28 women and girls were employed in the village as knitters. Early photographs of the 1850s-70s taken by Lewis Harding of Trelawne show both the knitters and the wearers. By the 20th century machine knitting had taken over although women were chiefly still being employed to operate the machines. Newquay Old Cornwall Society has a good example of a knitting machine.

Photo: Bernie Pettersen