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The Common Room / Re: Apprenticing to your own father?
« on: Sunday 17 December 23 17:52 GMT (UK) »
In the early 1800s my great x2 grandfather's eldest brother was apprenticed to their father, a clock and watchmaker, using the standard apprenticeship documentation but without any sum entered.
The standard apprenticeship agreement was onerous in what the apprentice could and couldn't do, what their wages would be year by year and how long they had to serve.
Using this for his son ensured that my great x 3 grandfather could ensure that his son stayed on the straight and narrow, where he could go in his spare time and basically who he was allowed to consort with. This was in a south coast fishing village that certainly had smuggling connections like most did, had local coastal traders based in the town and had visiting coastal traders. There was a 'lively' official pub trade and no doubt many semi official beer houses where other 'entertainments' were available. Years ago I spent ages listing all the pubs, hotels and beer seller establishments listed in the 1841-1911 censuses for Littlehampton where I live and I found many beer houses that were in one census but not the next where there were lots of younger ladies listed as living there along with the lady head of the place - this was in and around the road alongside the River Arun which was then navigable for several miles inland so very busy trading place.. No doubt these younger tenants provided the other 'entertainments' for the sailors!
Interestingly my ancestor was apprenticed to a father & son shoe/boot maker establishment and I have his apprenticeship agreement document which was actually unenforceable as the legal bod who added all the names, dates etc. to the standard printed form made a significant error which basically invalidated it. The agreement was held in some regard - not - as someone placed a tea mug on it leaving a lovely ring stain, fortunately on the back of the thick parchment so none seeped through to damage the text.
The standard apprenticeship agreement was onerous in what the apprentice could and couldn't do, what their wages would be year by year and how long they had to serve.
Using this for his son ensured that my great x 3 grandfather could ensure that his son stayed on the straight and narrow, where he could go in his spare time and basically who he was allowed to consort with. This was in a south coast fishing village that certainly had smuggling connections like most did, had local coastal traders based in the town and had visiting coastal traders. There was a 'lively' official pub trade and no doubt many semi official beer houses where other 'entertainments' were available. Years ago I spent ages listing all the pubs, hotels and beer seller establishments listed in the 1841-1911 censuses for Littlehampton where I live and I found many beer houses that were in one census but not the next where there were lots of younger ladies listed as living there along with the lady head of the place - this was in and around the road alongside the River Arun which was then navigable for several miles inland so very busy trading place.. No doubt these younger tenants provided the other 'entertainments' for the sailors!
Interestingly my ancestor was apprenticed to a father & son shoe/boot maker establishment and I have his apprenticeship agreement document which was actually unenforceable as the legal bod who added all the names, dates etc. to the standard printed form made a significant error which basically invalidated it. The agreement was held in some regard - not - as someone placed a tea mug on it leaving a lovely ring stain, fortunately on the back of the thick parchment so none seeped through to damage the text.