AWGB Woodturning Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: hughie on August 29, 2011, 10:41:39 AM

Title: How many indentured wood turners are there in England
Post by: hughie on August 29, 2011, 10:41:39 AM

This maybe an odd question, but it has arisen after I read an article on Allan Batty. In it he was described as the, and I quote
"with the only living woodturner to go through an apprenticeship in England" unquote
My initial reaction was 'bollocks' But with some help of Google I have drawn a blank. so I will through it open to the forum for comment

Title: Re: How many indentured wood turners are there in England
Post by: BrianH on August 29, 2011, 11:42:52 AM

I believe Allan was 'apprenticed' to his Dad. Is that an own-blown trumpet I hear? ;D
Brian

Title: Re: How many indentured wood turners are there in England
Post by: admalin on August 29, 2011, 05:41:49 PM

In addition to my own Indentures I have those of my Great and GG grandfathers. One was a watch motioner, the other a watch guilder in Coventry. My GGG grandfather signed his son's with an X.
I got paid 11 shillings a week plus eight and four pence cost of living. Sounds archaic doesn't it? Their fathers had to pay. What I find most interesting are the conditions (rules) they had to comply with. For example they were not allowed to gamble, or fornicate.
How many of today's teenagers would stay that kind of course?
My guess is that today an 'apprentice' to a woodturner would expect to be paid and would be unlikely to have a written agreement. So the number is likely to be a few tending to none.

Tony Malin