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     In 1878 the Board of Trade directed that an an inquiry be held into the apprenticeship system to address complaints and criticism about the system. The two commissioners appointed were instructed to confine their inquiries to the port of Grimsby where the fishing trade had increased with great rapidity - In ten years, smacks sailing from the port had increased from not more than 100, to five times that number. It was estimated that 2,000 apprentices were engaged in the business and regulations for conducting the trade had not kept pace with its extraordinary development.

     The report submitted was favourable to apprenticeship system generally but it did stress that the condition of the apprentices was not altogether satisfactory, due mainly to the want of proper supervision. They made specific "Proposals with the view to the Improvement of the Fishery Apprenticeship System". One of those which was accepted and implemented almost immediately was that the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine to record ". . . all assignments, cancellations, and terminations of indenture . . ." and to keep similar records of character and complaints relating to apprentices.

     These records were started in June 1880. The entries were opened when the boy signed his indenture and the initial record gave details concerning the boy, name, age, where from, term to be served, master and where the boy was to live. Additional details were added when the Superintendent interviewed the boy during the period of his apprenticeship and as reports of the boy's activities and progress were recieved.

     Fortunately these records have survived and are another valuable source for the family historian.

Notes     - The records show in the period 1880 - 89, 3,312 apprentices signed indentures, of these 1,184 completed term of service, 1,039 absconded, 200 died or were killed and 889 indentures were cancelled or annulled.

32 Fishing Apprentices of Grimsby Signed Indentures in November 1888.

     32 boys signed indentures in November 1888. . This extract from the Registers lists their names, masters and vessels and some of the details recorded. Where possible I have adhered to the abbreviations, (of which there are many!) and spellings used by the book-keeper. None of the 32 boys in this list figure in casualties, (loss of life).

     Four of the vessels are recorded in David Boswell's  "Loss List of Grimsby Vessels 1800 - 1960"
They are:-
  5^th January 1889 'Sappo' (Dandy 59.5) Collision with 'Glenavon', of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, about
24 miles N.E. of Spurn Point.
  17^th August 1893 'Fortuna' (Ketch 77.7) Collision with S.T. 'Ibis', of Glasgow - about 280 miles
E. ¹/2 S. of Spurn Point.
  27^th November 1898 'Paragon' (Dandy 89.6) Collision with floating wreckage - about 40 miles
W.N.W. of Kinnaird's Head, Aberdeenshire.
  5^th April 1899 'Express' (Smack 7.0) Floundered about 2¹/2 miles S.W. of Inner Dowsing Buoy,
River Humber.
  Fate of the crews not recorded!

For a Free search of an index of some 6,842 Sea Fishing Apprentice's Records in the Registers of Sea Going Apprentices of Grimsby 1879 - 1937. Click on the email link below to send a name, or names, to be checked.