Auld Hands (eBook)

The story of shipbuilding in Belfast is legendary—the mighty ships, the towering cranes, the Titanic legacy. Less well known, but just as fascinating, is the remarkable story of the Islandmen—the men who made Belfast's shipyards great.Tom Thompson comes from a proud line of shipyard workers. In 1949, aged sixteen, he started work in Harland & Wolff's Joiners' Shop. He found himself in a new world, of apprentices and Gaffers, Hats and Bulkies, where lunchtime religious services ran alongside illegal gambling, and where hard graft and good craic went hand in hand.This book is a first-hand account of the close-knit community that flourished in the yards, and a wonderful compendium of memories that captures the spirit of a bygone era.

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The story of shipbuilding in Belfast is known throughout the world: the great ships, including Titanic, HMS Belfast and SS Canberra; the towering cranes; its contribution to making Belfast a great industrial city. Less well known, but just as fascinating and illuminating, is the remarkable story of the Islandmen the men who worked in the shipyards and built the world-renowned vessels.Author Tom Thompson comes from a proud line of shipyard workers. In 1949, aged sixteen, he started work at Harland and Wolffs Joiners Shop. He found himself in a new world, of apprentices and Gaffers, Hats and Bulkies; where lunchtime religious services ran alongside illegal gambling, and where hard graft and good craic went hand in hand.This book is a first-hand account of the close-knit community that flourished in the yards, and a wonderful compendium of memories that captures the spirit of a bygone era and provides a fascinating slice of social history.