Boilermakers

[pmouritsen]

Most of the male members of my family seem to have been in the metal working trades. Most were boilermakers. Others were engine smiths, hammermen, gun lock forgers, or black smiths.

I suppose that there must have been some kind of apprenticeship for these trades with a written indenture. Were these documents collected and recorded somewhere. How does one find them?

[Peter_uk_can]

In the UK, Boilermakers, Platelayers and similar trades had very strong unions.

In fact, it was so strong in the shipbuilding industry, that several men and their "mates" all from from different unions, were often required to fasten two pieces of steel together because the thickness, and operations were all controlled by the different unions.

I have never researched Unions, but it is possible that their respective archives may hold some info.

[Colin Moretti]

In the UK, Boilermakers, Platelayers and similar trades had very strong unions. ... possible that their respective archives may hold some info.Many trades unions' archives are held at Warwick University; here's a list, it includes a number that represented boilermakers:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/catalogues/unions/

Colin

[Geoffers]

Most of the male members of my family seem to have been in the metal working trades..........I suppose that there must have been some kind of apprenticeship for these trades with a written indenture. Were these documents collected and recorded somewhere. How does one find them?

It depends on when - for the most part, apprenticeships were private agreements and records do not exist; but there are circumstancs under which you may find something. As mentioned, when would help - also maybe, where.

[Peter_uk_can]

Some companies have had the foresight to send their company books etc to local or national archives, so it is always worth searching company or possible company names. It is very hit and miss, but one never knows the answer is "nil" until one asks, and aaks again, because things change.

[pmouritsen]

Thank you for the suggestions. The case That I am particularly interested in is that of my ancestor, Aaron Painter.

He was born (I think) in Wednesbury in 1799. His father was a gun lock forger. A few years later he shows up as a boiler maker at the dockyards in Woolwich. I was trying to find out where he learned his trade and I was hoping that the indenture might tell me more about his parents.

I understand that there was a tax on apprenticeship indentures at the time, but I am not sure what kinds of records were kept.

[Mutley]

I doubt this will help but my dad was a Boiler Maker.
He is long gone so I cannot ask him but I seem to remember he started work on the railways as an apprentice. He then joined the Army.

Following that, he worked on a ship and then in the Print as a Boiler Maker and I know he was a member of a Union. He always seemed proud to be a Boiler Maker and that was what he always replied when asked his occupation.

Coincidently he came from South London and would have know Woolwich very well.

I believe the Originsnetwork site has some apprenticeship records

[Geoffers]

I understand that there was a tax on apprenticeship indentures at the time, but I am not sure what kinds of records were kept.

The returnss of the Board of Stamps, Apprenticeship Books provide limited information from the mid-18th century onwards and ceased in 1811. I would doubt your chap born 1799 would appear.

If he was apprenticed on the parish (if dad was poor and the family recieved financial assistance) then there might be some record kept; but other than that indentures were mostly private agreements. You might find a collection at a record office covering Woolwich; also the Society of Genealogists has a collection of indentures.

If he was apprenticed to a large company and worked for them, there may be company records deposited at a record office which mention apprentices.

[pmouritsen]

Thank you again for the suggestions. Peter, you mentioned that it might be possible to find the records of an employer.

I found this item on Genuki for Wednesbury: "During the last 15 years the parish has participated largely in the manufacture of wheels, axles, shafts, and nearly all sorts of iron work for the railways, except the rails. Messrs Lloyds, Foster, & Co, of the Old Park Works, employ more than 1200 hands in smelting iron, and in the manufacture of bar iron, steam engines, boilers, railway wheels, turn tables, and a great variety of cast iron articles." (History Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire"

I know that my ancestor was in Woolwich by 1827, so the company mentioned might not have been in Wednesbury early enough for him to work there and learn his trade.

Does anyone know where I could find out more about Lloyds, Foster & Co.?

[Peter Goodey]

Does anyone know where I could find out more about Lloyds, Foster & Co.?

See the National Register of Archives -

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=B10269