Heber (2009) describes apprenticeship as a “contract by which a boy learned a trade from his master that was controlled by a guild.” This trade would be his way of earning a living for the rest of his life and supporting a family in the future.[1] The National Archives Website states the following in connection with laws governing apprenticeship:
The
Statute of Apprentices passed in 1563, made it illegal for anyone to enter a
trade if they had not first served an apprenticeship. Subsequent Acts of
Parliament and legal judgments modified this statute, which remained in the
statute book until 1814.
The Statute 8 Anne c.5 (1710) made stamp duty payable on apprenticeship
indentures (that is, agreements), but until that time, there was no central
register of apprentices kept in England and Wales. So, you will have to look
for evidence of apprenticeship locally in the surviving papers of firms,
parishes, charities, and individuals. See, for example, WB Stephens, Sources of
English local history (1981).[2]
The document that accompanied an apprenticeship was called an ‘Indenture’ and would contain the following information:
|
Name
of the apprentice |
Name
of the master |
The
trade being taught |
|
The
apprentice’s father |
Terms
of the apprenticeship |
|
Note that sometimes, the occupation and residence of the father are provided along with the date and place of birth of the apprentice. One copy was given to the father, and the master kept the other. Apprenticeships were also recorded in registers, as indicated by the above law. The master would provide housing, clothing, and food along with full training in the specific trade/craft and receive payment for providing the training.
It was against the law to practice a trade without having been apprenticed; fines would be levied, and court records for these types of cases are usually found in the Quarter Session Records. To locate these records, one can check the guild, parish, or taxation records. These arrangements were often private and may only be located in family papers if they have survived. Digitization has made it possible for many of these records to appear online. The National Archives has a collection in their “Documents Online” section called IR 1. This collection is known as the “Apprenticeship Books, 1710-1811”. According to their site,
Duty (taxes) on indentures was payable by the master
at the rate of 6d (sixpence) for every £1 under £50 received for taking on the
apprentice. The rate increased to 1s (shilling) for every £1 over £50. These
duties were due one year after the indenture expired.[3]
The payment of these monies was recorded in registers by Stamp Office clerks. Some of these records are online at FindMyPast.com. According to their site, there are about 350,000 indentures included in this database that cover 1710-1774; interestingly, 20% of these records are Scottish. It is worth mentioning that this particular collection is typewritten abstracts from the originals.[4] Poor law indentures were exempt from this duty. This would mean that the only records available would be the original records created at the time of indenture. If it survived, it would be located among the parish chest records.
Ancestry.com has
some apprenticeship records listed by county, as well as the UK Register of Duties Paid for
Apprentices' Indentures, 1710-1811. Findmypast.com has County
Apprentices from 1710-1808. While visiting the Guildhall Library, I noted that
they have the apprenticeship records of the individual livery companies in
London. These abstracts, along with indexes to the London Apprenticeship
Abstracts from 1442-1850 and Cutlers’ Company Apprenticeships,
are all available online at Findmypast.com. On FamilySearch in the
Research Wiki, there is an excellent article with links to multiple resources under
England Business and Occupations: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/England_Business_and_Occupations.
Familysearch.org also has a collection of these records. A list of them can be
obtained either by using the ‘keyword’ search or checking in a location under
‘occupations,’ ‘guardianship,’ ‘public, ‘or ‘church records.’ To locate them in
the church records, one would need to check the ‘parish chest’ records of the
church; these would be considered ‘poor law apprentices. For instance, just a
quick look under film number 1470829 brings up the following:
Item 1 Apprenticeship bonds of parish
poor children, 1694. West Horsley (Surrey)
Item
2 Apprenticeship bonds of parish
poor children, 1630-1821 Lingfield (Surrey)
Items
3-4 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1802-1823, 1844 Mitcham (Surrey)
Item
5 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1831 Mordon (Surrey)
Item
6 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1778 Nutfield (Surrey)
Item
7 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1833-1839 Petersham (Surrey)
Item
8 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1670-1868 Send (Surrey)
Item
9 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1739-1741 Titsey (Surrey)
Items
10-15 Apprenticeship records of
parish poor children, 1742-1863 Wimbledon (Surrey)
Item
16 Poor law documents, 1659-1860
Betchworth (Surrey)
Items
17-19 Census and electoral papers,
1801, 1811, 1850 & 1852. Bletchingley (Surrey)
Item
20 Statistical census of 1841 (no
names) Capel (Surrey)
Item
21 Papers relating to census
returns, 1831-1841 Cobham (Surrey)
Items
22-24 Census and electoral papers,
1830-1838 Egham (Surrey)
It is worthwhile to see what is available on microfilm from the Family Search Library Catalog; it can be ordered through a Family Search Center or seen right at the Family Search Library in Salt Lake City.
As time continues, more and more of these valuable
records will not only be digitized but also will be located in volumes of books
not even listed or filmed at this time. Apprenticeship records are another
great resource for locating ancestors who learned a trade and need to be
considered as such when doing ancestral research.
[1]
Heber, M.D. (2007). Ancestral trails: the complete guide to British genealogy
and family history. 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing
Co., 2009.
[2] "Apprenticeship records | The National Archives. “The National Archives. N.P., 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/apprenticeship-records.htm>.
[3]
"Apprenticeship
records | The National Archives." The National Archives. N.p., 20
Dec. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/apprenticeship-records.htm>.
[4]
"Apprentices
of Great Britain 1710-1774 | Findmypast.co.uk." Research your family
tree and family history today | Findmypast.co.uk. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov.
2011. <http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/apprentices-of-great-britain/>.
