What did a Draper do?

[stanmapstone]

From "Ancestral Trails" by Mark D. Herber, page 386.
"The guilds' power gradually diminished and most of them had ceased to operate by the late 18th. century. London was the main exception, the livery companies remaining important in the regulation of trade until the 19th. century......Some guilds survived in other places, generally as charitable bodies. As the guilds declined, the trade that was actually undertaken by a member became less important, so that a son might follow his father into a particular guild or livery company even though he practised a different trade."   


Stan

[stanmapstone]

I have put that sentence in bold to emphasise it.

Just to add the Statute of Artificers of 1563 made a seven-year apprenticeship compulsory, and restricted entry to certain craft trades. This Statute provided the legal basis for vocational training until 1814 when the 'laissez faire' attitudes of the time opposing any state regulation brought about its abolition.

Stan

[KateW]

Thank you for all these interesting points and information.

This has reminded me about a copy of an 'Indenture' document I have dated 31st July 1805 for an apprentice aged 12 years old, who was Indentured to my 3x Gt grandfather  a Cordwainer in Totnes, Devon.  It is a beautiful document, very wordy and full of legally binding jargon!!  The young lad was 'with him to dwell and serve from the day and date aforesaid until the said Apprentice shall accomplish his full Age of Twenty One years.....during which term...his Master faithfully shall serve in all lawful business...and obediently in all things demean and behave himself towards his said Master during the said term...'  Poor lad it sounds rather like a prison sentence!!   The 'Master' was responsible for providing 'Meat, Drink, Apparel,Lodging, Washing, and other things necessary'
There are several signatories;  Two Justices of the Peace for the Borough and Parish; the Mayor; the Recorder the Churchwarden and Overseer, Executor and Administrator.

The poor lad reached the age of 21 in 1814 which was the year when this level of officialdom seems to have ended!!

[stanmapstone]

This is an Example of an Ordinary Apprenticeship Indenture, I previously posted at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,440923.msg3041326.html#msg3041326

This Indenture Witnesseth That John Smith son of  Thomas Smith of Carlton in the county of  Leicester, Weaver doth put himself Apprentice to John Brown of Carlton in the county of  Leicester aforesaid, Wool comber to learn his Art  and with him after the manner of an Apprentice to serve from the day of the date hereof unto the full end and Term of Seven Years from thence next ensuing and fully to be compleat and ended, during which term the said Apprentice his Master faithfully shall and will serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands every where gladly do, he shall do no Damage to his said Master,  nor see it to be done of others, but to his power shall let or forthwith give Notice to his said Master of the same. The goods of his said Master he shall not waste, nor the same without Licence of his to any give or lend. Hurt to his said Master he shall not do, cause, or procure to be done; he shall neither buy nor sell without his Masters Licence. Taverns, Inns, or Ale-houses he shall not haunt. At Cards, Dice, Tables, or any other unlawful Game, he shall not play. Nor from the Service of his said Master, Day nor Night absent him self, but in all Things as an honest and faithful Apprentice shall and will demean and behave himself toward his said Master and all his during the said Term. And the said John Brown the said Master the said Apprentice in the Art of a Wool comber which he now useth shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed the best way and Manner that he can, finding and allowing unto his said Apprentice sufficient Meat, Drink, Washing, Lodging and al other Necessaries during the said Term of Seven Years and the said Thomas Smith shall find and provide for his said son the said apprentice all manner of wearing apparel linens and woollens Hats and shoes  during the term of his apprenticeship.
And for the true Performance of all and every the Covenants and Agreements aforesaid either of the said Parties bindeth themselves firmly by these Presents. In Witness whereof the parties abovesaid to these Indentures interchangeably have set there Hands and Seals the Third Day of  March in the Second  Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith; and in the year of our Lord 1769.


Stan

[Malcolm33]

   I have just come across a census entry where occupation is shown as 'Master Draper Flying'.   Does anybody know what that might have meant by adding the word 'Flying'?

   In searching the Net I did come across an explanation for the word 'Draper'.   This said that it derives from the French 'Drap-de-Berry' and Berry was a place in France where wool was produced.

    Malcolm

[stanmapstone]

It would help to see the census, can you give the details.

Stan

[Malcolm33]

  This is what I found in Family Search:
England and Wales Census, 1871
     
 Name: James Graham 
 Event Type: Census 
 Event Date: 1871 
 Gender: Male 
 Age: 28 
 Relationship to Head of Household: Self 
 Birthplace: Scotland 
 Schedule Type: Household 
 Registration District: Darlington 
 Sub-District: Darlington 
 Parish: St Cuthbert 
 County: Durham 

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
James Graham  Self M 28 Scotland
Jessie Graham  Wife F 26 Scotland
Alexander Paterson  Nephew M 18 Scotland
John Clark  Nephew M 17 Scotland
William Draffan  Apprentice M 20 Scotland
William Hunter  Apprentice M 18 Scotland
Elizabeth Kay  Servant F 17 Scotland
Christiana Camell  Servant F 16 Sunderland, Durham

   I was really checking on William Draffan and what his apprenticeship might have been.  He went on to become a Draper himself, so this from UKCensusonline made sense:

James  Graham  28  Master Draper Flying  Durham  1843  Scotland 

[stanmapstone]

This is the entry RG10 Piece 4882 Folio 59 Page 24
Stan

[Malcolm33]

Thanks Stan.