Miller Apprentice 1901 Census.

[benny1982]

Hi

My great grandfather Richard Titshall was born on 31 August 1883 in Letheringham in Suffolk, into a generation of millers.

I assume that he finished schooling in around 1897 when he turned 14 and this is probably when he started his miller apprenticeship as in the 1901 census he was a "Miller Apprentice" aged 17 in Letheringham. I know where the mill was.

By around 1909 he was living in Stambridge in Essex and wed there in September 1911, by then he was a cobbler. Initially when he first moved to Essex, he worked as a miller, family stories have said.

I know that an apprenticeship lasted for 7 years in the 18th and 19th centuries but had it changed by 1901? I am trying to narrow down when he moved from Suffolk to Essex.

Family lore says that he went to work at the Rankin Mill in Stambridge. I am sure he'd finish his apprenticeship in Suffolk before moving to Essex.

Ben

[Marie C..]

If he was" born into a generation of millers "then might not his apprenticeship have been served with his own father or another relation ? In which case it might not have been for the full seven years. Did you find any papers concerning this apprenticeship. Then he moved to Essex and later became a cobbler/shoemaker. Well maybe he became unwell from the flour dust or whatever or maybe mills closed down and he turned his hand to whatever there was. I am just supposing. M
Ps appropos of nothing apart from interest... was William Titshall one of yours? He went from a Suffolk MIll to Wortwell Mill in Norfolk some time in the late 17OO's.

[benny1982]

Hi Marie C

Richard's father Jesse had been dead for nearly 7 years before the 1901 census. He died in 1894.

I havent yet found any papers. I know apprenticeship records survive for the 18th ecntury but do they survive for as late as 1901 ish? I think the mill owner was not a relation.

Could this help?

He'd have turned 21 in 1904.

Ben

[Marie C..]

You are probably right Ben, in that he finished his apprenticeship before he left Suffolk. I was wondering why he hadn't taken over his Jesse's mill when he died but of course he was only 11 then so guess it was taken over by someone else(unless the widow kept it and got someone in to work it or did she re-marry?). Whatever, the boy served an apprenticeship and moved to Essex. (Did his wife come from Essex?) and for whatever reason gave up milling and became a cobbler.
Suffolk record office may hold apprenticeship records. Do not know dates they ceased.
In some record offices are Millers Company books. These were registers of apprentices and the dates. See if Suffolk RO has one for Letheringham.
Another thing is the Norfolk windmill site www.norfolkmills.co.uk has an article about the Kellingpostmill.
Have you seen it. It mentons apprenticeships and indentures etc. M

[benny1982]

Hi Marie

His mum never remarried but by 1894 when she was widowed, her eldest child was 14 and she was a charwoman in 1901 so she managed as a widow with 9 children. By 1901, one other son was a groom and the other was a farm labourer aged 13. Hard times.

I think Richard probably served an apprenticeship and finished it aged around 21 in Suffolk before even considering a move to Essex. I estimate a move to Essex in about 1904-1906. His wife was from Essex so he met her there.

It would have taken time for him to move there, work in the Essex mill, become a cobbler then meet and court with Olive Taylor before getting married to her by 1911, so I'd say that was at least 3 to 5 years so he must have left the tranquility of Suffolk for bustling market town of Rochford in about 1904 ish. I would like to find a reference to his residence around that time.

Stambridge and Rochford are virtually adjoined.

Ben

[Jan1954]

Ben,

As Richard would have been old enough to vote in 1904, have you considered a search of the electoral registers?

[Marie C..]

Where was Olive Taylor in the 1901 census. Could she have gone to Suffolk as a servant and they met there and she took him back to her home place... as some of mine seemed to do. . If Jesse's widow didn't remarry then the mill would have been taken over by someone else and there would have been no work there for her boys when grown.
Have you looked at Seax. Sign on as a guest and see if they have anything on either Titshall or Taylor. M

[benny1982]

Hi

I had never thought of Electoral Registers for Richard before. I have a lot of experience with London ones so I will no doubt find it easy with Suffolk or Essex ones. This could narrow down the estimated move date even more.

Olive Taylor is living in Stambridge in 1901 census aged 13. That could be an idea that they met through service.

Ben

[Jan1954]

I had never thought of Electoral Registers for Richard before. I have a lot of experience with London ones so I will no doubt find it easy with Suffolk or Essex ones. This could narrow down the estimated move date even more.
Good luck! http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee187/Jan_07/crossedfingers.png

[benny1982]

Hi Marie C

I have tried Seax and have found a few references to Taylor and none to Titshall but found they have given an index of what they have there as well so that could be good for finding Richard and Olive.

Ben

[Marie C..]

Have you seen this site Ben http://www.millsarchive.com
They have a section on family research.
OH's family back a bit were millers on both sides three generations. One side had Jesse ,father son and grandson.
Mills declined in Suffolk Norfolk even before1900 but def. since then for variety of reasons . M

[benny1982]

Hi

Thanks. That seems an interesting site. I am sure I will find Richard Titshall in eithe electoral rolls and maybe mill records.

Ben