Depåstopp Masthugget

En kugge i ett globalt servicenätverk för sjöfart 1801–1803.

Abstract

This study focuses on the social and material aspects of maritime history. Maritime production and consumption will be analysed through port services and social maritime networks. The sailing ships required repairs, while their crews’ needed provisions, fresh water, medical care, and other supplies after months at sea. The ‘pit stop’ metaphor refers to the port town as a service hub where ships pulled in for supplies and repairs. I have investigated three ships belonging to the Swedish West India Company 1790-1805, two of which made pit stops in Masthugget/Gothenburg in 1801 and in 1803 respectively as part of their transatlantic journeys. I will demonstrate how professionals such as shipwrights and sailcloth makers, along with the civilian population of bakers, brewers, and glaziers-helped sustain the shipping industry. This analysis is based on receipts from the Swedish West India Company´s archives, which identify individuals and businesses involved, as well as their locations in the city. The support system for both merchant and naval fleets was essential yet has remained an understudied area of research.