Apprentice ?

[ware]

My ancestor William Ware was apprentice to a Robert Kitson of Upper Brear, Halifax as stated in the parish register on his marriage in July 1721 ( He was 14 at the time of his marriage, his wife 13.1/2 also stated in the parish register). I cannot find any local reference to his birth or apprenticeship. I assumed he would be a local lad but on reading other entries it seems he could be from anywhere. Any clues on how I may find out about him would be appreciated.

[Peter Goodey]

Try the Apprenticeship Books

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=295

[ware]

Thankyou I will try that

[EVE McL]

My ancestor William Ware was apprentice to a Robert Kitson of Upper Brear, Halifax as stated in the parish register on his marriage in July 1721 ( He was 14 at the time of his marriage, his wife 13.1/2 also stated in the parish register). I cannot find any local reference to his birth or apprenticeship. I assumed he would be a local lad but on reading other entries it seems he could be from anywhere. Any clues on how I may find out about him would be appreciated.

This is really surprising, since an apprentice was normally forbidden from 'committing fornication or matrimony' while under indenture. The one was easier to prevent than the other.
At 14, he would just about have started apprenticeship a few weeks or months before, be living in his matser's house and be completely unpaid. I seems extraordinary that he would be allowed to marry.
The ages of the two are ludicrously young, so there must have been some extraordinary circumstance. Does it actually set out in so many words that these are the ages involved, or is this derived from a date of baptism? There must be a story behind it - mere pregnancy would not have been enough.
This is the period when the Apprentice Tax was levied, and the TNA entry for William will show his father's name and occupation (till 1750 only) Only if he was apprenticed for a token amount to a close relative would the apprenticeship be exempt from tax.

[michaelpipe]

The ages of the two are ludicrously young, so there must have been some extraordinary circumstance.

From 29 September 1653, the legal age for marriage was fixed at 16 for a man and 14 for a woman but the law was changed in 1660 and the ages of marriage reverted to 14 for the groom and 12 for the bride until the Marriage Act of 1753, which made it illegal for those in England under the age of 21 to get married without the consent of their parents or guardians.

[ware]

Hi Eve, I know the entry seems weird but I found the marriage on the Genuki Yorkshire site under the Nothowram register in Dickensons book on page 216 where he states the apprenticeship and the ages of both William and Sarah Edwards. The marriage must have laster as they had a son Edwards Wear and a number of daughters. I dont know when I will be able to visit London to check out the Apprentice books but it will be high on the agenda when I do.
Regards
Trevor

[Geoffers]

The Board of Stamp Apprentice books are available on CD from The Parish Chest (http://www.parishchest.com/shop/index.php?cmd=viewproduct&cat=&id=P15478&pageOffset=0) - the original records are not indexed.

[Kerrywood]

My ancestor William Ware was apprentice to a Robert Kitson of Upper Brear, Halifax as stated in the parish register on his marriage in July 1721 ( He was 14 at the time of his marriage, his wife 13.1/2 also stated in the parish register).


I found the marriage on the Genuki Yorkshire site under the Nothowram register in Dickensons book on page 216 where he states the apprenticeship and the ages of both William and Sarah Edwards.

Just to point out that this reference is not to the parish register of Northowram but to Heywood and Dickenson's registers of nonconformist events. So the marriage would anyway not be recognised by the Anglican Church at that date, and would not be subject to the same restrictions regarding the ages of bride and groom.

You might want to try looking for a later marriage for this couple in the Established Church.

Kerrywood

[ware]

Ahh thanks for that, it just goes to show that you should read from the beginning and not jump into the middle without looking.

[Peter Goodey]

But such a marriage would be valid under English common law. By avoiding the parish church they would also have avoided the need for banns. A degree of secrecy would be very useful to hide the boy's possible breach of the terms of his apprenticeship.

Are these registers extant?

In any case you now know that you need to do some work in the apprenticeship books and in the registers.

[EVE McL]

[COLOR=Black]From 29 September 1653, the legal age for marriage was fixed at 16 for a man and 14 for a woman but the law was changed in 1660 and the ages of marriage reverted to 14 for the groom and 12 for the bride /COLOR].

most families would never give consent - which was required before a marriage could take place, as you will see from marriage registers which even printed this.
The 'legal age' argument rarely works, since no family would normally allow a child to taken on the responsibility of marriage before the finances were in place. The occasional girl married under what would be considered a prudent age, but normally to a man well he senior, able to support her.
Furthermore, a boy under apprenticeship was 'forbidden to marry or commit fornication ' by the indentures which he (and his parents) signed. ASpprentice age was normally 14 for a commercial one (less for a pauper)
Mere wishes on the part of the young couple would not weigh much. The only circumstance where such an early marriage would be allowed by the parents is if it was considered necessary to secure the girl's fortune or create an alliance between two gentry families if she was a major heiress to a title, which might devolve on the family of the husband. However, 'apprenticeship' makes it unlikely that he is in this sort of situation.
This is why i questioned whethere the ages were actually stated in the parish register or if they are deduced from baptisms found, which could well be of young persons rather than babies.

[ware]

hello Eve, the register does actually state that William was an apprentice to Kitson and gives the age of the bride and groom. It doesn't state who gave permission for the marriage or any details of his parents but it does give her father's name.
Regards Trevor