England Licences to Practice Occupations - International Institute

The original content for this article was contributed by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies in June 2012. It is an excerpt from their course English: Occupation Records-Professions and Trades and English: Occupations-Military & Services  by Dr. Penelope Christensen. The Institute offers over 200 comprehensive genealogy courses for a fee ($).

Licences to Practice

Archbishop’ and Bishops’ Licences

Prior to 1858, and sometimes discontinued before that date, certain professions needed a licence to commence their practice from a bishop, and for ecclesiastics sometimes an archbishop. Those affected included:

• Church of England beneficed ministers and unbeneficed preachers from 1604, and some from 1511.
• Midwives, physicians, surgeons from at least 1604 until about 1750.
• Parish clerks from at least 1604 until about 1900.
• Schoolmasters from at least 1604 until about 1850.

Quarter Sessions Licences

The secular authorities required certain tradesmen to be licensed annually in order to exercise some measure of control over them. This was done mainly through the magistrates at the Quarter Sessions. (Camp 1994, Herber). Amongst those who had to be licensed, at Quarter Sessions unless noted otherwise, were:

• ŸBarge and wherry owners with boats over 13 tons from 1795-1871.
  

• ŸBrokers of all kinds except pawnbrokers from 1707 to 1884 through the Court of Aldermen of the City of London.
  

• ŸBrothels in mediaeval times.
  

• Chimney sweeps needed annual police certificates from 1875.
  

• Drovers from 1562-1772.
  

• Establishments having music and dancing since 1752.
  

• Freemasons from 1799 until about 1900.
  

• Gamekeepers from 1710 to about 1860.
  

• Gun owners having property from 1389-1831, and after that anyone could get a game certificate.
  

• ŸItinerant salesmen (badgers, hawkers, higglers, kidders and pedlars) from 1562-1772. Pedlars were licensed by the police from 1871, and hawkers (with a horse) from 1888.Ÿ

• Pawnbrokers needed Revenue licences from 1786, and magistrates certificates from 1872.
  

• Printers from 1799 to 1869.
  

• Publicans from 1552 at Petty Session and 1753 from Quarter Sessions. Not required from about 1830-1869 except for beer shops from 1840.
  

• Shopkeepers’ licences prior to 1772 may be with itinerant’s licences. Sellers of game were licensed from 1831; explosives and fireworks from 1860; and petroleum (gas) from 1862 (but from 1871 by local authorities); perishable goods from 1860 but bakehouses from 1863.
  

• Slaughterhouses from 1786.
  

• Soapmakers from 1833.

Licenses will typically state name, residence, date of issue and particulars of the trade involved and perhaps age. Further discussion and examples are given in the relevant categories in this course.

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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online courses English: Occupation Records-Professions and Trades and English: Occupations-Military & Services offered by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies. To learn more about this course or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at wiki@genealogicalstudies.com

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