Finding this document gave me goosebumps. It’s a vital piece of evidence showing not only my 5x Great Grandfather, John Wait’s (1765-1831) carpentry apprenticeship, but confirming the name of his father - my 6x Great Grandfather, David Wait.
This indenture, dated February 1st 1785, is a legal document from London, governed by the Custom of London (a set of bye-laws), binding John to his master, John Tricker, a carpenter of Mitchell Street, St. Luke’s in Middlesex. It stipulated that while serving his apprenticeship, he could not marry or trade in his own right.
Three years later, Tricker had moved (probably with John Wait) four miles into Moorfields Liberty, Shoreditch. He appears in the Summoning Book for poor rate defaulters in Shoreditch on March 7th 1788, where he promised to pay his rent in 10 days.
John Wait and his father David (1738-1793) were both carpenters, working in New Ivy Street, Shoreditch, Middlesex.
"This Indenture witnesseth, that John Wait son of David Wait of Shoreditch in the county of Middlesex, carpenter doth put himself apprentice to John Tricker of Mitchell Street, St. Lukes, in the same county ... citizen and carpenter of London, to learn his art, and with him (after the manner of an apprentice) to serve from the day of the date of these presents, unto the full end and term of seven years from thence next ensuing, and fully to be complete and ended. During which term, the said apprentice his said master faithfully shall or will serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands every where gladly do: he shall do no damage to his said master, nor see to be done by others, but to his power he shall let or forthwith give notice to his said master of the same: The goods of his said master he shall not waste, nor the same without licence of him to any give or lend: hurt to his said master he shall not do, cause or procure to be done: he shall neither buy nor sell without his master's license: taverns, inns, ale-houses, he shall not haunt: at cards, dice tables, or any other unlawful games, he shall not play, whereby his said master may have any loss: nor from his said master's service day or night absent himself: but in all things as an honest and faithful apprentice, shall and will demean and behave himself towards his said master, and in all things as an honest and faithfull apprentice, shall and will demean and behave himself towards his said master, and all his during all the said term. And, the said master for the consideration the said apprentice, in the art aforesaid, which he now useth, shall teach and instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed, the best way and manner that he can, finding and allowing unto his said apprentice sufficient meat, drink, apparel, washing, lodging, and all other necessaries, during the said term. And for the true performance of all and every covenants and agreements aforesaid, either of the said parties bindeth himself to the other firmly by these present. In witness whereof the parties above-said to these indentures interchangeably have set their hands and seals, the First Day of February in the Twenty Fifth Year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King , Defender of the Faith, and in the year of Our Lord 1785".
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