Parish Apprenticeship and the Old Poor Law in London
Author Information
Author(s): Alysa Levene
Primary Institution: Oxford Brookes University
Hypothesis
This article examines the patterns and motivations behind parish apprenticeship in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century London.
Conclusion
The study reveals that parish apprenticeship served both traditional craft-type training and the emergence of paid child labor, reflecting a continuity in the aims of the old poor law amidst economic changes.
Supporting Evidence
- Evidence on the ages, employment types, and locations of 3,285 pauper apprentices indicates a variety of local patterns.
- The analysis reveals a pattern of youthful age at binding and a range of employment experiences.
- Parish officials applied old practices to changed labor needs, facilitating the growth of a flexible and specialized factory labor force.
- Girls made up 42.2% of the apprentices, indicating their significant participation in the labor market.
- Parish apprenticeship was tied to a long-held set of notions about children's work and the encouragement of self-sufficiency among paupers.
- Parish officials were concerned with sustainable employment prospects and human capital investment.
- Parish apprenticeship served both traditional and industrializing sectors simultaneously.
- Children bound to the industrializing sector were as likely to succeed in human capital formation as those apprenticed to traditional trades.
Takeaway
This study looks at how children in London were apprenticed to learn trades, showing that they often started working very young and were placed in various jobs, both traditional and new.
Methodology
The study analyzed apprenticeship registers from various London parishes, focusing on the age, type of labor, and location of binding for 3,285 pauper apprentices from 1767 to 1833.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the data due to the reliance on parish records, which may not fully represent the experiences of all apprentices.
Limitations
The study may not capture all parishes due to incomplete records, particularly in the City of London.
Participant Demographics
42.2% of the apprentices were girls, indicating a significant presence of young females in the labor market.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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