Dockyard Workers - What are "Ds", "Ns" and "Ts"?

[Penholder]

Hi ScouseBoy

Well, that's a bit of a spanner in the works - no pun intended - did they have spanners in those days?!

I am going back to Kew next week so I'll have to see if anyone there might know what the abbreviations mean.

Thank you for the input.

Diana

[ScouseBoy]

I think "twighlight" shift is a more recent expression,  and I think twighlight shift covers a shorter period than 8 hours, more like a half shift.

Would the shift workers of 1800  be on permanent nights or permanent days?      I think there must be an alternative explanation.

[jim1]

It's unlikely an 8 hour shift would be worked in 1800, more likely 12 hours.
So a day & night shift covering 24 hours seems more the case.
Many industries also had day to day workers, those who queued at the gate for work.
So how about Temporary shift, men employed on a daily basis to back fill the regular shifts.

[mazi]

Are there any entries in any of the columns that could be transcribed without infringing copyright,
I am dubious about my original thought now.
Mike

[Penholder]

Thank you all for your thoughts.   My man, and quite a few others, began work on June 10th 1800, so more than two thirds of the way through the Midsummer Quarter.   They all had 11 Ds, 11 Ns and 12 Ts.   Even if they worked weekends that would only make 21 days so the numbers don't add up.   Everyone was paid the same for that Quarter.

In the Michaelmas Quarter my man had 78 Ds, 82 Ns and 62 Ts.   Several men have half and three quarter Ds and Ns.   

In the Christmas Quarter my man has 78 Ds, 77 Ns and 63 Ts.   One man has 78 Ds, 78 1/2 Ns and 129 Ts.

In both the Michaelmas and Christmas Quarters the men all received different wages, so the rates must have differed according to the number of Ds, Ns and Ts they worked.

Diana

[Penholder]

Here is a sample.   Ds, Ns and Ts are on the left and the corresponding wages are on the right.

[mazi]

"The numbers don't add up"

8 hours work = 1 days pay
It is possible to work 12 hours and earn 1  days pay at day rate and half a days pay at a higher rate.

Mike

[Redroger]

Remember, there was a little war going on against Napoleon; I am certain in my own mind that the Naval Dockyards would definitely be staffed 24/7; it was the age of sail too, so shipping would not be predictable.

[Andrew Tarr]

I am not convinced that they would have three shifts covering 24 hours in 1800.

an alternative could be D shed;  N shed;   and T shed possibly.

Absolutely.  I doubt that anyone worked less than 10 hours a day in 1800.  Also at that time all ships were of wood and used sail - if that might suggest anything.