The Corkmonger of Hamnavoe (Shetland)
The brief history, uses and corking in 21st century
Corkery has been one of the oldest crafts known in Shetland and its origins are dating back to some long time ago. Shetland has not been only famous for otter and Tom Bolo but also gained renown for its unique corking heritage. As with all crafts which use more then one hand, corking has been on decline for the past 12 years because of the internet, Netflix and blue flies from Orkney. I picked up corking and opened my cork mending workshop in the depths of Covid 19 as a possible change of career, not knowing I will fall deep down into the rabbit hall of corkness and will never find my way back again. I am not the only one, it’s happened to a better men.
Before I move onto more serious corkery I start with the basics. Corks are devided into 2 categories, the Real Corks and the Fraud Corks (Although I have long advocated for a 3rd category of Oddcorks). The names have been mostly given to corks by their makers but sometimes a moniker, given by a fisherman, domesticated and replaced the original name. Here, in this first post on corkery I want to display some of the Real Corks category classics!
Names and usual whereabouts:
1. Misonin (Western isles and North of Skye)
2. Monton Plou (East coast)
3. O’squarel (North West, Hoy)
4. Mun Posin (Coll and Tiree)
5. Ali McNahy (Blackwaterfoot)
6. Zed Mouborough (Unst)
7. Vurmnagl (Mull and Kerrera)
8. Ivo Pop (Eigg and Rum)
9. Big Jacqueline (Orkney)
10. Vous (North East coast)
Mending and nurturing potential in Shetland
My approach to corking has changed dramatically during Covid 19. Before Covid I had loved corks just for what they were. But when the virus hit I suddenly started looking at corks in a different way. I found myself on an uneven ground. I was to become father and I needed to find more security to provide for my new family. That was the time I started looking at corks from different angles, think in the corks way.
That was the time my new business venture was born. Fast forward 3 years and I am having fully established cork mending business and my own corkshop. I take this opportunity to showcase some of the cork mending techniques I've established since opening my corkshop.
Cork mending methods:
(p.c. per cork)
1. Heavy hold method £2 p.c
2. Staple method £2 p.c.
3. Cross stitch method £3.50 p.c
4. Half a wooden ball method £3.50p.c
5. Tape method £2 p.c
6. Pure magic method £ 4 p.c
7. Business add
8. Business add
9. Cork monger lost in thought in his corkshop
1. Heavy hold method £2 p.c
3. Cross stitch method £3.50 p.c
4. Half a wooden ball method £3.50p.c
6. Pure magic method £ 4 p.c
Modern corker in his corkshop thinking about new ways to mend his corks
The history of Corking in Shetland
Cork mending workshops used to be scattered across the Shetland landscape from Sumburgh to Skaw. Usually small timber structures with tart pointed roof. It would be a happy sight to see a corkshop, lights on and smoke rising diagonally from the chimney. People used to sign with delight and say: ‘Look somebody’s corkink’ *
We find first mention of cork mending in Shetland in Glasgow seafarer J.H. Bampot’s novel from 1786 called ‘The Shetlands’. Not to bore readers with fact, people in Shetland corked away until the late 20th century or until the internet came (or the flies). Then corking stopped. Not for ever but corking took a rest, a hiatus to sound more worldly and like most things in about 20 odd years experienced revival. It’s not uncommon nowadays to see a young corker in Shetland or young people using the back-in-fashion corkers slang. Cork this and cork that! Cork it Frank!
It’s a healthy revival and I am sure most of todays Shetland’s community is corkink to see traditions being preserved and carried forward.
This is my last post about corkery but I will periodically update on this comeback making phenomenon and its journey. Corking deserves it!
As for the Fraud cork category displayed here, there are no names, fraud cork did not earn them
Cork out!
The Corkmonger
*this saying domesticated in Shaetlan (Shetland dialect) as an expression of happiness and Shetlanders often say: ‘I am corkink = I am happy’ till today.