1893 text
Jonas Shish, master-shipwright at Deptford. There are several papers of his among the State Papers. “I was at the funeral of old Mr. Shish, Master Shipwright of His Majesty’s Yard here, an honest and remarkable man, and his death a public loss, for his excellent success in building ships (though altogether illiterate) and for bringing up so many of his children to be able artists. I held up the pall with three knights who did him that honour, and he was worthy of it. It was the custom of this good man to rise in the night and pray, kneeling in his own coffin, which he had lying by him for many years. He was born that famous year, the Gunpowder- plot, 1605” (Evelyn’s “Diary,” May 13th, 1680).
This text comes from a footnote on a diary entry in the 1893 edition edited by Henry B. Wheatley.
4 Annotations
First Reading
TerryF • Link
Jonas Shish (1605-1680), Assistant Shipwright, Depford, 1663; Master Shipwright, 1668-. Built Third rate frigate Cambridge, 1666; rebuilt 64-gun London,1670; Charles, Shish Deptford Dockyard, 1688.
The Burning of the London by the Dutch by Charles Dixon [image at the bottom of the page] http://www.battleships-cruisers.c…
Evelyn's diary 13th May 1680: "I was at the funeral of old Mr Shish Master Shipwrite of the Kings yard here in this Parish, an honest and remarkable man, & his death a publique losse, for his excellent successe in building Ships, (though illiterate altogether) & for the breeding up so many of his children to be Artists: I held up the Pall with three knignts who did him that honour, & he was worthy of it:... T'was the costome of this good man, to rise in the night, and to pray kneeling in his owne cofin; which many yeares he had lying by him: he was borne that famous yeare of the Gunpowder Plot 1605."
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cac…
in Aqua Scripto • Link
From L&M comp: He be that who built the Experiment for Petty .
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo… Built by eye, not reading the fine print.
Petty x link:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
Second Reading
Bill • Link
Jonas Shish (born 1605) succeeded Christopher Pett as master shipwright at Deptford in 1668, and died May, 1680. Evelyn held Shish in high esteem, and was one of the pall-bearers at his funeral. Evelyn described him as one who can give very little account of his art by discourse, and is hardly capable of reading, yet of great abilitie in his calling. The family have been ship carpenters in this yard above 100 yeares" (March 3rd, 1667-68).
---Wheatley, 1893.
San Diego Sarah • Link
✹ TerryF on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
"Mr Shishe" is Jonas Shish, Asst. Shipwright, Deptford. His Diary name IS a bit deceiving , but he's clearly esteemed; more at the link (including a misspell or two).
✹ in Aqua Scripto on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
There be a small problem for written orders from the Admiralty, they had to be translated into words for Shishe, as it is said he could not read or write, he built by eye.
✹ TerryF on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
Jonas Shish Methinks his surname is as Baltic in origin as are many a naval supply, perhaps a contraction of a surname, as are a host from elsewhere - in this case a Slavic one.
✹ Australian Susan on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
If Mr. Shish is from the Baltic (and not just his name), maybe he could not read or write in English, being Estonian/Latvian/Lithuaian. Do they use cyrillic script?
✹ TerryF on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
Estonians/Latvians/Lithuaians did and do not use Kyrillic until it was imposed on them in 1864 by the Russians, but Shish could be a derivation of Polish, and the Poles were included in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. http://www.scantours.com/lithuani…
✹ gerry on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
Shish is surely a Turkish word as in kebab; it means skewer.
✹ JWB on 16 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
Shish I suggest he carries the German word for dung, the English variant we all know; and being so named, would be a compelling reason to immigrate.