In 1605 Jonas Shish Shipwright was born.
Pepy's Diary. 22 Jul 1664. At noon to the 'Change [Map], and so home to dinner, and then down by water to Deptford, Kent [Map], where coming too soon, I spent an houre in looking round the yarde, and putting Mr. Shish (age 59)1 to measure a piece or two of timber, which he did most cruelly wrong, and to the King's losse 12 or 13s. in a piece of 28 feet in contents.
Note 1. Jonas Shish (age 59), master-shipwright at Deptford, Kent [Map]. There are several papers of his among the State Papers. "I was at the funeral of old Mr. Shish, Master Shipwright of His Majesty's Yard here, an honest and remarkable man, and his death a public loss, for his excellent success in building ships (though altogether illiterate) and for bringing up so many of his children to be able artists. I held up the pall with three knights who did him that honour, and he was worthy of it. It was the custom of this good man to rise in the night and pray, kneeling in his own coffin, which he had lying by him for many years. He was born that famous year, the Gunpowder- plot, 1605" (Evelyn's "Diary", May 13th, 1680).
Calendars. 13 May 1665. 41. Jonas Shish (age 60) to the Navy Comrs. Recommends Robt. Withers (age 47), shipwright, for the survey of the new ship. [Adm. Paper.].
Pepy's Diary. 28 Apr 1667. And so by water, the tide being with me again, down to Deptford, Kent [Map], and there I walked down the Yard, Shish (age 62) and Cox with me, and discoursed about cleaning of the wet docke, and heard, which I had before, how, when the docke was made, a ship of near 500 tons was there found; a ship supposed of Queene Elizabeth's time, and well wrought, with a great deal of stoneshot in her, of eighteen inches diameter, which was shot then in use: and afterwards meeting with Captain Perriman and Mr. Castle (age 38) at Half-way Tree, they tell me of stoneshot of thirty-six inches diameter, which they shot out of mortarpieces.
Pepy's Diary. 19 Jan 1668. Lord's Day. My wife the last night very ill of those, and waked me early, and hereupon I up and to church, where a dull sermon by our lecturer, and so home to dinner in my wife's chamber, which she is a little better. Then after dinner with Captain Perryman down to Redriffe [Map], and so walked to Deptford, Kent [Map], where I sent for Mr. Shish (age 63) out of the Church to advise about my vessel, "The Maybolt", and I do resolve to sell, presently, for any thing rather than keep her longer, having already lost £100 in her value, which I was once offered and refused, and the ship left without any body to look to her, which vexes me.
Evelyn's Diary. 03 Mar 1668. Was launched at Deptford, Kent [Map], that goodly vessel, "The Charles" I was near his Majesty (age 37). She is longer than the "Sovereign", and carries 110 brass cannon; she was built by old Shish (age 63), a plain, honest carpenter, master-builder of this dock, but one who can give very little account of his art by discourse, and is hardly capable of reading, yet of great ability in his calling. The family have been ship carpenters in this yard above 300 years.
Pepy's Diary. 03 Mar 1668. At noon rose and to dinner. My wife abroad with Mercer and Deb. buying of things, but I with my clerks home to dinner, and thence presently down with Lord Brouncker (age 48), W. Pen, T. Harvy (age 42), T. Middleton, and Mr. Tippets, who first took his place this day at the table, as a Commissioner, in the room of Commissioner Pett (age 57). Down by water to Deptford, Kent [Map], where the King (age 37), Queene (age 58), and Court are to see launched the new ship built by Mr. Shish (age 63), called "The Charles 2". God send her better luck than the former! Here some of our brethren, who went in a boat a little before my boat, did by appointment take opportunity of asking the King's leave that we might make full use of the want of money, in our excuse to the Parliament for the business of tickets, and other things they will lay to our charge, all which arose from nothing else: and this the King (age 37) did readily agree to, and did give us leave to make our full use of it. The ship being well launched, I back again by boat, setting Sir T. Middleton and Mr. Tippets on shore at Ratcliffe, I home and there to my chamber with Mr. Gibson, and late up till midnight preparing more things against our defence on Thursday next to my content, though vexed that all this trouble should be on me.
Pepy's Diary. 24 Mar 1668. Up pretty betimes, and so there comes to me Mr. Shish (age 63), to desire my appearing for him to succeed Mr. Christopher Pett (age 47), lately dead, in his place of Master-Shipwright of Deptford, Kent [Map] and Woolwich, Kent [Map], which I do resolve to promote what I can. So by and by to White Hall, and there to the Duke of York's (age 34) chamber, where I understand it is already resolved by the King (age 37) and Duke of York (age 34) that Shish (age 63) shall have the place. From the Duke's chamber Sir W. Coventry (age 40) and I to walk in the Matted Gallery; and there, among other things, he tells me of the wicked design that now is at last contriving against him, to get a petition presented from people that the money they have paid to W. Coventry (age 40) for their places may be repaid them back; and that this is set on by Temple [Map] and Hollis (age 25) of the Parliament, and, among other mean people in it, by Captain Tatnell: and he prays me that I will use some effectual way to sift Tatnell what he do, and who puts him on in this business, which I do undertake, and will do with all my skill for his service, being troubled that he is still under this difficulty.
Before 13 May 1680 Jonas Shish Shipwright (age 75) died.
Evelyn's Diary. 13 May 1680. I was at the funeral of old Mr. Shish (age 75), master-shipwright of his Majesty's (age 49) Yard here, an honest and remarkable man, and his death a public loss, for his excellent success in building ships (though altogether illiterate), and for breeding up so many of his children to be able artists. I held up the pall with three knights, who did him that honor, and he was worthy of it. It was the custom of this good man to rise in the night, and to pray, kneeling in his own coffin, which he had lying by him for many years. He was born that famous year, the Gunpowder-plot, 1605.
Records of the High Court of the Admiralty 13 27 Folio 47 Recto. and put aboard a hoy belonging to one Gilbert Waters of Yarmouth (he the said Gilbert being Master of her) the full number of one and fifty loades of planks or thereabouts which came out of Earsham Parke, and one load of plancks or thereabouts that came from Colsill in Norfolk to be brought and delivered to one Mr William Castle of Redriffe a Shipwright dwellinge there, but denyeth that the said plancks or any part of them were the plancks or timber that grew in that division betweene the hedge and the pale aforesaid bought by the said Jonas Shish for the use of this Comonwealth, but were plancks which came of timber that grew in other divisions separate from that division betweene the hedge and pale, And this he knoweth to be true, he this rendent having sent the said 51. loades of plancks distinct by themseves out of other divisions to Yarmouth to be put on board the hoy of the said Gilbert Waters for the use of the said Mr William Castle, and to the use of noe other person whatsoever, And did signe a Bill of Ladeing for the delivery of the same at Redriffe to the said Mr Castle as aforesaid, And hee believeth that he was to give an Account for all the said 51. loades of plancks unto the said John Tanner and Henry Richardson as his partners, And otherwise he doth not believe the said Article to be true in any parte thereof.
Note 5. To the 5th pretended article he answereth and believeth That he thus rendent being not acquainted with the Contents of the Contract made betweene the said John Tanner and Henry Richardson and the said Jonas Shish, hee this rendent did sell out of the division sould to the said Jonas Shish as aforesaid, one piece of timber and not more which piece of timber he sold unto the arlate Edgar for the sum of 1. li 13 s and noe more, and since the said sale and receipt of 1. li 13 s as aforesaid, he this rendent hath given satisfaction to the said Jonas Shish in other plancks of this rendents owne in a far greater summe then 1. li 13 s that there remaineth of the plancks and timber bought by the said Shish of the said Tanner and Richardson the number of ten loads and noe more as hee beleeveth the quantity of [LH MARGIN which hath bin delivered to the said Shish in other timber and plancks in [?XXX] of the same And otherwise saveing his former answere he doth not believe the said Article to be true in any parte
To the 6th pretended Article he answereth and believeth That the timber and plancks now controverted when they were first delivered into the said Gilbert Waters his hoy of Yarmouth
[his son] Thomas Shish Shiwright was born to Jonas Shish Shipwright.
Foresight. A class 4th Rate Frigate, built by Jonas Shish Shipwright, at Deptford in 1650. Wreckined in 1698.