Apprenticeship question

[Lindsay]

I have a man who seems to have swapped from weaver to watchmaker. How likely is it that someone would end an apprenticeship and take up another trade?

WM was apprenticed 5 Feb 1727 as a weaver, about the time he turned 14. I haven't found any other reference to his occupation, but he lived in Cock Lane and was buried Nov 1760.

Ancestry have a book on watch and clockmakers which lists WM who lived in Cock Lane and died before 1761.

There seems little doubt it's the same man (2 of his sons were watchmakers) but it seems odd to me.

[Shona]

Apprentices (or more likely their parents) paid for their places. There were terms and conditions attached to the apprenticeship - no betting, playing cards, etc, etc. If these terms were broken, the apprentice could be dismissed. It is possible that another place was found for William. I try to liken it to students changing courses - not common, but it does happen.

[Lindsay]

It does make sense when you put it that way. I suppose it would be unrealistic to expect every 14 year old to stick to their first choice of career, whatever century they were born in (especially as it was probably more their parents' choice than their own).

It's not an aspect of apprenticeships you hear a lot about, though.

[Shona]

Have you seen his papers? There was a lot more than playing cards and getting drunk that were a no-no - if you see what I mean (nudge-nudge).

[Lindsay]

Yes, they kept them on the straight and narrow (or tried to!)

[Anstey Nomad]

Certainly in Coventry you can see the original trade of weaving dying out and the children of weavers being apprenticed to watchmakers as that trade took off and superseded it.

Two generations later, the watchmakers children were all moving into the cycle factories.

The circle of life I guess.

AN

[Asa]

I have an ancestor who was apprenticed as a blacksmith as a teenager but was a weaver (the family trade) by his early twenties - definitely the same chap

[Glen TK]

I have a clock and watchmaker who never seemed to make it into any records, I know where he lived and have his probate but nothing to suggest when/where he was prior to about 1810.

I live in hope of finding a watch bearing his name in some old car boot then finding he was highly regarded and it's worth thousands..............well a man can dream can't he?

[garstonite]

There is also the Employer ....Apprenticship deeds had to include ANOTHER employer as a back up ...ie ..if Mr Smith went bankrupt or died Mr Jones promised to take on the apprentice ...My Deeds said the same ...
So I would say it`s more than likely that he was "swapped" over by the employer - and not his own choice ....as stated ...you had to pay to be an apprentice and it`s unlikely his parents just let him walk out - and then - start another trade ....
allan

[Lindsay]

Thanks, everyone, glad to hear other people have the same in their trees. :)

[QUOTE=Glen TK;229509]I have a clock and watchmaker who never seemed to make it into any records, I know where he lived and have his probate but nothing to suggest when/where he was prior to about 1810.
QUOTE]

Glen, have you tried the book 'Watch and Clockmakers of the World' on Ancestry?
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=34587
(It's not exhaustive, however, as one of my watchmakers does not appear).

[Glen TK]

I've had a look (only knew it was there because of this thread to be honest) and can't see anything, I'm running wothout a sub but from what I can see there doesn't appear to be anything for him.

[Nell]

In my ex's family there's a chap who was a watchmaker whose son was apprenticed to be a haberdasher. The grandson (son of the haberdasher) became a watchmaker. No idea why the middle generation preferred haberdashery.

[kiterunner]

Maybe his eyesight wasn't good enough for watchmaking?

[garstonite]

Maybe his eyesight wasn't good enough for watchmaking?
A very good point Kate ....