Granaries, Shipyards and Wharves - Cycling from Guildford

LTD. between 1876 and 1886. As will be seen a little
later, the extension nearly had disastrous
consequences for local inhabitants.
�WALK ACROSS THE CAR PARK AND STAND BY THE BOW OF THE DAME
DE SERK (A FRENCH NAVY TRAINING BARQUE OF 1952) ON THE PATENT SLIP
NELSON DOCK HOUSE dates from around the time
that JOHN RANDALL (1st) took over from the last
TAYLOR in 1754. Although it is the last survivor, at
one time most of the Rotherhithe shipyards would
have had similar dwellings for the master shipbuilder.
Shipbuilding was not quite a “clogs to clogs in three
generations” business, but being so dependant on
government contracts, for which payment was often
late, or made with bills maturing at some distant date,
which could only be turned into instant cash at a
discount, it was far from secure. It was rare for a
family to stay in the business for more than two
generations, the usual pattern being for the second
generation to retire as “gentry” or to go bankrupt.
JOHN RANDALL (1st) did well enough to send his son
(also JOHN) to Eton. JOHN RANDALL (2nd) had no wish
to live “over the shop” and had a handsome house
near Hyde Park. Similarly, JOHN BRENT, his partner built
an elegant mansion at Blackheath, while one of his sons
lived in this house. The Rotherhithe master shipbuilders
were men of the Enlightenment, with the educated and
elegant tastes of contemporary gentry. Perhaps that is
why they built such beautiful ships.
The suicide of JOHN RANDALL (2nd) brought an end
to the RANDALL & BRENT partnership, but worse was
to follow. In 1804, the firm was taken to court by the
government over defects in the construction of Ajax,
launched in 1798. JOHN BRENT was long retired, so
SAMUEL and DANIEL BRENT found themselves in
court. While there is no doubt that the prosecution
was politically motivated, it is also true that some of
the materials and workmanship in Ajax were poor,
and the case did harm the firm’s reputation. SAMUEL
died in 1814, and four years later DANIEL
concentrated his activities at GREENLAND DOCK
ENTRANCE, embarking on a new career as a
steamship builder.
30 SOUTHWARK HISTORY WALKS