Summary:  An indenture dated 9th December 1845 between the Prichards, Father and Son, for the father to take his son as apprentice shoemaker for a five-year term for the sum of £5.

  This Indenture Witnesseth That Thomas Pritchard by and with the consent of his Father William Pritchard of the Parish of Great Malvern in the County of Worcester, doth put himself Apprentice to his said Father of the aforesaid Parish and County, Shoe-Maker, to learn his Art and with him after the manner of An Apprentice to serve him from the day of the date hereof unto the full end and term of five years from thence next following to be fully complete and ended, During which term the said Apprentice His Master faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands everywhere gladly do.

  He shall do no damage to his said Master nor see to be done of others but to his powers shall tell or forthwith give warning to his said Master of the same.

  He shall not waste the Goods of his said Master, nor lend them unlawfully to any.

  He shall not commit fornication, nor contract Matrimony within the said term.

  He shall not play at Cards, or Dice Tables, or any unlawful Games, whereby his said Master may have any loss, with his own goods or others, during the said term, without license of his said Master.

  He shall neither buy nor sell. He shall not haunt Taverns nor Play-Houses nor absent himself from his said Master’s service day or night unlawfully. But in all things as faithful Apprentice. He shall behave himself towards his said master and all his, during the said Term.

  And the said William Pritchard in consideration of the Sum of five pounds (being part of a Charity Donation fund belonging to the Parish of Bosbury aforesaid arising from and part of Lands and Hereditaments in the same Parish for the purpose of placing out Apprentices) now in hand paid by the said Thomas Pritchard his said Apprentice in the Art of a Shoe-Maker which he useth by the best means that he can, shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed finding unto the said Apprentice sufficient Meat, Drink, Clothing, Lodging, and all other necessaries during the said Term.

  And for the true performance of all and every the said Covenants and Agreements either of the said Parties bindeth himself unto the other by these presents.

  In Witness whereof the Parties above named to these Indentures interchangeably have put their hands and Seals the twenty ninth day of December and in the eighth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Victoria the First, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of great Britain and Ireland, Queen defender of the Faith, And in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty five.

  [signed] Thomas Prichard

  [signed] William Prichard

  Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named Thomas Pritchard and William Pritchard in the presence of
  Henry Trehern.

Rece’d. by Cheque on the day of the date hereof the sum of five pounds the premium or sum above mentioned, to be paid to me

£   s   d 5 - 0 - 0

  Witness [signed] Hry Trehern

Transcribed by Susan Sharples from original in Bosbury Chroniclers Archive, 2012