The Stanyan Ropeworks of Halifax, Nova Scotia: Glimpses of a Pre-Industrial Manufactory

Introduces three documents from the Stanyan Ropeworks in Halifax from the 1840s: terms of an indentured apprenticeship; terms and regulations of the Stanyan Ropeworks; and payroll lists. Provides a history of the establishment, which was founded in 1826-27 by merchant capitalists Temple and Lewis Piers, who recruited Scottish spinners and their families to serve as the workforce. The business closed in the mid-1850s shortly after it was sold. Concludes that the documents are indicative of a key transitional stage between the 18th century artisanal workshop and the Victorian factory.