Genealogy Chat

It might also be worthwhile looking on www.origins.net They have some apprenticeship abstracts for London and a free search facility. Access is then £7.50 for 72 hours or £6.50 for British records only.

Thanks for everyone that has replied. There is a lot of information here and plenty for me to think about. Where to start??!!

Cheers

The missing link was for the Metropolitan Archives in London

This site may help British booktrade archives

http://meanwhile.beds.ac.uk/dav/britishbook/assoc.html

This was someon's answer to a similar question



Apprenticeships were required by law in 1563, but regular recording of these records did not start until 1710 when stamp duty was required to be paid on indenture premiums. Before 1710 most records do not survive unless it has been passed down through the family. The Society of Genealogists has the Crisp collection of about 1500 indentures and some may survive in local studies libraries, local record offices (check for charity and parochial indentures), and for London guild and livery company records might have records which would be at Guildhall Library, as well as the London Foundling Hospital records kept at the London Metropolitan Archives.

From 1710 to 18188 Apprenticeship Books exist which give the master's name, dwelling, and trade, the name of the apprentice (and up until 1752 the name of their father or guardian), date of the indentures, start date and length of the apprenticeship, any transfer details and the premium paid. If the duty was paid in London (and some masters traveled to London to pay the duty and get the indentures stamped), it was recorded in the City (Town) Registers, and locally paid duty was recorded in the Country Registers, but both should be searched. The Apprenticeship Books have a personal name index for masters from 1710-1762, and for apprentices from 1710-1774 available on microfiche, which can be ordered from your local Family History Center ("Apprenticeship books of Great Britain").

From the 18th century on, many trades were learned without a formal indenture, and many were expected to be trained in the family trade. Also, due to a legal ruling, many new trades were exempt from the Statutes of Apprentices, as they were not yet in existence when it was passed in 1563. So family trades and newer trades during this time period will most likely not have apprenticeship records (unless the family contained a master taking in apprentices).

Because your great grandfather was employed in the late-eighteen hundreds, you may want to look at biographical information on the print trade in Great Britain. There is a book by Ifano Jones called "A history of printing and printers in Wales to 1810, and of successive and related printers to 1923. Also, A history of printing and printers in Monmouthshire to 1923." You should be able to get it through inter-library loan at your local library.

Your other source of information may be the trade unions. The trade union branch records would be of most interest, but many of them have been lost. What remains would be located in the local county record office

For anyone looking for the following , from the Guildhall Library

LOCATIONS OF THE COMPANIES' RECORDS

3. The following companies retain their apprenticeship and membership records, and enquiries about them should be made to the Clerk of the company at the address given:


Clothworkers

Clothworkers' Hall, Dunster Court, London EC3R 7AH

Drapers

Drapers' Hall, 27 Throgmorton Street, London EC2N 2DQ

Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths' Hall, Foster Lane, London EC2V 6BN

Leathersellers

Leathersellers' Hall, 15 St Helen's Place, London EC3A 6DQ

Mercers

Mercers' Hall, Ironmonger Lane, London EC2V 8HE

Saddlers

Saddlers' Hall, Gutter Lane, London EC2V 6BR (Note: some records of apprentices 1658-65 and members 1624-6 included in Court minutes in Guildhall Library, microfilm copy of apprentice bindings 1800-1962 held at Guildhall Library)

Salters

Salters' Hall, Fore Street, London EC2Y 5DE

Stationers

Stationers' Hall, London EC4M 7DD (Note: microfilm copies at St Bride Printing Library, Bride Lane, London EC4Y 8EE; appointment necessary to view)

4. The non-current apprenticeship and membership records of the following companies are in Guildhall Library:

Apothecaries, Armourers and Brasiers

Bakers, Barbers (ca. 1540-1745 Barber Surgeons), Basketmakers, Blacksmiths, Bowyers, Brewers, Broderers, Butchers


Carmen, Carpenters, Clockmakers, Coach and Coach Harness Makers, Combmakers, Cooks, Coopers, Cordwainers, Curriers, Cutlers

Distillers, Dyers

Fanmakers, Farriers, Fellowship Porters, Feltmakers, Fishmongers, Fletchers, Founders, Framework Knitters, Fruiterers

Gardeners, Girdlers, Glass Sellers, Glaziers, Glovers, Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers, Grocers, Gunmakers

Haberdashers, Horners

Innholders, Ironmongers

Joiners and Ceilers

Longbowstringmakers, Loriners

Masons, Merchant Taylors#, Musicians

Needlemakers

Painter Stainers, Parish Clerks, Pattenmakers, Paviors, Pewterers, Pinmakers, Plaisterers, Playing Card Makers, Plumbers, Poulters

Saddlers (some only, see paragraph 3), Scriveners, Shipwrights, Skinners, Spectacemakers

Tacklehouse and Ticket Porters, Tallow Chandlers, Tin Plate Workers, Tobacco Pipe Makers, Turners, Tylers and Bricklayers

Upholders

Vintners

Watermen and Lightermen, Wax Chandlers, Weavers

I think there was a museum attached to the London College of printing but it appears to have closed down.

I would suggest the Guildhall or the Metropolitan Archives would be worth contacting.

Please

So would I.
Carol

So would I please

Why was the answer deleted? I would like to know this info as well.

Ozi.

Thanks for that, I will certainly have a look. At least it gives me somewhere to start!!
Cheers

Does anyone know if there are apprenticeship or indenture records for London about 1830-1840 ish for tailors or compositors/printers? Or for tailors/compositors for the south of england 1800-1820 ish??
Where would I find them if they exist??
Cheers