Carriage-making in St. John's, Newfoundland: a historical study of the products of a folk industry

MacKinnon, Richard Paul (1982) Carriage-making in St. John's, Newfoundland: a historical study of the products of a folk industry. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Horse-drawn vehicles were necessary in St. John's from the early years of the nineteenth century until World War Two and Confederation. Small carriage factories began to appear in the city by the mid-nineteenth century and some continued to operate until well into the twentieth century. Between 1850 and 1910, at least fifteen carriage factories were established within St. John's. -- These factories were not large assembly line operations. Individuals who worked in the factories were able to have a great amount of input into the products produced. Research into industries of this kind has not been conducted by folklorists and craft scholars because these factories do not fit the standard definition of craft. -- This thesis is an attempt to assess the limitations of the term craft by reconstructing aspects of the carriage-making industry in St. John's. It focuses particularly on the ways in which this urban industry was similar to so-called rural crafts. Research involved both archival and field investigation. Information was obtained on the historical development of the industry, the construction process as it occurred in one factory, the products of this industry and the contemporary functions of the extant factory products in the St. John's area. Wherever possible sketches, tables, maps and photographs have been used to illustrate aspects of this industry and its products.

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