Joseph Wiltshire pawnbroker apprentice 1893 onwards

[suegarnett]

I'm new to Rootschat and so may not be posting this in the right place.
I am stuck trying to find where my g grandfather did his apprenticeship. Jospeh Wiltshire pawnbroker. He eventually owned 5 pawnbroker shops in the Black Country. He said he trained in London. I found him as a pawnbroker's assistant in Worcester on the 1901 census aged 20. He owned his own shop in Great Bridge in 1903. I found him in newspapers in Worcester in 1901, but cannot find him any earlier anywhere else.
Does anyone have any idea how I could find him as an apprentice or even where he was living between the census'. He was in Kempsey as an 11 year old in 1891.  There are numerous Pawnbrokers Gazettes in the Guildhall but these are not indexed.
Any help gratefully received. Thank you

[maddys52]

Hello suegarnett and welcome to RootsChat.

You may have seen this newspaper item already -
Saturday,  Nov. 2, 1895
Publication: Berrows Worcester Journal

The other boys mentioned in the article, John COMPTON and Charles STALLARD can also be found in Kempsey in the 1891 census and are the same age as Joseph.

As you know, in 1901 he was working for Joseph COLEMAN Ltd. I see that Joseph COLEMAN was born c1849 in Clerkenwell and moves to Worcester between 1881 and 1891. I wonder if he still operated a London based business after 1891, and if this was where your Joseph is said to have been in London?

[maddys52]

As you know, in 1901 he was working for Joseph COLEMAN Ltd. I see that Joseph COLEMAN was born c1849 in Clerkenwell and moves to Worcester between 1881 and 1891. I wonder if he still operated a London based business after 1891, and if this was where your Joseph is said to have been in London?

Maybe not, as I see a mention of Joseph COLEMAN as assistant at WEBB bros, pawnbrokers Corn Market, Worcester in 1882, and manager in 1883.

[amondg]

Perhaps the family story has changed slightly over the years.
 "he was trained by a man from London"?

[suegarnett]

Hi Both
Thank you for this. Yes I also saw a story about a Joseph Wiltshire being cruel to a horse. It could be my g grandad. I also suspect he stayed in the Worcester area.
Joseph Coleman married a Worcs girl in Worcestershire before Joseph W was born. I also wondered if this was the connection, have dismissed it.
I have now seen that Pawnbroker's Gazette is being digitized, but only the 1860s so far.
A few leads to follow up.
Thanks for your time.
Sue