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#1
20-03-13, 20:04
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Apprenticeship question
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. Last edited by Lindsay; 20-04-13 at 16:35. 
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#2
20-03-13, 20:37
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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.
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#3
20-03-13, 21:08
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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.
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#6
22-03-13, 18:25
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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trade of weaving dying out and the children of weavers being apprenticed to watchmakers as that trade took off and superseded it.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
__________________
"Keep your dreams as clean as silver" John Stewart 1939 - 2008
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#8
22-03-13, 22:54
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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?
__________________
Joseph Goulson 1707-1780 My sledging hammer lies declined, my bellows too have lost their wind My fire's extinct, my forge decay'd, and in the dust my vice is laid My coal is spent, my iron's gone My nails are drove, my work is done Lord receive my soul
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#9
23-03-13, 07:00
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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
__________________
 ALLAN
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#10
23-03-13, 10:59
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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).
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