Name/Title
Carpenter [Collar Insignia]Description
Collar insignia shaped as a carpenter's broad axe, composed of an axe head and long handle. Hand fabricated and made of coin silver.Context
The Carpenter is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the ship's wooden parts, as well as its water stocks. Typical activities for a Carpenter included caulking the ship's boats, repairing masts and other wooden pieces of the ship, maintaining paddles, and other miscellaneous tasks of carpentry as may be required. The most important task for the Carpenter was maintenance of the ship's hull from attack from barnacles and ship worm.
As a specialist professional whose expertise and authority demanded formal recognition, he is a Warrant Officer and his insignia is silver. The name of the rank originated in medieval England. It was first used during the 13th century, in the Royal Navy, where warrant officers achieved the designation by virtue of their accrued experience or seniority, and technically held the rank by a warrant, rather than by a formal commission (as in the case of a commissioned officer).
The Carpenter, along with the Boatswain and Gunner, remained with the ship even when she was out of commission (e.g. for repair, refitting or replenishment, or while laid up).
This insignia is believed to have been handmade of melted silver coins and/or scrap silver pieces in the Algiers Shipyard, New Orleans, Louisiana.