Wooden boat building has a
long-standing history in
Trinity. In fact, it dates
back to the late 1700s to the
time of the early English-
Newfoundland fish merchants
who brought their master boat
builders with them when they
came to settle along the
rugged coastline of

Newfoundland.
   
   The last wooden boat
building family in Trinity
was the Vokey’s, who under
the guidance of Henry Vokey
began their career in wooden
boat building in the 1960s.
The shipyard that he owned
and operated functioned until

1990, when it closed due to
the change in market demands
for vessels. This project
focuses on the skills of
master boat builder Henry
Vokey and his life of
building wooden vessels.
   
   This online exhibition
allows visitors to view and

understand the life of Henry
Vokey and the role that he
played in the shipbuilding
industry in the Town of
Trinity, and also the
influence that he had on many
boat builders in the
province. It presents a
perspective of how one man
was able to turn a passion of