Ship's Carpenter

On naval ships, the carpenter was a warrant officer whose duty it was to examine and keep the ship's hull, masts and all wooden parts of the ship in good order. He also had to account for the expenditure of stores for repairs issued by dockyard surveyors on behalf of the navy board.

Carpenters were highly skilled men. They usually began their careers in naval dockyards as apprentice shipwrights, and only gained a carpenter's warrant several years after being admitted to the Shipwright's Guild.

Naturally, ship's captains would go to great lengths to secure an outstanding carpenter.