The T.W. Lawson: The Fate of the World's Only Seven-Masted Schooner

Must have record of world's largest sailing ship ever built

Anyone with a basic knowledge of maritime history or an interest in big American cargo schooners should be drawn to the fascinating subject of this book as was I, the great Thomas W. Lawson. Despite the brevity I learned much about the ship, the man (Thomas W. Lawson), and the men (master, pilot, crew, etc.) but was left disappointed and needing more. Furthermore the technical errors, repetitious writing style and boring conjecture were too much for my taste and detracted largely from the book's credibility. How the author and publisher decided to call the ship T.W. Lawson instead of her proper given name Thomas W. Lawson is beyond my grasp. Nowhere else that I am aware of in Maritime Historical writing is this famous ship refered to by any other name than Thomas W. Lawson. The proper name is clearly shown in every photograph of the stern and the bow on page 54. It is also correctly reported by the London Times on page 135, and correctly refered to in engineer Rowe's 1954 newspaper account.Thomas W. Lawson the man was an interesting figure to be sure, but one paragraph covering the first 43 years of his life, and the first $25 million earned, was not enough to satisfy my inquiring mind. Moreover not enough was written about B.B. Crowninshield nor do we know what he looked like. The backside photo on page 53, while interesting, seems to have been chosen more for its impersonation of a similar view of Donald McKay. I believe more of the author's effort should have been spent on the biographies of these two men.Technical errors abound. The yacht Dreamer (page 29) was a steam "sailer" not "sailor." The draft of the ship was 27', the molded depth was 32' (page 49) whether she was loaded or not. The draft error was repeated on page 58 and again in a silly exchange between mate and pilot (page 112). There were no wireless "phones" (page 34) in 1902, it should read wireless "telegraph." The "openings" (page 49) on deck should read "hatches." The Lawson was a ship not as "boat" (page 33), and she was a schooner not a "sloop" (page 51). If the later was a direct quotation then it needs to be explained. Having the ship fitted with a bow thruster or a small screw aft (page 65) is sheer nonsense. She was a pure sailing ship not an auxilary, and bow thrusters were not even invented for another 50 years. What does the author mean by having the ship "shadowed by a tug" for five years? I submit that the ship used a tug or tugs going in and out of port, but she would not have been "paying off nicely for its owners" if a tug had been following or shadowing on a sea voyage. Finally I find it hard to believe the ship would be sailing to leeward at 12 knots under bare poles (page 71) when her speed under full sail was less than 10 knots (not "knots per hour.")I could go on but will advance to the second half of the book about the Scilly Isles and the wreck which contained too many platitudes and made up dialogue. For example, I submit that cormorants, gulls, auks and petrels are not "rare birds" but common sea birds. The wind did not lift the heavy rowing gig (page 91), the sea did. "The air was filled with oil," (page 122). Does the author mean the air smelled of oil? "Turned turtle," what does the author mean? This is a very un-nautical term that I have never read from any other maritime authority. I found the text very repetitious from start to finish, particularly if you include the annoying sidebars. As far as the pilot's actions are concerned he boarded the ship because he was able too and because that was his profession. If he saw enough to "stand clear when the wild seas decided to take on the Western Rocks," he would not have gone out in the first place. I assure the author and readers that his goal was to save the ship and not to "gain fame throughout the isles." (page 139.) Finally, no pilot would ever call a shipmaster by the title "Mr." (page 107), it is universally "Captain."The high point of the book is the selection of photographs, particularly of the ship, but the captions leave much to desire and could be improved upon. Given the author's obvious enthusiasm for this subject including his own home town of Scituate, also the home of Lawson the man, the drama and the fact that the wreck is still accessible, I would love to see this book expanded, rewritten and reedited, correcting the glaring errors and paying more attention to the details of this great ship and the men involved.

Growing up in Scituate, Massachusetts, I was delighted to find this book and read the account of the T.W.Lawson. Everyone in Scituate is familiar with the Lawson Tower and Dreamwold, Mr. Lawson's former estate. Few of us know the full story of this seven masted schooner. Mr. Hall has indeed travelled extensively doing unlimited research, from many interviews and primary sources to the descriptions of numerous dives on the wreck itself. The plentiful pictures are extraordinary, and demonstrates the extent that Hall went to as he translates his passion for the subject into a special book. As the Lawson sailed across the Atlantic, I felt as if I were along for the ride, even to the dramatic and tragic end at the Isles of Scilly.His detailed passionate narrative and the description of the many trips to the Isles of Scilly brings this story to life. With the publication of this book, he has created a special bond between the town folk of Scituate and the residents of the Isle of Scilly.This books takes its rightful permanent place in my library.

I found the T. W. Lawson in a small bookstore while visiting Boston last fall. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to read the book until January 2008. I wish I read it sooner. Having lived in Atlanta the majority of my adult life, I don't have a deep knowledge or understanding of the seas or sailing, but I do have familiarity with T. W. Lawson as the "Copper King", and I have a keen interest in understanding other aspects of his life. I found the story on T. W. Lawson and his ship quite remarkable, particularly the way in which this colossal maritime event impacted both sides of the ocean. The book held my interest, moves at a good pace, and tells a curious, spirited story. It also contains many fascinating and seemingly rare photographs.First time author, Thomas Hall, clearly puts his passion for this ship and the many lives affected by the wreck on display in his book. His research appears thorough and accurate as evidenced by the numerous interviews he conducted and his many visits to the Isles of Scilly. Mr. Hall, a native of Scituate, Massachusetts, lives in a home that once composed a portion of the Lawson Estate and his commitment to an accurate account of the ship, the wreck, and Mr. Lawson and the lives they touched appears evident.Last month, on a whim, I placed a call to Mr. Hall to discuss the book and his research methods. I found Mr. Hall charming and entertaining, and exhibiting a depth of understanding of the topic that could fill several volumes. Those of us who find these out of the ordinary stories of great interest would delight if Mr. Hall continued to express his passion for the T. W. Lawson by writing and publishing a second book. I strongly recommend this book to all readers who may or may not possess knowledge of sailing and the seas, but who enjoy a well written, factual account of an esoteric event in the history of shipping.

I don't know why, but I have long been fascinated by the Thomas W. Lawson, the only seven-masted schooner every built. I even remember drawing a picture of her in art class so many years ago in high school.She was built as an experiment and to meet what was expected to be changes in the maritime law regarding the manning of sailing ships. The law didn't change, and the experiment didn't work. She was an awkward ship. Too big, too high sided, too short masted, too hard to maneuver, almost too everything it seems.Mr. Hall must have exactly the same fascination that I have with the ship but he did a lot more research in collecting pictures and the story of the ship from it's building in Massachusetts, to its wreck off the coast of England. He even dived on the ship, and includes pictures of how she rests today.This is a fitting tribute to the Lawson and filled my need to know more about her. I thought it a great read.

Lovely book in great condition. Very fast delivery. Enjoyed reading about my great grandfather...Obediah Hicks.