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Apprenticeship in London and Borough Towns (view source)
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Guilds similar to those in London arose in much the same way from religious fraternities in many provincial boroughs and cities in the 12th century. They flourished in medieval times, controlling the quality and price of the goods produced by their members, but declined rapidly after the Reformation and had largely disappeared by the early 17th century. In some place, however, guilds were founded at later dates, and were characterised by amalgamation and subsequent decline. A few guilds or companies continue today, but usually have only social and charitable purposes.<br> | Guilds similar to those in London arose in much the same way from religious fraternities in many provincial boroughs and cities in the 12th century. They flourished in medieval times, controlling the quality and price of the goods produced by their members, but declined rapidly after the Reformation and had largely disappeared by the early 17th century. In some place, however, guilds were founded at later dates, and were characterised by amalgamation and subsequent decline. A few guilds or companies continue today, but usually have only social and charitable purposes.<br> | ||
Some towns such as Preston in Lancashire had a single guild, called a Guild Merchant, with a large membership, but in other towns there were many small guilds. Newcastle upon Tyne had 36. A Guild Merchant to which people practising all kinds of occupations belonged, though its main concern was retail trade, survives at York. Its apprenticeship records have been published on microfiche and include a surprising number of girls. | Some towns such as Preston in Lancashire had a single guild, called a Guild Merchant, with a large membership, but in other towns there were many small guilds. Newcastle upon Tyne had 36. A Guild Merchant to which people practising all kinds of occupations belonged, though its main concern was retail trade, survives at York. Its apprenticeship records have been published on microfiche and include a surprising number of girls. | ||
Shrewsbury is fortunate in having a good number of surviving guild records and many continue to the end of the 18th century. There were originally thirteen companies in Shrewsbury, many of which amalgamated over time so that, for instance, one company covered saddlers, painters, glaziers, plumbers, curriers, tinplaters, booksellers and lorriners. | Shrewsbury is fortunate in having a good number of surviving guild records and many continue to the end of the 18th century. There were originally thirteen companies in Shrewsbury, many of which amalgamated over time so that, for instance, one company covered saddlers, painters, glaziers, plumbers, curriers, tinplaters, booksellers and lorriners. | ||
In Sheffield the records of the Cutlers' Company, which had a strict control over the city's many small workshops, are particularly important, factories not appearing here until the 19th century. The apprenticeships 1624-1791 were printed by R.E. Leader in his ''History of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire in the county of York'' (2 vols., 1906). | In Sheffield the records of the Cutlers' Company, which had a strict control over the city's many small workshops, are particularly important, factories not appearing here until the 19th century. The apprenticeships 1624-1791 were printed by R.E. Leader in his ''History of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire in the county of York'' (2 vols., 1906). | ||
In many places the powers of the guilds passed in the second half of the 16th century by charters of incorporation to the governing bodies of their towns. In these boroughs the corporations enrolled those who had completed their apprenticeships and admitted them as freemen. This gave them the right to trade in the borough (until 1835) and a vote at borough and, in some places until 1918, at parliamentary elections. | In many places the powers of the guilds passed in the second half of the 16th century by charters of incorporation to the governing bodies of their towns. In these boroughs the corporations enrolled those who had completed their apprenticeships and admitted them as freemen. This gave them the right to trade in the borough (until 1835) and a vote at borough and, in some places until 1918, at parliamentary elections. | ||
Freedom could be obtained by servitudem patrimony and (until 1835) redemptionm and in some towns it could also be gained by marriage to the widow or daughter of a freeman. In the first two categories the details recorded usually include the father's name and place of residence. In most towns, other than London and York, women were not admitted to the freedom. As in London applicants for the freedom of the borough had usually to be free of the guild or company, though at Alnwick one had to be free of the town before one could become free of a guild. | Freedom could be obtained by servitudem patrimony and (until 1835) redemptionm and in some towns it could also be gained by marriage to the widow or daughter of a freeman. In the first two categories the details recorded usually include the father's name and place of residence. In most towns, other than London and York, women were not admitted to the freedom. As in London applicants for the freedom of the borough had usually to be free of the guild or company, though at Alnwick one had to be free of the town before one could become free of a guild. | ||
The numbers of freemen in almost every pprovincial town declined rapidly after 1800. In most places only about half the adult male labour-force had at any time consisted of freemen, though control must have varied from place to place. In early times the completeness of the registration may be suspect and later some men avoided freedom because of the expense involved. | The numbers of freemen in almost every pprovincial town declined rapidly after 1800. In most places only about half the adult male labour-force had at any time consisted of freemen, though control must have varied from place to place. In early times the completeness of the registration may be suspect and later some men avoided freedom because of the expense involved. | ||
to | '''Records'''. The surviving records of the companies are usually found, along with the freedom rolls, in the city archives or appropriate record offices. Published freedom rolls include those for Bristol, Canterbury, Chester (to 1805), Coventry, Exeter, Gloucester, Guildford, Lancaster, Leicester, Newcastle upon Tyne (to 1710), Norwich (to 1752), Oxford (apprentices to 1800) and York (to 1759). If the freeman elected a representative to Parliament then a printed or manuscript poll book may give their names and from 1832 to 1918 they will appear in electoral registers. | ||
At Liverpool Record Office there is, in addition to the usual record of freemen, a series of certificates brought to Liverpool by freemen of other boroughs who wished to work there. They came from various places in cluding London and Bristol and there are a number from Wexford and Waterford in Ireland 1754-1841. Similar records may exist in other places where the vestiges of some trade restriction still remained. | |||