Shipbuilding in Essex began in the middle 1600’s to satisfy a local need for fishing craft. Early vessels were primarily built for use by their builder. By the late 1700’s, it became common practice to build a new vessel each winter, fish her during the summer months and then sell her in the fall. Gradually, captains from other ports came to Essex to contract for a new vessel. By the 1840’s, Essex no longer had her own fishing fleet but had turned to year-round shipbuilding.

From these beginnings, there grew an industry so specialized, it became unique in maritime history. By the 1850’s, over 50 vessels a year were being launched from 15 shipyards and Essex became recognized worldwide as North America’s center for fishing schooner construction. Gloucester’s fleet was largely built in Essex and the town so dominated the industry that Essex vessels could be found in all major U.S. and Canadian fishing ports. One out of every 28 wooden vessels that flew the American Flag was built in Essex. The shipyards of Essex probably launched more two-mast vessels than any other town in the world.

Of the 4000 vessels built in Essex during its 350 year shipbuilding history, only seven historic schooners survive. Five were built as Fishermen –– The ERNESTINA ex/EFFIE M. MORRISSEY (1894, www.ernestina.org) is owned by the State of Massachusetts and hails from New Bedford; The LETTIE G. HOWARD (1893, www.southstseaport.org) is a sailing exhibit at South Street Seaport Museum in New York City; The L.A. DUNTON (1921, www.mysticseaport.org/visiting/exhibits/ship.boats/dunton.html) is proudly berthed at Mystic Seaport Museum; The ADVENTURE (1926, www.schooner-adventure.org) is at Gloucester and The EVELINA M. GOULART (1927) is at Essex. The schooner yacht/pilot schooner ROSEWAY (1925, www.roseway.com) sails charters from Rockland, Maine. The pilot schooner HIGHLANDER SEA ex/PILOT (1924) is privately owned and at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

When captains came to Essex for new vessels, they came for the product of shipbuilders and shipwrights whose craftsmanship and skill had been inherited as much as learned.

By 1845, shipbuilding in Essex was deeply established. The town was widely recognized as North America’s leading producer of fishing craft. Most of those vessels were built for the Gloucester Fishing Fleet.

The Light and Telegraph.
Saturday, March 25, 1848.

Shipbuilding at Gloucester

Since 1846 nearly two hundred thousand dollars have been invested in new vessels from this port! Most of these have been built at Essex, and the materials, such as spars, rigging, cables, anchors, blocks, sails, &c, have been transported from this town by teams at much expense. Then, when finished, the vessels have to be ballasted and brought round at still more expense. All this might be saved by having the vessels built here. –– We earnestly hope that efforts may be made to extend this branch of industry among us and before many years that at least all of our own vessels will be built in Gloucester.

Despite this editorial, the next six years proved to be the most productive in Essex history. Gloucester Captains continued to come to Essex for another one hundred years.

Vessels built in Essex, 1849-1853
1848 28 vessels.
1849 42 vessels
1850 34 vessels
1851 45 vessels
1852 59 vessels
1853 48 vessels
Total: 256 vessels in six years

When Essex shipbuilding ceased in 1949, nearly 4,000 vessels had been launched into the Essex River.


THE SHIPBUILDERS
Many Essex shipbuilders practiced the trade of their fathers. All were businessmen who recognized the close working relationship between the shipyards of Essex and the fisheries of Gloucester. When Gloucester prospered, Essex prospered. Traditionally, construction of a vessel began with the payment of one quarter of the total estimated cost. The balance was paid in three annual payments. The result of this generous practice was steady work at the shipyards. Essex shipbuilders also ended up owning part interest in many of the vessels they built. During slow times, many builders constructed vessels on speculation, just to keep their crews busy. Some Essex shipbuilders failed. Few became wealthy.

THE SHIPYARDS
Most Essex yards were nothing more than a plot of land near the water with a few shipways, a shop for yard tools and enough space to store timber. Many were on marshland rented by the builder. At the Story Shipyard, for example, the sterns of many vessels were constructed on land rented from the town. Few shipyards had anything resembling an office. Typically, if a captain wanted to contract for a vessel, he went to the builder’s home. (It is said that many captains made the mistake of visiting A.D. Story at his home on a Sunday, only to be told to return the next day.

THE SHIPWRIGHTS (Ship’s Carpenters).
Most shipyard workers specialized in some phase of shipyard work. Many did not work for any one builder, but hired out at a daily rate, wherever their special skills were needed. In some instances, three or four men would work together as a "framing gang," a "planking gang," or a "launching gang". Many of these gangs consisted of fathers, sons, uncles and cousins. Some individuals or gangs, acting as sub-contractors, frequently shifted from one yard to another –– finding steady work on many different vessels. This practice required that each individual had to establish a personal reputation for good workmanship. Those reputations were guarded jealously.

Each Essex shipwright was expected to use their own tools and to keep them sharp on their own time. In winter, workers had to clear snow from a work area on their own time. There was never pay for time lost due to sickness or injury.

ANCILLARY TRADES
In the early years, everything that was needed to build a vessel was produced in Essex. Blocks, rope, rigging, ironwork, sails, masts and spars, anchors, wooden ship’s wheels, pumps, windlasses and turnings were all produced by local tradesmen in barns or shops scattered throughout the town. After the 1860s, only pumps, windlasses, ironwork and turnings were made here.

Other specialized tradesmen carved name boards and decorative scrolls. Finish carpenters (or inboard joiners as they were called) produced interior woodwork such as, panels, doors, staircases, windows and shutters for steamers, berths and tables as well as the "deck furniture" such as the companionways, hatches, skylights and cabin trunks. Vessels were made watertight by the specialized skills of "caulkers".


WAGES
From the very beginning, shipwrights were paid on a per day basis. In 1847, their pay was between $1.50 and $2.00 per day. However, most workers did not collect their wages until the builder got paid. Some builders managed to pay their workers at least something on account and settled up once full payment for the vessel was received. There were also Essex builders who kept small stores where their men could purchase goods against wages being held. In 1890, Moses Adams was the first Essex builder to pay his workers in full each Saturday. Wages were $2.00 to $2.50 per day. Hourly pay was instituted in 1919.

The more menial shipyard tasks, such as wedging trunnels, puttying seams, and boring holes, were done on a piecework basis (a penny per hole for example).

Finish carpenters, carvers, and other highly skilled tradesmen were paid by the job.

Caulkers were paid a fixed-rate multiplied by the gross tonnage* of the vessel being caulked. (*Gross tonnage is a measure of a vessel’s volume, not its weight. Net tonnage measures a vessel’s taxable carrying capacity by subtracting the crew’s quarters, galley and engine room.)

THE WORKDAY
The winter workday was from dawn to dusk, with an hour break at noon –– six days a week. In the summer months, the workday was from sunrise to noon, then one to six, then back again from seven until sunset. After 1847, the workday was established at ten hours, year round, six days a week. In 1895, the workday was reduced to nine hours and then to eight hours in 1918.


WHERE WERE THE SHIPYARDS LOCATED?
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