Flamborough Marine commenced trading in 1981.
Initially the stock consisted of readily available
machine-knitted sweaters of a traditional design (for
example, Guernseys, Alderneys and Bretons). As an
antique shop was also run from the same premises we
began to receive inquiries for ‘antique sweaters’, that
is, the hand-knitted Ganseys which were once so much
a feature of the fishing communities, but which had
become generally unavailable. We contacted a long-
time resident of Flamborough, Nora Woodhouse, who
knitted our first Ganseys (from memory) in several different North-East Coast patterns. She had
originally been taught to knit ganseys before the war by her fisherman father after her mother had
been drowned at Robin Hood’s Bay. From Nora’s Ganseys we were able to make charts of the
patterns which, beforehand, had never normally been written down but, rather, were passed on by
word of mouth.
Our idea was two-fold. First to offer an outlet for
the sale of Ganseys once we had recruited knitters;
and second, to package a kit containing the wool,
needles, and our own charts so that the art of
Gansey knitting could be spread even more widely
and not limited to those within our immediate
vicinity. As the first step in this plan we advertised
for experienced knitters who might be interested in
knitting with five steel needles and showed them
what we wanted. Of the hundred initial replies only ten
decided to persevere. We supplied these first ten with needles, wool, charts and instructions and
began to build up a stock of Ganseys. During the succeeding years some knitters have dropped out
and others have taken their places. One thing however has remained constant and that is the
premises in Flamborough where the various Ganseys are displayed. We believe that we offer the
only outlet for the authentic finished product. Without this outlet the knitters would have nowhere
to sell their wares and the art of Gansey knitting (for, although a craft, the work itself is so intricate
as to be rightly called an art form) would again be in danger of disappearing.
Initially the stock consisted of readily available
machine-knitted sweaters of a traditional design (for
example, Guernseys, Alderneys and Bretons). As an
antique shop was also run from the same premises we
began to receive inquiries for ‘antique sweaters’, that
is, the hand-knitted Ganseys which were once so much
a feature of the fishing communities, but which had
become generally unavailable. We contacted a long-
time resident of Flamborough, Nora Woodhouse, who
knitted our first Ganseys (from memory) in several different North-East Coast patterns. She had
originally been taught to knit ganseys before the war by her fisherman father after her mother had
been drowned at Robin Hood’s Bay. From Nora’s Ganseys we were able to make charts of the
patterns which, beforehand, had never normally been written down but, rather, were passed on by
word of mouth.
Our idea was two-fold. First to offer an outlet for
the sale of Ganseys once we had recruited knitters;
and second, to package a kit containing the wool,
needles, and our own charts so that the art of
Gansey knitting could be spread even more widely
and not limited to those within our immediate
vicinity. As the first step in this plan we advertised
for experienced knitters who might be interested in
knitting with five steel needles and showed them
what we wanted. Of the hundred initial replies only ten
decided to persevere. We supplied these first ten with needles, wool, charts and instructions and
began to build up a stock of Ganseys. During the succeeding years some knitters have dropped out
and others have taken their places. One thing however has remained constant and that is the
premises in Flamborough where the various Ganseys are displayed. We believe that we offer the
only outlet for the authentic finished product. Without this outlet the knitters would have nowhere
to sell their wares and the art of Gansey knitting (for, although a craft, the work itself is so intricate
as to be rightly called an art form) would again be in danger of disappearing.
Flamborough Head
Authentic hand-knitted Ganseys Gansey Knitting Kits
Traditional knitwear Armor Lux Breton shirts
for Ganseys & Kits : Guernseys : Breton Shirts
© Flamborough Marine Limited 2013 Design and content © Geoffrey Miller
For authentic hand-knitted Ganseys, Gansey Knitting Kits,
Le Tricoteur Guernseys, a range of quality Armor Lux
traditional knitwear and pure cotton Breton shirts
Contact Information
Flamborough Marine Limited
The Manor House
Flamborough
Bridlington
East Riding of Yorkshire
YO15 1PD
United Kingdom
Telephone:
01262 850943
International:
+44 1262 850943
E-mail:
gm@flamboroughmarine.co.uk
Flamborough Marine
Your source for authentic
hand-knitted Ganseys, Gansey
Knitting Kits, plus a range of
quality, traditional knitwear
and Armor Lux pure cotton
Breton shirts
We pride ourselves on our personal
attention to detail. If you are at all
unsure about any aspect of our
products, telephone, fax, write or e-
mail us with your query which will
be answered promptly and, we
hope, knowledgeably. We wish to
ensure that you are completely
satisfied before making a purchase,
as well as after.
Man the Life-Boat
The print above, showing a fisherman
running through the streets of a
small northern fishing village
shouting "All hands man the Life-
Boat!" is dated 26 November 1887.
The fisherman is clearly wearing a
Gansey which, upon closer
inspection, is almost certainly that of
the Cullercoats Rocket Brigade.
Over a century later, the same
pattern can be knitted, and in the
same method, all-in-one piece, on
five needles, in the finest quality 5-ply
worsted wool. If the fisherman
returned today, he would find a few
things still familiar in Flamborough,
and much that was alien. The fishing
boats (known locally as "cobles")
would still be instantly recognizable,
as would Flamborough lighthouse
and, if he walked into the premises of
Flamborough Marine, upon my soul,
he would find a match for his own
Gansey.
Sizing Information for
machine-knits
[Additional sizing information for
hand-knitted Ganseys can be found
here.]
Size exchanges can be a nuisance
but can, hopefully, be avoided if
you follow our sizing guidelines. If
possible, select a similar style of
knitwear or T-shirt which you
currently wear and feel comfortable
in, and measure across the chest,
from underarm to underarm, as
shown in the image above. Double
this measurement to arrive at the
actual garment size. Then compare
the measurement of your garment,
in inches, to the ones shown on
each product page.
Please do not confuse the
measurements we show on each
page with a person’s body
measurement; the measurements
listed are the actual dimensions of
our knitwear and Breton shirts. A
size 44 Guernsey sweater, for
example, will measure 44 inches all
round, but this does not fit a 44
inch chest, it will be suitable for
someone with a chest
measurement of 40 or 42 inches.
Please do take the time to measure
your own garments before you
order, to prevent size exchanges.
We keep our costs to a minimum,
to offer the best possible price, and
will have to pass on the cost of
return postage for exchanged
items.
FROM OLD TO NEW
An article in "Classic Boat" magazine, which featured our Ganseys, resulted in queries and orders
from around the world. In Bielefeld, Germany Iris Heyer noticed the article, showed it to her
husband, and we soon received a telephone call from Thomas Heyer, to order a Flamborough
Gansey. A few weeks after it arrived, Thomas' brother Hans saw the Gansey and was hooked! Hans
ordered a Filey Gansey. And here they are, proudly wearing their Ganseys at the Rum-Regatta in
Flensburg, a Regatta for traditional Sailing boats which is held each year in the North of Germany.
The Ganseys proved to be immensely useful, fighting cold temperatures and wind forces up to 6
on the Beaufort scale!
In the photograph, taken by Iris, the Filey Gansey on the left is worn by Hans, and, at right the
Flamborough Gansey worn by Thomas. (The photograph was kindly supplied by Hans, who added:
"It is great that you took the effort in reviving this old knitting craft and our admiration goes to the
knitters for their skills!")
from around the world. In Bielefeld, Germany Iris Heyer noticed the article, showed it to her
husband, and we soon received a telephone call from Thomas Heyer, to order a Flamborough
Gansey. A few weeks after it arrived, Thomas' brother Hans saw the Gansey and was hooked! Hans
ordered a Filey Gansey. And here they are, proudly wearing their Ganseys at the Rum-Regatta in
Flensburg, a Regatta for traditional Sailing boats which is held each year in the North of Germany.
The Ganseys proved to be immensely useful, fighting cold temperatures and wind forces up to 6
on the Beaufort scale!
In the photograph, taken by Iris, the Filey Gansey on the left is worn by Hans, and, at right the
Flamborough Gansey worn by Thomas. (The photograph was kindly supplied by Hans, who added:
"It is great that you took the effort in reviving this old knitting craft and our admiration goes to the
knitters for their skills!")
In addition to supplying Ganseys
such as those above, we also sell
Gansey Knitting Kits, to knit your
own. Each Kit contains 5-ply worsted
Guernsey wool, a set of five double-
ended 2.5 mm steel needles,
individual body and sleeve charts,
and full instructions for the pattern
of your choice. A copy of the fully
illustrated soft-back book "Patterns
for Guernseys, Jerseys & Arans" by
Gladys Thompson is also available as
an optional extra.
Taking advantage of this, keen
knitter Brenda Duthie has produced
a beautiful example, shown at left,
using one of our Kits with Amethyst
5-ply wool. As she noted in the letter
accompanying the photograph, "This
is a female from Fraserburgh
wearing her Fraserburgh Gansey at
Fraserburgh harbour beside a
Fraserburgh boat!"
Robin Hood's Bay Ganseys worn by Victorian Fishermen
One of the most prominent features on the East Coast of England, Flamborough Head juts out five miles into
the North Sea. It is the most northerly chalk outcrop and the largest sea-bird breeding colony in England. The
village, in the centre of the headland, is exposed on three sides to the sea and to the constant wind. It was to
help protect against these elements that the Ganseys were first produced, hundreds of years ago. Then they
were fashioned, as they still are today, by the knitters of Flamborough Marine, entirely in one piece using five
steel needles. Bempton Cliffs at Flamborough Head, site of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve.
The chalk cliffs here are a sheer 300 feet drop into the North Sea.
This Flamborough Marine site has been specially adapted for viewing on smaller screens. To visit our main web-site, please click here
We offer an extensive range of beautiful colours in 5-ply
worsted Guernsey wool, including the unusually named
“Herring Girl’s Pink”, shown below in the Scarborough pattern,
knitted by Melanie Jones, who kindly sent the photograph,
taken on the ferry returning from the Isle of Jura.
We were approached by Canadian film and television actor, artist and musician, Rajiv
Surendra with a commission for a Gansey based on little more than an old
photograph in a reference book. Using the expert knowledge of our longest-serving
knitter, Marion, we were able to produce the exquisite garment shown at left, worn
(and loved) by Rajiv. This stunning Gansey demonstrates what our knitters are
capable of; but, as a special commission, this particular pattern cannot be repeated.
So successful was this first commission, that it led to a second, shown below.
Surendra with a commission for a Gansey based on little more than an old
photograph in a reference book. Using the expert knowledge of our longest-serving
knitter, Marion, we were able to produce the exquisite garment shown at left, worn
(and loved) by Rajiv. This stunning Gansey demonstrates what our knitters are
capable of; but, as a special commission, this particular pattern cannot be repeated.
So successful was this first commission, that it led to a second, shown below.
Hand-knitted Gansey-patterned Beany hats in a range of colours : £35.00 each
Filey Gansey
While the majority of Gansey patterns are to be found in Yorkshire and the North-East
Coast of England, other patterns originate from Cornwall and East Anglia. Shown above
is a beautiful Cornish Knit-frock in the Polperro design.
Coast of England, other patterns originate from Cornwall and East Anglia. Shown above
is a beautiful Cornish Knit-frock in the Polperro design.
Hover
over to
enlarge
Pricing Information
We are not part of the VAT (Value
Added Tax) scheme. All prices
shown on this web-site are NET
with postage only to be added to
mail orders. Details of postage
charges for UK and International
destinations are shown on the
"Ordering" page.
Staithes pattern (below) in a variant with a ribbed welt
Flamborough Gansey
(above right) in
“Ocean Deep”
Flamborough Marine Ltd
The Manor House
Flamborough
Bridlington
East Riding of Yorkshire
YO15 1PD
