Tradesmen and Their Crafts |
Pewter plate made by Simon Benning.
17th century.
23.5 cm.
Institute of Jamaica, 1997/0292.
Simon Benning’s maker’s mark, a pineapple and his initials ‘S B’, is inscribed on the reverse side of this plate. |
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As Port Royal flourished, its cosmopolitan population created a demand for a wide range of tradesmen with specialized skills. Surveyors, architects, engineers, masons, carpenters and blacksmiths constructed the city’s various commercial and public buildings and its many private residences. On the busy docks, there were large numbers of shipwrights and sail-makers who refurbished visiting ships, while wherrymen and porters moved the vast array of goods arriving in the city. Coopers were particularly important, since fresh water had to be transported to the island city in barrels. Coopers also made casks for storing wines, liquors and pickled meats, as well as for the export of dyes, sugar, rum and molasses.
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Red clay smoking pipe.
17th century.
9.4 x 2.1 cm.
Institute of Jamaica, 2006.1.73 (R).
Red clay pipes are found almost exclusively in Jamaica, where they were made by African potters. This pipe has lost most of its stem. |
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The wealthy Port Royal residents desired the latest fashions in clothing and the finest furnishings for their homes. While many items were imported, the city also supported local seamstresses, cobblers, hat-makers, cabinetmakers, pewterers, silversmiths, goldsmiths and other craftsmen. Among the more remarkable local art forms were intricately engraved comb sets and small boxes, fashioned from tortoiseshell. Gun and sword smiths were also essential in this heavily armed community, while surgeons and druggists attempted to keep the population healthy. |
Lath hatchet.
17th century.
15.0 x 15.1 cm.
Institute of Jamaica, 1997/1326.
The two sides of this tool were used for cutting and hammering laths (strips of wood) for constructing walls and roofs. |
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Some of Port Royal’s tradesmen became well known for their high quality products. For example, Simon Benning, a prominent English-born pewterer, operated an establishment in Port Royal from as early as 1667. Although few records remain, both enslaved and free Africans worked in several crafts, including the making of smoking pipes from local red clay.
Next: Life in the ‘Wicked City’ |
