Hi Candace,

On 1/29/07, Candace Perry <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Deb, from another list serve I'm on...a UK member...
> Candace Perry
>
> Does this help?

It helps a bit.

> http://www.shetland-museum.org.uk/projects/ganzies.htm
>
> It seems as if it was indeed the knitted garment, originally known as
> a 'froke'.  The distortion into the feminine 'frock' seems to be a
> red herring...  Although the article begins by saying it was the
> knitted gansey garment, but further down refers to canvas frokes.

This reference: "The early British fishermen's knitted frocks were a
development from thin, textured woollen undergarments." is probably
what I am looking for as "frocks" are on ship's records in the later
1700s-early 1800s which is a bit before the knitted sweaters evolved.
So it's these undershirts and the related striped shirts that I'm
trying to research. I'm begining to think it's the early 1800s version
of the wife-beater. :)

I'll e-mail them and see if they have more info on the original undershirts.

deb

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