Letter: Practical patterns in a fisherman's sweater

Sir: It is not impossible that fishermen's sweaters in Arran were designed to serve the practical purpose outlined by Peter Costello (Letters, 18 September).

Traditional sweaters worn by fisherman in Jersey and Guernsey included the parish crest of the wearer as an integral part of their design. I have always understood that this was to aid identification in the case of death at sea or, if identification were not possible, at least to ensure burial in the proper churchyard.

Yours faithfully,

JOHN DODDS

London, SW16

18 September