Harry Dring papers, 1890-1986

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Creators:
Dring, Harry
Abstract:
The collection consists of papers kept by Harry Dring, as Supervisor of Ships Restoration and Maintenance and later Conservator of Ships for the National Park Service, from 1954 to his retirement in 1982. The papers consists of correspondence, contracts, weekly work summaries, journals, articles, and logbooks. The bulk of the collection is from the period 1959-1977, during Dring's employment as Restoration & Maintenance Manager with San Francisco Maritime State Historic Park. The subject of the materials is primarily the maintenance and restoration of the historic ships.
Extent:
18.5 linear ft.
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

Although Dring collected material in his files dating to as early as 1890, the collection consists of files he kept during the period of 1954 to his retirement in July of 1982. It consists of 20 linear feet housed in 30 boxes. There are 375 folders containing correspondence, contracts, weekly work summaries, journals, articles, and logbooks. Three oversize folders contain a scrapbook with clippings about the Haslett Warehouse, a National Environmental Study Area Certificate, and "California Living Magazine" (11/12/1967).

The bulk of the collection is from the period 1959-1977, during Dring's employment as Restoration & Maintenance Manager with San Francisco Maritime State Historic Park (SFMSHP). After the transfer of SFMSHP to the National Park Service (1977), Dring served as Conservator, Historic Ships until his retirement in Summer 1982. Items in the files dated later than 1982 were probably placed there by Dring's successor Steve Hastings (Marine Maintenance Foreman).

The contents of this collection were organized and inventoried by drawer on July 6 and 7, 1987 as they were removed from the Eureka Wheelhouse which served as Harry Dring's office for the Ship Maintenance Division. The order of the files as recorded in the 1987 inventory has been retained as it is the order in which the files were maintained when active. (An exception to this is the collection of Weekly Work Summaries, which have been extracted from various boxes and housed together in Boxes 29 and 30.)

The subject content of this collection deals primarily with the maintenance and restoration of the historic ships then (1959-1963) berthed at the Oakland Estuary, and later Hyde Street Pier, throughout Mr. Dring's employment as Supervisor of Ships Restoration and Maintenance. Material focussing specifically on the historic ships includes drydock contracts, engine contracts, surveys, inspection, historical and restoration information. There is technical information used for reference on preservation materials and methods. Other reference material includes information on non-National Park Service ships including Wawona and the Falls of Clyde. Finally, there are park-related documents on a variety of subjects, as well as documents from outside but closely related organizations.

Biographical / historical:

Mr. Harry (Harrison) Joseph Dring was an important figure in maritime preservation, eventually becoming responsible for the largest fleet of historic ships in the world at the National Maritime Museum in San Francisco.

Harry was a foremast hand on the final voyage of the last American square-rigger, the bark Kaiulani. She left San Francisco in September, 1941, loaded lumber at Aberdeen, Washington, and sailed around Cape Horn to Durban, South Africa. When the voyage ended in 1942 at Sydney, Australia, Harry was second mate. He returned to America where in 1943 he married a girl he had met in Aberdeen, Matilda Tesia, and settled in that city after wartime service in the merchant marine.

His former shipmate on the Kaiulani, Karl Kortum, brought him to the Maritime Museum in 1954 to assist in the restoration of the sailing ship Balclutha. He subsequently served as the ship's manager and became the supervisor of restoration for the State of California's newly-acquired fleet of historic ships: schooner C.A. Thayer, steam schooner Wapama, scow schooner Alma, and ferry Eureka. Kortum recalls that Harry made a "priceless contribution" to the Museum, "he was full of energy, full of resourcefulness."

Harry remained in charge of the vessels after they were placed at Hyde Street Pier. When the fleet was acquired by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1977, Harry was appointed as the first Conservator of Ships for the National Park Service. "He knew as much as any man alive about preserving ships, he was a walking encyclopedia of the sea," according to William G. Thomas, park superintendent and long-time friend. "He was a man without pretense. He was known and liked from one end of the waterfront to the other. His life was saving ships."

His battles with bureaucracy were legendary. As a result of his bluff outspokenness in defense of the historic vessels, he became known as "Give 'em hell Harry." Said the San Francisco Chronicle: "He always thought of himself as a sailor above all, refused to wear neckties, scorned the praise of politicians, however well-meant, and never used his real first name--which was Harrison."

He died in Vallejo, California on January 20, 1989.

Reprinted from Sealetter, Fall/Winter 1988/89, page 36.

Acquisition information:

Acquisition:

Accession SAFR-1 transfer From National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized in 17 series by subject, as follows: 1. Alma (scow schooner), 1902-1985 (Box 1-2); 2. Balclutha (ship, 3m), 1952-1986 (Box 2); 3. Eppleton Hall (paddle tugboat), 1969-1985 (Box 3); 4. Eureka (ferry), 1888-1986 (Box 3-4); 5. Matilda D. (felucca), 1975-1985 (Box 4); 6. Hercules (tugboat), 1906-1985 (Box 5); 7. Small craft collection, 1975-1982 (Box 5); 8. Partial vessels, 1856-1983 (Box 5); 9. Tubbs Cordage Company building, 1963-1983 (Box 6); 10. Interviews with "Old Salts", 1985 (Box 6); 11. Miscellaneous technical, 1943-1985 (Boxes 6-7); 12. C.A. Thayer (built 1895; schooner, 3m), 1895-1984 (Boxes 7-9); 13. Wapama (built 1915; steam schooner), 1935-1985 (Boxes 9-10); 14. Non-National Park Service ships, 1891-1985 (Boxes 12-13); 15. Miscellaneous, 1890-1987 (Boxes 14-24); 16. Maintenance journals, 1960-1985 (Boxes 25-28); 17. Work summaries, 1959-1979 (Boxes 29-30).

Physical location:
Historic Documents Department
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Archives, Personal Papers, and Manuscripts. and Describing Archives

Access and use

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030
Website