Taxes – 52 Ancestors Week 15

Edward Waller LOADS was made a Freeman of the Borough of Great Yarmouth on the 8th day of June 1826. Having been a carpenter’s apprentice one would expect to find him in the lists on the tax of Apprenticeship Indenture 1710 – 1811. So far no record has been found.

The stamp duty on apprenticeship indentures between 1710 and 1811 was sixpence for each apprenticeship indenture as well as the premium being taxed at sixpence for every pound of the premium and a pound for every premium above fifty pounds. The records if they are available provide a wealth of information for the family historian inlcuding:

• apprentice name
• his or her father or guardian
• the name and place of residence of the master
• the trade to be leanred
• the term of years
• and the premium paid (1)

To

find such a record for Edward Waller LOADS would answer a number of questions, as his birth certificate has never been found. One possible answer is that the parents of Edward LOADES are Obadiah LOADS and Deborah BOWLES  and that he was baptized on the 3rd January , 1798. This has never felt right as the use of the middle name Waller that is used consistently in the family is not evident and certainly Edward used this middle name with all his children. (2) Norfolk Bishops transcript

There are a number of reasons as to why we may not be able to find a record. By 1814 you could no longer be prosecuted without having a served a seven year and by the time Edward begun his apprenticeship indentures may have no longer been signed. Alternatively, no tax was payable on the premiums of parish and charity apprentices or if bound to a family member.

The Norfolk Records Office has a range of records that can be used including the

• Great Yarmouth Freemen’s register 1680 – 1856
• Great Yarmouth Apprenticeship records 1648 – 1851

Edward LOADS is listed in both of these registers, but the apprenticeship record is not missing. This was confirmed by the visit to the Norfolk Records Office. To confirm if Obadiah LOADS and Deborah BOWLES are the parents of Edward LOADS will take more research, along with a hope that further records come on line.

(1) FamilySearch Wiki, Apprenticeships in England. accessed online https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Apprenticeship_in_England 18th April, 2018

(2) “England, Norfolk Bishop’s Transcripts, 1685-1941,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-RXFQ-D?cc=1823613&wc=MXDB-HNG%3A982211901%2C982211902%2C982271901%2C982213801 : 20 May 2014), Norfolk Archdeaconry of Norwich > 1798 > Y > image 1 of 107; Record Office, Central Library, Norwich.

All photographs taken by the author

#52ancestors52weeks

#loadesfamily