TNA podcast - Apprenticeship records for family historians

A presentation on June 23, 2009, by Mark Pearsall, The National Archives' family history specialist, is the latest addition to TNA podcasts. It focuses on the apprenticeship system and how it worked in practice, from an traditional system, to a statutory system with a formal indenture between the master and the apprentice's parent(s) starting in 1563, to a system based on a company rather than a master from the early 19th century .

It covers the records that survive in The National Archives, in particular the Apprenticeship Books in record series IR 1 and merchant navy apprenticeship records through to the mid 20th century.

Surviving apprenticeship records are more likely to be found in county archives and record offices. That's also where you'll find parochial apprenticeships documented, likely in vestry minutes and churchwardens/oversears accounts, where they survive.

The content of the presentation is good, and the visuals are available on the website. However, for my taste the presentation style is on the dry side and drags rather. Some information is repeated too much. You may prefer to read the version in the TNA research guide at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=295