This publication is one dealing with a little covered area of industrial heritage, that of maritime history and associated industries. As the grandson of a (retired) boat builder, the filling of this gap is to be welcomed.
The book deals with the early days of this industry in Waterford, setting the scene by giving, amongst other things, a brief history of the Quaker movement, prominent in Irish industry as they were. It then progresses into details of individual shipyards but never losing sight of external developments, such as the passenger acts, which set the conditions for the carriage of passengers by sea, legislation that impacted on the design of ships; chapters on building wooden and steel ships and a chapter on the Malcomson family, a Quaker family well established in business in the area, most notably through their cotton mill in Portlaw.