J. & C. Eskriett, shipwrights, joiners & box makers c1880s.

A large, original photograph printed by Joseph Samuel Bullen of 183 Freeman Street, Grimsby. J. S. Bullen, an Irishman, established his photographic business in Grimsby c1905. This photo, therefore, must be a post-1905 print from an earlier glass plate negative. The photograph comes from the Edith Mary Eskriett collection. Edith died in 1989.

John Eskriett (1843-1917) and Cyrus Eskriett (1848-1926) were sons of Joel and Elizabeth Eskriett of Hillam, near Monk Fryston, Yorkshire (Selby District).

The Yorkshire brothers were shipwrights. They set up their shipwrights, joiners and box makers business in Orwell Street, Grimsby before 1882. By 1885, they are listed as ship builders on Fish Dock Road.

In 1886, the wooden ketch ‘City of York’ GY.37 was built for John Eskriett of Weelsby by G. & T. Smith of Rye, Sussex. In 1891, she was in a collision with ‘Eos’ off Spurn Point.

By 1893, John Eskriett residing at Orrington Street(?), Great Grimsby and Cyrus Eskriett residing at Orwell Street, Great Grimsby had ceased trading as J. & C. Eskriett at the Fish Docks, Great Grimsby, smack owners, ship carpenters, boat builders and saw mill proprietors. There is no mention of them in the local 1909 directory.

Cyrus was still working as a shipwright in 1923 along with his son, Joel (named after his grandfather). Joel’s daughter, Edith Mary Eskriett (1907-1989) had a collection of family photos from where the above photo comes.