Guild of Colonial Artisans and Tradesmen 1607-1783

Guild of Colonial Artisans and Trademen 1607-1783

Projects

The intent of the Guild is to fill a niche in the hereditary society community by honoring those enterprising ancestors whose labor and skills help build this country and/or whose gifted talents in the humanities lifted the spirits of our founding fathers. The trades of these ancestors, such as blacksmiths, printers, poets, carpenters, musicians, coopers, tailors, malsters, and a host of others are also trades that are being taught to young and old and brought before the general public as demonstrations of early Colonial life.

As a non-profit organization, the Guild of Colonial Artisans and Tradesmen 1607-1783 shall focus our annual charitable efforts on supporting programs related to the Colonial Trades. Venues under consideration will be that of apprenticeship programs, covering a variety of trades, in which individuals today are learning the historical implementation of ancestral skills and are perpetuating these aspects of early life in America. Other projects being researched are the support of organizations that visually interpret and demonstrate Colonial life in the trades as well as Colonial archeological excavations that often reveal the residue of early trades.

2013
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, Maryland
cbmm.org
The vision of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is to be the premier maritime museum for studying, exhibiting, preserving and celebrating the important history and culture of the largest estuary in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay. The museum features a shipwright apprentice program which honors the trade of ship building. The Guild has many proven ancestors who were colonial shipwrights. There is also a decoy carving tradition that is currently featured as a special exhibit in the Museum's Waterfowling Building that will be open through Sunday November 3, 2013. The Guild's donation of $2,000 will support the many on going projects that complement the objectives of the Guild.

2012
The Museums of Old York, York, Maine
www.oldyork.org
The Guild donated $2,000 to be used toward the painting of a wharf of the John Hancock Warehouse and the rebuilding of two wooden ramps. The John Hancock Warehouse documents three hundred years of commercial life along the York River. The John Hancock Warehouse is thought to date from the 1740's.

2011
MUSEUM OF EARLY TRADES AND CRAFTS, Madison, NJ
info@metc.org
The museum's mission is to enhance the understanding and appreciation of America's past by presenting and interpreting the history, culture and lives of ordinary people through educational programs, through preservation and stewardship of its collection and through exhibition and demonstration of the trades and crafts practiced in NJ from its earliest settlement. The museum has a library and special programs for children. The Guild donated $2000 towards the scanning and transcription of a merchant's log book which will be available on their website.

2010
OLD SALEM MUSEUM AND GARDENS, Winston-Salem, NC
www.oldsalem.org
The town of Salem was founded by Moravians in 1766. The Moravian Church as well as theresidents of Salem kept detailed accounts of their lives so that the recreation of the town today ismost accurate. Costumed tradesmen and women demonstrate many of the skills in use during the1700s and 1800s such as creating pottery, furniture, and metal goods. The Guild presented OldSalem with $2000 to enable the potters to replicate a quern which was used to grind materials formaking pottery glazes. The quern consists of two stones, resembling mill stones, and indeed will bemade by a North Carolina company that makes gristmills. When in place, the quern will be situatedso that visitors can enjoy a hands-on experience.

2009
Willard House and Clock Museum, North Grafton, MA
www.willardhouse.org
Benjamin Willard began making clocks in his Grafton, MA workshop in 1766. His three younger brothers, Simon, Ephraim and Aaron learned the trade and began a three generation clockmaking legacy. The museum is open to the public for tour and contains over 80 Willard clocks, family portraits, furnishings and the original clock workshop. The Guild of Colonial Artisans and Tradesmen has donated $1,000 to restore the period portrait of Catherine Gatres willard, wife of clockmaker Aaron Willard and mother of clockmaker Aaron Willard Jr.

2008
SILK FABRIC PROJECT, THE Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, VA
www.history.org
The Guild selected the Silk Fabric Project of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, VA as the 2008 charitable donation recipient. A gift of $1000 was given to help fund the purchase of silk fabric to be used in historically correct gowns sewn by mantua-makers of Colonial Williamsburg. The fabric will be purchased and produced in England to 18th Century width, weight and quality. Two gown styles from the Colonial Williamsburg Collection have been chosen to be reproduced in the new fabric. One gown style dates from 1770-1785, and the other is a reproduction of a dress with a Virginia provenance, having been worn by a Virginia lady in circa 1770-1780.

2007
1785 BARN AND GRANARY, Historic St. Mary's City, MD
www.stmaryscity.org
The Guild chose Historic St. Mary's City as its 2007 charitable donation recipient in support of the oldest surviving building in St. Mary's City. Dated to 1785, the tobacco barn and granary were constructed by John Mackall, Carpenter. Mackall was well versed in colonial Chesapeake architectural traditions, some of which dated from the 17th Century. The use of riven oak clapboard and tilted false plates, as well as the use of older English methods of joinery are evident in this structure. The Guild's donation will go toward creating story board to interpret for the public the colonial construction of this rare surviving example of carpentry work.

2006
COPELAND SPOON EXHIBIT, Jamestowne Visitors Center, Jamestowne Island, VA
www.nps.gov/james
The Guild was a contributor to a new exhibit housed in the newly built Jamestowne Visitors Center which opened to the public in 2007. Displayed on the exterior circular wall of the Visitors Theatre, is a case housing the oldest discovered pewter spoon in America, a product of the craftsmanship of an early Virginian artisan, Joseph Copeland, Pewtersmith. The spoons original bowl, of this remarkable find, is missing and drawings depicting the style of the time and how the original spoon would have looked in its entirety are included. This is a prominent piece of history and the Guild is very honored to have played a part in bringing it into the publics view through our donation supporting the exhibit. Replica Copeland Pewter Spoons are sold in the gift shop of the Visitors Center.

2005
The Plimoth Plantation Apprenticeship Program, Plymouth, MA
www.plimoth.org
Plimoth Plantation is fortunate to have a dedicated and skilled staff committed to education. Their apprenticeship programs offer unique opportunities to people of all ages interested in various crafts. Currently, apprenticeships are available in blacksmithing, joinery, historic carpentry, pottery, and 17th century needlework.