Expert: Mark Smith - 10/6/2004

Question
do you know if ship builders in the 15th century used brass for anyting built on the ship?  i know that there was a shortage of calimine brass, but if queen elizabeth wanted a special ship built, wouldn't she want some things on the ship brass?
what would people of the 15th century have that was made of brass?
thankyou for your time and expertise, and God bless you, jon

Answer
Hello Jon.
This question is veering into the realms of science which is one of my blank spots I'm afraid. But I'll have a go. Brass at that time was particularly used in churches to create the famous church brasses or wall monuments that are seen in most old churches in GB. On ships it would have been used to make the ships bell and other "prestige" metal items. I doubt if ordinary people would have had much, if any, brass in their households, it was a valuable metal in the late Middle Ages. I've found a mention of it's export from England being forbidden during the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47) but why I don't know.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Mark