The Man and the Ship

Geoff Cragg is a tenured instructor in the Faculty of General Studies at
the University of Calgary.

This is a striking and worthwhile story of W.D. Lawrence, the man and
the ship. The book begins with a biography of Lawrence, as shipbuilder,
designer, and owner; it then recounts the building and launching of his
greatest achievement, the Lawrence, the largest wooden ship of the time;
describes her maiden voyage; and briefly looks at her subsequent career.
Excerpts from Lawrence’s journal and local newspapers provide an
interesting picture of boatbuilding and -launching, of life in a
nautical family, of marine law, and of the economic changes that
strongly affected shipping in the Maritimes.

Unfortunately, the book is ambitious for its length; the most
reasonable criticism is to wish for an expanded edition. The great ship
itself requires more attention, as do Lawrence’s accomplishments as a
shipbuilder and architect. Given that Lawrence studied under McKay, a
master of clipper ship design, it’s frustrating not to know what he
learned or how he applied it. Of the other parts of the historical
picture, such as the local traditions of shipbuilding and ownership,
there is not even a hint. These omissions aside, the book has obvious
value in offering a vignette of our maritime history and suggesting
opportunities for further research.