Hoswick Heritage
Hoswick is a historic old settlement.
Archive photos show fish being dried on Hoswick beach, packed there, and sold for export, so resulting in economic activity.
The textile industry was established in Hoswick with Shetland knitwear being established as a product in 1904, which could be exchanged at some shops (e.g.) for tea, sugar, or even wallpaper.
Hoswick has continued to be a hub for textiles.
Warp and Weft
In late 1970’s, weaving at Hoswick stopped. The owners of the building at that time established a small Café known as the ‘Warp and Weft’, linking the name to the heritage of the weaving shed and the vintage loom, pirm winder and warping machine which are still displayed in the Centre.
Hoswick Whale Case 1888
In Hoswick Visitors Centre, there are Interpretive Boards with of photographs taken at Hoswick Beach on 14 September 1888, when men and boys from this community and neighbouring communities drove ashore 300 whales, which were sold. This event came at a time when people were facing starvation due to the season’s fishing having been a failure and early snow resulting in disaster for the harvest.
A local laird, John Bruce the Younger, owned land in Hoswick and tried to claim part of the proceeds.
In Hoswick Visitors Centre, there are copies of the Minutes from the resulting Court Case and significant proceedings which followed when the hearing went to the Court of Appeal.
Hoswick’s Beginnings
It is thought that the old norse meaning of Hoswick means bay of houses and was spelt Hósvík. It was a small fishing settlement which grew in the later years with many Hoswick folk working at nearby fishing stations at Broonies Taing.
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