I'm looking for a relative who was a pocketbook maker/leathercase maker/jewelcase maker. I know that he didn't own his own business as i can't find him in any directories. What i'd like to know is does anyone know if there was a guild for these professions and/or a list of apprentices. I'm assuming he would have had to be trained to work in this trade but then wasn't a journeyman and hence worked for someone else.
His name was William Smith and lived in Islington in the 1890's - as you can probably tell not a nice rare name in a small village!! A search for him is proving elusive, i have him in the 1891 census. I don't think he married his partner by whom he had 4 children, (all of which were put into a workhouse by the late 1890's with a note 'deserted by parents'), obviously a marriage certficate would help to trace the family back further but doesn't exist. I'm hoping that apprentice records may have some snippet of information that could provide the next clue.
Any help would be appreciated.
Paula
