Rillington Blog

This Indenture made the twenty ninth Day of December in the first 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 Thirty eight BETWEEN John Willis of Scampston an infant of the age of seventeen years and William Willis of the same place labourer his father of the one Part and Thomas Stephenson of Rillington of the other Part; WITNESSETH, That the said John Willis hath of his own Free will, and with the Consent of the said William Willis his father put and bound himself Apprentice to and with the said Thomas Stephenson and with him after the manner of an Apprentice to dwell, remain, and serve from the day of the date hereof until the twenty seventh day of March after he be of the age of twenty one years be fully completed and ended; during all which Term the said Apprentice his said Master well and faithfully shall serve his Secrets shall keep, his lawful Commands shall do, Fornication and Adultery shall not commit, Hurt or Damage to his said Master shall not do, or consent to be done but to the utmost of his powers shall prevent it and forthwith his said Master thereof warn: Taverns or Alehouses he shall not frequent, unless it be about his Masters Business there to be done at Dice, Cards, Tables, Bowls, or any other unlawful games he shall not play: the Goods of his said Master shall not waste nor them lend, or give to any Person without his Masters Licence: Matrimony within the said term shall not contract, nor from his Masters Service at any time absent himself; but as a true and faithful Apprentice shall order and behave himself towards his said Master and all his Family, as well in Words as in Deeds during the said Term: And a true and just Account of all his said Masters Goods, Chattels, and Money committed to his Charge, of which shall come to his Hands, faithfully he shall give at all Times when thereunto required by his Master his Executors, Administrators or Assigns. AND the said William Willis his father hath hereby for himself his Executors administrators or assigns covenant promise and agree to and with the said Thomas Stephenson his Executors administrators and assigns that the said John Willis infant shall and will well and faithfully serve him the said Thomas Stephenson as an Apprentice until the twenty seventh day of March following his twenty one years of age according to the true intent and meaning of these present and that the said William Willis shall and will provide his said son during the said time with sufficient clothing and wearing apparel and washing And the said Thomas Stephenson for himself, his Executors Administrators, and Assigns doth covenant, promise, and agree by these Presents to and with the said John Willis infant Apprentice, That the said Thomas Stephenson his Executors, Administrators or Assigns, shall and will teach, learn and instruct him the said Apprentice, or cause him to be taught, learned, and instructed in the art or trade of a cordwainer which the said Master now useth, after the best manner that he or they may or can, with all Circumstances thereunto belonging: And also shall find, and provide to and for him the said Apprentice, sufficient and enough Meat drink lodging and aprons and repairing his shoes during all the said time and that the said William Willis father of the said John Willis infant doth hereby promise and agree should the said Apprentice leave at the age of twenty one years to pay to Thomas Stephenson his said Master the sum of Eight pounds and in case of long illness during the said time of his apprenticeship the parties do hereby agree that the said John Willis go home to his fathers house.

And for the true performance of all singular the Covenants and Agreements aforesaid, each of the Parties aforesaid doth bind himself unto the other firmly by these Presents. In Witness whereof, the Parties above-named to these present Indentures interchangeably have set their Hands and Seals the Day and Year above written.

Sealed and Delivered, (being first duly stamped) in the presence of Richard Dennison. (?)

John Willis

William Willis

Thomas Stephenson.