Henry Cunningham, Boatbuilder of Kingston, Ontario

Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc., The, Jun 2004 by Hall, Elton W

Kingston, located at the northeast corner of Lake Ontario, has long been a boating center. The enthusiasm for recreational boating generated considerable custom for the boatbuilder's trade, and Henry Cunningham had the largest shop in Kingston.

Michael O'Gorman, the previous owner of this shop, appears in the 1871 industrial census as a boatbuilder employing six men and building fifty pleasure boats per year with a total value of $2,500. The census lists six other boat shops in Kingston, all with lesser production that of O'Gorman.

Henry Cunningham was advertising in the Kingston British Whig by March 4, 1872, using the six-man gig illustration, through March 29, 1875. The following issue carries a new illustration of a sailboat. As this broadside states (Figure 1), Cunningham produced a variety of small boats propelled by oar and sail along with the equipment to go with them. As did many a New England boat shop, Cunningham operated a boat livery as well, where boats of various types were available for hire. Cunningham continued advertising until at least February 15, 1879. The shop was located at Nos. 2 and 4 Simcoe Street at the intersection of King Street.

It is possible that by 1887 Thomas Sharman had taken over the Cunningham shop, which he continued until at least 1902. By then there were about eight boat shops in Kingston.

The sleek gig illustrated in the head-piece of this broadside may represent a product of Cunningham's shop, or it might be a stock cut that the printer had available. In either case, it reminds us that boat building before the advent of the internal combustion engine was very different than it is today. Wood was the principal material, and boatbuilders vied with one another to produce strong but lightweight watercraft that could be easily propelled by oar or sail. The very characteristics that make a good rowboat make a poor one for outboard motors, which explains a lot about why rowing is not the popular recreation it once was. The details and finish of top-of-the line rowboats was often very high, giving them a charming appearance rarely seen in stock boats of today.

Elton Hall, executive director of the EAIA, writes occasional pieces on printed ephemera. The author wishes to thank Jim Packham and Bob Westleyfor providing the information about boatbuilding in Kingston.