Shipwrights in Newcastle

[debbplum]

Hi,
my 3xgreatgrandad according to the 1851 census was a shipwright  in Newcastle upon Tyne,All Saints area and I would like a better understanding of what that was, was it a good profession, well paid/good life, different levels of profession etc...

Any help would be great!

thank you
Debbie

[stanmapstone]

Shipwrights were the master craftsmen in shipbuilding, and on the Wear, at least many set up their own shipyards. They served a seven year apprenticeship, and were usually educated to a reasonable degree of literacy. There were Shipwright's Associations on the Tyne and the Wear.
This is a shipwright's family budget from 1854:
House Rent 2s. 6d.
Coals & water 7d.
3½ stone flour 10s. 6d.
8 lbs of meat 4s. 8d.
2½ stone potatoes 1s. 10½d.
3½ lbs. sugar 1s. 2d.
¼ lb tea 1s. 0d.
1lb coffee 1s. 4d.
1½ lbs soap 1s. 0d.
1½ lbs candles 1s. 0d.
Milk & butter 2s.0d.
Sundry 1s. 0d.
Tools 6d.
Total 29s. 1½d

From ( "Building Ships on the North East Coast" by J.F. Clarke).

[debbplum]

Thank you! Im in the process of putting a family book together as a xmas present for my Dad and dont want it to be just names and dates with no meat on the bone so to speak.

Is there a website I can get more info and even pictures please?

thanks
Debbie

[stanmapstone]

Hi Debbie,
Sorry, I don't know of any web sites about shipwrights in the 19th century.

Stan