Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
good letter and could usually (if he were a mason, bricklayer or carpenter), make
a plain “draught” of a small building.
A new capitalist breed of bricklayer emerged aspiring to being a 'master builder'
contracting for complete structures, and not just the brickwork, in the fast devel-
oping speculative property market of the hugely influential city of London.
Some of the influential city master bricklayers of the Georgian period were:
William Tufnell
Robert Todd
John Prince
William Stacey
William Emmett
William Whitehead
George Hoare
John Whitehead
Solomon Bray
Francis Read
Joseph Pratt jnr.
Martin Stutely
Such craftsmen, Russell and Chris (1996, 29) record:
Often worked on each others' contracts and consequently a system of barter was
widespread. Houses were frequently built with very little money actually changing
hands.
Obviously there were many times when brickwork had to be charged for and
in such instances contracts would be drawn up in a perfectly legal manner.
Payment 'by the piece' was a popular eighteenth-century craft practice and
price topics recognised rates on a rod of bricks laid, or 272 square feet (25
square metres) of wall; about 4,500 bricks on a one-and-a-half brick thick wall.
How gauged work was measured and priced in this period can be assessed by
studying Neve (1726, 12):
[Of meafuring Arches]. In meafuring of them, whether they are Straight, or
Circular; they muft be meafured in the middle, i.e. If a ftraight Arch be twelve
Inches in height, or depth, the length muft be meafured in the middle of the
twelve Inches, which length will be no longer than if it were meafured at the under-
fide, next to the head of the Window, by fo much as one fide of the fpringing of the
Arch is skew'd back from the upright of the Jambs, Peers, or Coins of the Windows.
14. Price] For the Workmansfhip of ftraight Arches, well rubb'd, and handfomely
fet (of Brick) in London, about 8d. or 9d. per Foot; but in fome parts of Sussex and
Kent, they will not do it under 12d. per Foot, running Meafure. But in London, if
the Workmen find Materials, then 'tis about 10d. or 12d. per Foot.
Skeen, or Scheam Arches, and Elliptical ones; of rubb'd Brick, are common about
the fame Price with ftrait ones. But Sheam Arches of unrub'd Bricks are commonly
included with the plain Work, unlefs the plain Work be done at a reafonable Price:
But you muft here note, that the Mafter of the Building (or Owner) is at the charge
of the Centers to turn the Arches on; and not the Workman, unlefs he be allow'd
for it in the Price of the work.
