Hat, porter's hat

A porter working in London's wholesale fish market in Billingsgate would have worn this hat, also known as a Bobbin. Made from wood and tarred leather such hats were worn by fishporters from the 1880’s. The flat, hardened top was designed to support large rectangular boxes of fish. The upturned brim protected the porter’s head against fish juice draining from the boxes of fish which would be carried on top of the hat. Some hats featured a small drain hole at the rear to allow this collected juice to drain down the back of the carrier.

Unlike the majority of Billingsgate porter's hats this one has not been laquered or covered in pitch. The hats were made using the 'cuir bouilli' technique. The leather was immersed in water which was heated until the leather began to shrink. It was then removed and put on a wooden former. The leather was stitched together to make the hat while still wet, and then held in place until dry.