The Manx Beauty PL35, was built in Cellardyke in Fife in 1937. During her long career she was based in many areas and ports. Over her career she fished for herring, scallops, white fish, crabs, lobster and prawns
- Peel Isle of Man 1937-1954
- North Wales, Conwy 1954 -1959
- Skibbereen West Cork, Eire 1959-1964
- Portavogie Northern Ireland 1964
- Tobermory 1964-1972
- Padstow Cornwall 1972-1973/4
- Wallasey/ Birkenhead 1973/4-2019
- Cellardyke 2019-Present
Do you love the Traditional Fishermen’s Ganseys? Could our old boat inspire you to design a small Manx Beauty knitted square 10 cm x 10 cm?
About Ganseys/ Guernseys
Ganseys or Guernseys are knitted in a particular wool, known as Guernsey 5-ply, a hard twist worsted spun wool. This is a very fine yarn, which knits up into quite a tight mesh.
A gansey was traditionally knitted in one colour, navy blue or cream.
The size of the needles are traditionally about– 2.25 mm. This gives a stitch gauge in the region of 8 or 9 stitches to the inch, and 12 rows per inch. see www. scottishgansey.org.uk
A Sense of Place
Every owner and crew member we have traced has been very proud of their home ports and their roots in the fishing.
How you can take part – our challenges
Here are our challenges – we understand not all can be met but please think about these and see how many you can achieve in your own Manx Beauty Design
- Design a Manx Beauty knitted square 10 cm x 10 cm
- Can you input that feeling of tradition and sense of place in one small square of knitting?
- Is it possible to source wool from the area you are based and the boat worked from. i.e North Wales, Isle of Man etc?
- What patterns will you use to be inspired by your local landscape; will it be herring bone, because of our catch? or will you try and represent the built-up area that is Birkenhead? Think about your sense of place
- Traditional Ganseys are dark/ navy blue or cream however would you use colours that reflect your home environment? The greens of the hills and the blues of the seas.. or the sands of the North Wales Beaches?
We will provide you with graph paper so that you can mark up your pattern/design and a form so that you can tell us the story behind your design.
Our Exhibition
We will exhibit all our 10cm squares alongside descriptions of where they have come from and the inspiration, as part of our story of the Manx Beauty. We hope the exbition will tour after our first showing.
You will become part of our boat’s story along with all the people who worked her and the communities in which she was based.
If you would like to take part you can find the forms and this information below
Email info@cellardyketrust.org
This is now an ongoing project and we will accept knitted square as contributors have them ready.