Chas. Jenkins – Shipbuilder in Kingston, Ontario

Chas. (Charles) Jenkins was a shipbuilder based in Kingston, Ontario, during the mid-19th century. Kingston was a prominent center for maritime construction on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, owing to its strategic location at the juncture of Lake Ontario and the Rideau Canal. The shipbuilding industry in Kingston flourished in the 1800s, with yards producing a wide range of vessels, from schooners and barges to steam-powered ships.

Shipbuilding in Kingston:

During Jenkins’ time, Kingston’s shipyards were essential to supporting the booming trade and transportation networks across Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes. The region’s timber resources and access to waterways made it an ideal location for building wooden-hulled vessels. Kingston’s shipbuilders contributed to both commercial shipping and naval operations, particularly during the War of 1812 and the subsequent expansion of Great Lakes commerce.

Known Vessels Owned/Operated, built for or by

• Queen of the Bay was a two-masted wooden scow-schooner. Scow-schooners were known for their flat-bottomed design, which made them especially useful for navigating shallow waters and transporting cargo in and out of small harbors and rivers. This type of vessel was widely used in the mid-19th century for short-haul freight transport across the Great Lakes. Built in 1858 in Kingston, Ontario, by either Geo. Thurston or Chas. Jenkins, the Queen of the Bay was a 70-foot scow-schooner with two masts. Her flat-bottomed hull and modest dimensions made her ideal for coastal shipping and local trade along Lake Ontario’s busy shipping routes.

.Significance While detailed records on Chas. Jenkins’ entire portfolio may be sparse, his contributions to Kingston’s shipbuilding heritage represent the important role of small-scale shipbuilders in facilitating regional trade on the Great Lakes. Builders like Jenkins supplied vessels that supported the growth of commerce and the development of transportation routes critical to the economic infrastructure of both Ontario and the northeastern United States.

Further Resources:

For more detailed historical context and records related to Chas. Jenkins and Kingston’s shipbuilding industry, the following resources may provide valuable insights:

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston
• Great Lakes Maritime Database
• Library and Archives Canada