These buildings were used to make rope for ship rigging. Please try and stay awake. Ships at the time needed a surprising amount of rope - up to 20 miles of the stuff each, which you'll realize is incredible, if you're a rope nerd. Ahem. The relationship between the British and Bostonians at the time was... a little tense, to say the least. History does not reveal if that worker ever had his shithouse cleaned, but it seems unlikely.