Ropeyard workers at Hamoaze 1720

ROPEYARD WORKERS AT HAMOAZE - MICHELMAS 1720

This list constituted the payroll of the men involved in the rope-making activity in the Admiralty's Dockyard at Plymouth for the 3rd Quarter of 1720.

The (civilian) Clerk of the Ropeyard (at Woolwich, Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth): recruited the men, and received and issued stores. This well-paid position, netting £100 per annum, and including a good house on the dockyard site, was abollished in the early 1800s in favour of the appointment of a commissioned naval officer to oversee the ropeyard.

The (civilian) Master Ropemaker was responsible for the workmen and and for the day-to-day running of the Rope Works. This post was also abolished and control vested in Naval personnel but at this time, he also received £100 per annum.

The Contractor was responsible for supplying materials and for the cost-effectiveness of the business.

Map showing the position of the ropewalks within the Dockyard

Building of the Admiralty Dockyard at Plymouth began in 1689, some 31 years before the payroll below was drawn up. This map dates from 1877 but shows most of the original features. The position of the two ropewalks (East and West) is outlined in blue with the Dockyard wall to the rear and the Mast Pond* in front, indicating that sail has not yet given way to steam.

*Timbers were seasoned in the Mast Pond. They were sunk to the bottom of the water then allowed to dry slowly to prevent them splitting.

NB These job titles are explained below
Peter Appleby	Spinner
John Asutin	Spinner
Thomas Bastard	Spinner
John Batten	Winder
John Bawden	Spinner
John Beard	Hatcheler
William Botler	Spinner
Thomas Bottom	Spinner
Ben Brooking	Spinner
William Buttler	Labourer
Augustin Carpenter	Hatcheler
Edward Chaulkner	Labourer
John Collyer	Contractor
Robert Courtney	Spinner
Andrew Cradock	Spinner
Henry Cradock	Spinner
William Dale	Spinner
Robert Dawe	Winder
Richard Daws	Winder
William Drake	Spinner
Richard Edisbury	Clerk of the Ropeyard
William Foot	Labourer
John Fowler	Spinner
Thomas Gill	Labourer
Nicholas Gillard	Labourer
Giles Gilson	Hatcheler
Richard Gold	Spinner
Anthony Hansley	Spinner
George Harris	Labourer
Phillip Harris (1)	Spinner
Phillip Harris (2)	Spinner
James Hart	Boy
Sam. Hearle	Spinner
? Hengiscombe ("is not appeared")	Spinner
Richard Hodge	Hatcheler
George Hodges	Spinner
Henry Hodges	Spinner and Tar heater
Thomas Hooper	Hatcheler
John Hughes	Spinner
William Inch	Hatcheler
John Jane	Spinner
Ben Jones	Spinner
Joseph Legassick	Clerk
Thomas Linzee	Master Ropemaker
Thomas Luke	Labourer
William Luse	Hatcheler
Nicholas Manfield	Spinner
Edward May	Spinner
Gregory Miller	Spinner
John Parsons	Spinner
Matthew Parsons	Spinner
Thomas Parsons	Spinner
John Patrick	Spinner
Nicholas Peters	Spinner
Griff Powell	Spinner
Richard Read	Spinner
John Rogers	Spinner
William Rounsevall	Boy
Digby Row	Spinner
William Row	Harcheler
Clement Rundle	Spinner
Sam. Sambell	Spinner
Thomas Sambell	Labourer
Henry Sansome	Spinner
Arthur Shaftoe	Spinner
Thomas Sherman	Spinner
John Stettaford	Spinner
Thomas Stevens	Labourer
Thomas Stevens	Boy
Edward Swan	Spinner and Tar heater
Nehemia Thomas	Spinner
Richard Tregoweth	Spinner
John Vine	Winder
Richard Wood	Foreman
Christopher Wootton	Spinner
William Yeomans	Spinner

Hemp, Manila and Sisal are all fibres used by the Admiralty for making rope. In the 18th Century ropeworks, the HATCHELER cleaned and straightened the chosen fibre by pulling it through a boards covered with metal spikes called a hatchel (see right). Whale oil was added at this stage as lubrication to make the task of the Spinners easier.
	The SPINNER then took these fibres and spun them together by hand. As the spinning wheel rotated, the spinner walker backwards, pulling the fibres so they came together to form yarn. A long length of roper required there to be a long workshop. No figures are available for Plymouth but the Chatham Ropewalk is 1128 feet long, producing a rope measuring 120 fathoms (220 metres).
Spun strands of fibre were placed in the FORMING MACHINE which ran the entire length of the ropewalk.
The TAR HEATERS warmed up pine pitch for the BOYS who painted the rope with hot tar to increase its water-proofing. The LABOURERS were needed to move materials in and the completed product out. The CLERK was responsible for keeping the accounts and paying out as required. The Royal Navy began the mechanisation process in 1811; steam power was added in the early 1830s and electricity was introduced at the turn of the 20th century.