Where would I find Apprenticeship documents?

[scml]

Hi all,

I have come to a bit of a brick wall with my 4th gr grandfather John McLean in Lochbroom. He would have been born abt 1772 but other than having his name on two of his childrens death records, I have been unable to find him elsewhere. So..... seeing as he was a Blacksmith, is there any chance there would be records of his Apprenticeship??? I think John McLean lived at Ardcharnich in Lochbroom, but I am not positive of that.
I have my 2nd gr grandfather Thomas Ross McLean on the 1851 Census for Leckmelm, Lochbroom and he is boarding with Alexander McKenzie, Blacksmith and Thomas is listed as Blacksmith App. Would there be documentation of this Apprencticeship? and if so, where should I search.
I would love to find any info on John, if possible.

Thanks,
Sandy

[Russell]

Hi Sandy

I would very much doubt whether there would be any formal records of apprenticeship back then. There were Guilds and craft Societies in larger towns and burghs but in the more rural areas I don't think there was any formal, final acceptance into the craft. The Master would recognize the transition to journeyman status and if the journeyman moved on to work with someone else he might, if the move was acceptable to the Master, be given a note-of-hand to indicate his status.
The qualified tradesman might set up on his own, if he could afford to, and the note would be his evidence of acheivement.
Sometimes some local trades records have survived and are with the local Library service or small museum. We were surprised by the range held in a couple of the borders museums. Things which might just have clues .
Hope you have some luck.

Russell

[scml]

Thanks for your reply Russell, I thought that may be the case, but was kind of hopeing it may not be
Just recently a third cousin of mine, who I have met through my family research found a document from her fathers old papers. It is from 1827 and is the Indenture of some relation when he took up his apprenticeship as a Slater and Tiler in the County of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is an amazing document to read and his term was for 7 years with all sorts of conditions he was bound to. So I thought that perhaps all apprentices may have had to sign something similar, but being such a rural area as Lochbroom, I didn't really expect it to be so. No harm in trying though

Thanks again,
Sandy

[Russell]

Hi Sandy

Sometimes Indenture papers only stated the the name of the apprentice, the time span and what the Master was obliged to supply him with in the way of clothing and aliment. Many apprentices lodged with the Master and unsurprisingly quite a few struck lucky, married the Boss's daughter and fell heir to the business if he had no sons competent to the task.

It was only later in the century when industrialisation was reaching even the more rural areas that apprenticeships were made much more formal.
By the mid 1800's urban areas were setting up trade schools and evening classes so the whole process was formalised and apprentices were expected to turn out 'test pieces' to prove their ability in the craft.
Have a look at this site which might give some ideas.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~coigach/

The museum in Ullapool may have some papers which are not strictly genealogy.

Russell

[scml]

Hi Russell,

Thanks for posting that web site, it is a timely reminder to me to check it again, as I was in touch with Donald McDonald-Ross quite a while ago when starting my research. He really has done a fantastic job and I have spent some time going over it a couple of years back. So I must have another look and see what he has updated.

His research covers mainly Coigach, Altandu and the Reiff area, and at one stage I thought I had a link to there, which unfortunately proved wrong. There are quite a lot of McLeans in that area, but so far my family seems more along the shores of Lochbroom. There are a few more McLean families there, in Ardindrean, Letters etc, which I am sure are brothers of my brickwall, John McLean, so I just have to keep trying to find what I can in that area. But, as you would know, it is getting back to a time when there isn't records for me to find.

I also must contact Ullapool Museum again, as perhaps they will have documentation in other areas, as you say. There must have been letters sent home from my lot over here in Australia, as there were quite a lot of siblings still living there in the mid 1800's. So perhaps I will get lucky.

Sandy