Apprenticeship deeds

[CollinEssex]

Does anyone know how you go about finding apprenticeship deeds? I know that you can find taxation records on certain sites, but I am looking for actual deeds (in the Essex area in the first instance). Where might such things be kept and are they generally accessible?

J

[stonechat]

I can't speak for Essex

Generally speaking these were a private document and rarely survive

The taxation documents held by National Archives and now on Ancestry are a good source
Other records that survive is where a parish pays an apprenticeship for a poor child - often survive at record offices

[garstonite]

I still have mine ...lol ...it obviously depends on the trade..
mine state....
The National Joint Council for the Building Industry
11 Weymouth Street
London
W1
 (etablished 1759 )
mine were signed 22/8/1966 ....so I presume 1759 to present day - any building trade will be kept there ....
allan

[diddymiller]

just by googling and looking online i have found that the Essex record office has an online index to holdings:

http://www.essex.gov.uk/Libraries-Archives/Record-Office/Pages/Using-Seax.aspx

Seax is the online computerised catalogue of the Essex Record Office (ERO). It contains written descriptions of every item in the archive, but does not contain the full text of the documents themselves. Some entries have a digital image of the document, picture or map, but not all.

putting in apprenticeships bring up loads of records - so try your search with more specifics ie name!! you may then be able to request a copy of the document.

Diddy

[CollinEssex]

Thanks for the helpful advice folks. Will follow those things up now.

J