18th-Century Cabinetmaking at Colonial Williamsburg

[@talosheeg]

Awesome! Can't wait to see staymakers and mantua makers soon!

[@davidcreager1945]

My hats off to all the cabinet makers both master and journeyman ! Your hard work and dedication really shows ! Awesome ! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@michelehumphrey852]

Love the smell of this shop 😊

[@ColonialWilliamsburg]

So do we!

[@RegBarlow]

I’m not saying it’s right, but would a woman be working as a cabinet maker in colonial times? Surely, they would’ve said it was a “man’s” job!

[@amazinggrace5692]

You think they can’t cope?😂

[@ColonialWilliamsburg]

While we do not know of any women cabinetmakers in 18th century Williamsburg specifically, we do know of women in the trade within the greater British world. While it was a male dominated trade, women did enter it following the path of apprenticeship or through familial connections such as marriage. There were higher numbers of women in the allied trade of upholstery - most notably Betsy Ross. We can also document women wood carvers and harpsichord makers (both trades we currently practice in the Hay Cabinet Shop).

[@RegBarlow]

@@ColonialWilliamsburg Thank you for that. That added to the narrative given. Pity you couldn’t have put that in the script.

[@RegBarlow]

@@amazinggrace5692 Sadly not. Our male egos are so easily bruised.

[@amazinggrace5692]

@@RegBarlow That was a joke … told to us at Col Williamsburg. You know woodworking, “coping”. So many good memories from there. 💕🐝💕

[@mikejustice1196]

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