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| Tattoo artist Jessie Knight celebrated at National Museum of Wales | Tattoo artist Jessie Knight celebrated at National Museum of Wales |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Jessie Knight ran her own tattoo studio in Barry from the age of 18 to become the UK's first woman tattooist | Jessie Knight ran her own tattoo studio in Barry from the age of 18 to become the UK's first woman tattooist |
| Jessie Knight ran her own tattoo studio in Barry from the age of 18 to become the UK's first woman tattooist | Jessie Knight ran her own tattoo studio in Barry from the age of 18 to become the UK's first woman tattooist |
| Jessie Knight may not be a name familiar to many, but she holds a unique place in the history of tattooing. | Jessie Knight may not be a name familiar to many, but she holds a unique place in the history of tattooing. |
| In the early 20th Century the trail-blazing Welsh woman disrupted the male-dominated artform, becoming the UK's first professional female tattoo artist. | In the early 20th Century the trail-blazing Welsh woman disrupted the male-dominated artform, becoming the UK's first professional female tattoo artist. |
| Now her legacy is being preserved by the National Museum of Wales. | Now her legacy is being preserved by the National Museum of Wales. |
| When she first picked up a tattoo machine more than 100 years ago, Jessie Knight had no idea she would be a catalyst for change within the industry. | When she first picked up a tattoo machine more than 100 years ago, Jessie Knight had no idea she would be a catalyst for change within the industry. |
| But a few years later she was running her own studio in the port of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, from the age of 18. | But a few years later she was running her own studio in the port of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, from the age of 18. |
| Jessie Knight was taught how to tattoo by her father | Jessie Knight was taught how to tattoo by her father |
| Trained by her dad, Jessie, who was born in 1904 and died in 1992, took over the family shop when he went off to sea as a sailor. | Trained by her dad, Jessie, who was born in 1904 and died in 1992, took over the family shop when he went off to sea as a sailor. |
| For the next three decades she would travel the UK inking the skin of thousands of customers and blazing her own trail in an industry almost entirely dominated by men. | For the next three decades she would travel the UK inking the skin of thousands of customers and blazing her own trail in an industry almost entirely dominated by men. |
| Now, her collection of designs and tattoo machines have been taken on by the National Museum of Wales. | Now, her collection of designs and tattoo machines have been taken on by the National Museum of Wales. |
| From the age of 18, Jessie Knight ran her own tattoo studio in Barry | From the age of 18, Jessie Knight ran her own tattoo studio in Barry |
| Her great nephew Neil Hopkin-Thomas said: ''Aunt Jessie was quite an eccentric character. | Her great nephew Neil Hopkin-Thomas said: ''Aunt Jessie was quite an eccentric character. |
| ''She was forward-thinking, way ahead of her time but also just a lot of fun to be around with lots of stories and tales to tell. | ''She was forward-thinking, way ahead of her time but also just a lot of fun to be around with lots of stories and tales to tell. |
| Newcastle United fan gets victory tattoo before EFL Cup defeat | Newcastle United fan gets victory tattoo before EFL Cup defeat |
| Tattoo artist aiming to ink 151 Pokémon characters | Tattoo artist aiming to ink 151 Pokémon characters |
| 'Tattooing England players is a lot of pressure' | 'Tattooing England players is a lot of pressure' |
| ''Before tattooing she was a horseback stunt woman and a sharpshooter. | ''Before tattooing she was a horseback stunt woman and a sharpshooter. |
| ''She was very colourful and lived a really exciting life.'' | ''She was very colourful and lived a really exciting life.'' |
| One of Jessie's designs | One of Jessie's designs |
| Jessie gained respect for her work across the world. In 1955 she came second place in the Champion Tattoo Artist of All England competition. | Jessie gained respect for her work across the world. In 1955 she came second place in the Champion Tattoo Artist of All England competition. |
| But despite her successes she was often challenged by the perception of women at the time. | But despite her successes she was often challenged by the perception of women at the time. |
| Mr Hopkin-Thomas said: ''Several times the shop was broken into and some designs taken. | Mr Hopkin-Thomas said: ''Several times the shop was broken into and some designs taken. |
| ''She had this big trunk with all her designs in and whilst tattooing she would be firmly sat on it so no one could get to them. | ''She had this big trunk with all her designs in and whilst tattooing she would be firmly sat on it so no one could get to them. |
| ''It was a man's world at that time but just because she was female she thought why shouldn't she be able to do the job she loved.'' | ''It was a man's world at that time but just because she was female she thought why shouldn't she be able to do the job she loved.'' |
| It was not only the skin of others that she inked during her illustrious career. | It was not only the skin of others that she inked during her illustrious career. |
| Jessie Knight first picked up a tattoo machine 100 years ago, going on to have an illustrious career | Jessie Knight first picked up a tattoo machine 100 years ago, going on to have an illustrious career |
| Mr Hopkin-Thomas said: ''On her hands were little dots of colour where she used to test the ink out before she would tattoo somebody. A testing palate almost.'' | Mr Hopkin-Thomas said: ''On her hands were little dots of colour where she used to test the ink out before she would tattoo somebody. A testing palate almost.'' |
| ''She also had the family Coat of Arms on her back, which her father did, as well as a spider's web and a cross.'' | ''She also had the family Coat of Arms on her back, which her father did, as well as a spider's web and a cross.'' |
| Tattoo historian Dr Matt Lodder describes Jessie as a "historic figure". | |
| ''Jessie really made her name on her own and was able to kind of forge out a particular kind of tough femininity within a very male-dominated industry,'' said Dr Lodder. | ''Jessie really made her name on her own and was able to kind of forge out a particular kind of tough femininity within a very male-dominated industry,'' said Dr Lodder. |
| Many of her bases across the UK were in sea port towns such as Chatham in Kent, Aldershot in Hampshire and also Portsmouth. | Many of her bases across the UK were in sea port towns such as Chatham in Kent, Aldershot in Hampshire and also Portsmouth. |
| ''She would've mainly been tattooing sailors who were coming through,'' he said. | ''She would've mainly been tattooing sailors who were coming through,'' he said. |
| ''There would have been lots of drunkenness and misbehaviour. | ''There would have been lots of drunkenness and misbehaviour. |
| One of Jessie's designs | One of Jessie's designs |
| ''She was working in a world where she had to be careful but at the same time she did this with a bit of panache and a bit of flair.'' | ''She was working in a world where she had to be careful but at the same time she did this with a bit of panache and a bit of flair.'' |
| Jessie hung signs in her shops that warned customers against any unruliness. | Jessie hung signs in her shops that warned customers against any unruliness. |
| In one she noted: 'If you've had one over the eight… you are too late.' | In one she noted: 'If you've had one over the eight… you are too late.' |
| ''From the material we have of her life we can see she was a tough woman, with a real sense of humour and a twinkle in her eye," said Dr Lodder. | ''From the material we have of her life we can see she was a tough woman, with a real sense of humour and a twinkle in her eye," said Dr Lodder. |
| For years, Mr Hopkin-Thomas had kept her collection of nearly 1,000 pieces including her tattoo designs, family photographs and even the tattoo machines she used throughout her career. | For years, Mr Hopkin-Thomas had kept her collection of nearly 1,000 pieces including her tattoo designs, family photographs and even the tattoo machines she used throughout her career. |
| One tattoo artists says Jessie Knight "cemented the way for female tattoo artists to be more accepted" | One tattoo artists says Jessie Knight "cemented the way for female tattoo artists to be more accepted" |
| Dr Lodder said: ''It's almost like she finished tattooing one day, put everything into bags and that's it. | Dr Lodder said: ''It's almost like she finished tattooing one day, put everything into bags and that's it. |
| ''All of it is there and it tells us her story." | ''All of it is there and it tells us her story." |
| He also believes that the collection gives an insight into life beyond the story of Jessie Knight. | He also believes that the collection gives an insight into life beyond the story of Jessie Knight. |
| ''Tattooing is a way of learning about people whose lives aren't usually represented in museums," he said. | ''Tattooing is a way of learning about people whose lives aren't usually represented in museums," he said. |
| ''Through this extraordinary woman and her work we see this changing time. | ''Through this extraordinary woman and her work we see this changing time. |
| ''A country that's going through a collapse of empire, a change of status for women, two major world wars and lots of social change. | ''A country that's going through a collapse of empire, a change of status for women, two major world wars and lots of social change. |
| ''All of the things that people feel sufficiently excited and passionate about to record on their bodies, it's all there in these designs.'' | ''All of the things that people feel sufficiently excited and passionate about to record on their bodies, it's all there in these designs.'' |
| Fflur Morse, the senior curator overseeing the collection for the National Museum Wales, said: "It's really important to preserve the stories of women like Jessie Knight who left their mark on Wales and also made a huge impact in her field in a world that was dominated by men." | Fflur Morse, the senior curator overseeing the collection for the National Museum Wales, said: "It's really important to preserve the stories of women like Jessie Knight who left their mark on Wales and also made a huge impact in her field in a world that was dominated by men." |
| Nowadays, things look very different for women in the industry. | Nowadays, things look very different for women in the industry. |
| Tattoo artist Lisa Turner owns Inkabella, an all-female studio in Barry. | Tattoo artist Lisa Turner owns Inkabella, an all-female studio in Barry. |
| She said: ''I feel like Jessie Knight's work definitely cemented the way for female tattoo artists to be more accepted in the future. | She said: ''I feel like Jessie Knight's work definitely cemented the way for female tattoo artists to be more accepted in the future. |
| ''I think there is probably more female tattooists in Barry now than there are male. That's massive compared to how it used to be, even when I first started. | ''I think there is probably more female tattooists in Barry now than there are male. That's massive compared to how it used to be, even when I first started. |
| ''If it weren't for people like Jessie Knight, I don't know where we'd be.'' | ''If it weren't for people like Jessie Knight, I don't know where we'd be.'' |
| You can see more on this story on Wales Live on iPlayer. | You can see more on this story on Wales Live on iPlayer. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Women | Women |
| Art | Art |
| Tattoos | Tattoos |
| Barry | Barry |