Bookbinders apprenticeship

[Jessie 888]

Does anybody know where I could find any records of bookbinder apprenticeships? My great x3 grandfather, Henry Fothergill, was born in about 1804 (probably in Bristol but no baptism found) and he worked in London as a bookbinder in every census from 1841 to 1871. I'm not sure if he did his apprenticeship in Bristol or in London so any suggestions of sources or places to look would be gratefully received!

[Lesley Robertson]

Do you know which Guild bookbinders fell under? I have been pretty lucky while chasing instrument maker apprentices because the Guilds kept careful records, and looked after them. Ancestry have some Guild and apprenticeship records.

[Jessie 888]

Do you which Guild bookbinders fell under? I have been pretty lucky while chasing instrument maker apprentices because the Guilds kept careful records, and looked after them. Ancestry have some Guild and apprenticeship records.

I'm afraid I'm a real novice when it comes to Guilds so I haven't got a clue. Obviously, I've tried googling but nothing is very clear to my one remaining brain cell!

[Lesley Robertson]

There is a database of the London Guilds (aka Livery Companies) HERE (https://www.londonroll.org/home). It seems to be a work in progress and not all Guilds are there, but it might be worth a look as it allows a whole-database search.
It's not always obvious why someone joined one Guild or another (it often seems to be linked to family connections, especially in the earlier centuries) - for example, most of the people I'm searching are makers of "philosophical instruments" (microscopes, telescopes, etc) and on one page of Gloria Clifton's excellent Directory, there are members of the Opticians, Silversmiths, Blacksmiths, Clockmakers and Spectaclemakers... Basically, it could be any loose relationship!

An article about modern bookbinding apprenticeships mentions the Clothworkers, the Leathersellers and the Stationers Companies, which gives you somewhere to start.

[Jessie 888]

That's fantastic, Lesley. Many thanks for such useful information!

[Jessie 888]

An article about modern bookbinding apprenticeships mentions the Clothworkers, the Leathersellers and the Stationers Companies, which gives you somewhere to start.

Lesley, that was such great advice! I've just found his apprenticeship in the Stationers Company: Henry John Fothergill, new apprenticeship starting on the 1st June 1824. No location was given but his master was William Harrison, Co Stationer which gives me a lead to follow up. It's so exciting with any brickwall to get some new information so thanks again!