working life of women seventeenth century - School of Economics ...

200 CRAFTS AND TRADES CRAFTS AND TRADESalittle shop, did not always find her course clear.In fact there were many towns in which thebarriers between her and an honest independencewere insurmountable. Girls were, however,apprenticed to shop-keepers oftener than to the gildtrades, and licences to sell were granted to freewomenas well as to freemen. At Dorchester, girls who hadserved an apprenticeship to shopkeepers were duly admittedto the freedom of the Borough; we find enteredin the Minute Book the names of Celina Hilson,apprenticed to Mat. Hilson, Governor, haberdasher,and Mary Goodredge, spinster, haberdasher of smallwares ; also of James Bun (who had married ElizabethWilliams a freewoman) haberdasher of smallwares ; Elizabeth Williams, apprenticed seven years toher Mother, Mary W., tallow chaundler, and ofWilliam Weare, apprenticed to Grace Lacy, widow,woolen draper.' An order was granted by theMiddlesex Quarter Sessions to discharge Mary Jemmettfrom apprenticeship to Jane Tyllard, widow, fromwhom she was to learn " the trade of keeping a linenshop,"' and an account is given of a difference betweenSusanna Shippey, of Mile End, Stepney, widow, andAnn Taylor, her apprentice, touching the dischargeof the said apprentice. It appears that Ann hasThe Rev. Giles Moore boughr " of Wlddow Langley z more fine sheets. of GoodwyfeSeamer 9 ells. an? a halfe of hempen cloath. (Suss. '4r;b Coll. Vol., I. p. 681656. Rev. G~les Moore's Journal).Foul~s paid, in Scots money, Jan. 22, 1692 "to Mrs. Pouries lad for aniseed.carthamums BC. 11s." (p. and on Aug. 3. 1696 he " received from Ehr. Ludgatelast Whits mall' for ye shop at fosters Wyndhead 25 l'"." (p. 195). Jan. 14,. 1704" to my douchter Jesn be Xfra. Cuthbertsons pavmt tor q ell & r flowered csllro toIvne myn;ghtgowne7. 13. o. (p. 339) Mav 23, 1704 " receaved from Agne:. philpWhitsvn. mail1 for the shopat fosters wyndhead and ye key therot, and giy en ~t tothe Candlemakers wife who has taken the sh~p 25 'lb (p. 146). (Fqulis Acci Book).Similar entrles are in the Howard Household Book, 1619. To Mrs. Smith for lining!linen] for m). Lord, had in Easter t-arm, 5'1 xS. Mrs. Swith for napry had in Mavvjll iiS (Hmla-d Household Book, pp. to$ and 161.).Mayo, Municipal Records ?f Dorch~ster, p. 428 g.' Middleser County Rtrordr, p. 180, 1698.often defrauded her mistress of her goods and soldthem for less than cost price.'Little mercy was shown to either man or womanwho engaged in the Retail Trade without havingservedan apprenticeship. A warrant was only issued torelease " Elizabeth Beaseley from the Hospital ofBridewell on her brother John Beaseley's having enteredinto bond that she shall leave off selling tobaccoin the town of Wigan."2 Mary Keeling was presentedat Nottingham " for falowing ye Treaid of a Grocerand Mercer and kepping open shope for on monthlast past, contra Statum, not being aprenticc.""tCarlisle it was ordered that " Isaack Tully shallsubmit himself to pay a fine to this trade if theyshall think it fitting for taking his sister to keep &sell waires for him contrary to our ~rder,"~and whenit was reported that " Mrs. Studholme hath employedJames Moorehead Scotsman to vend and sell goodsin her shop contrary to an order of this companywee doe order that the wardens of our company shallfourthrvith acquaint Mrs. Studholme yt. she mustnot be admitted to entertain him any longr in heremploymt but that before our next quarter day shetake some other course for keeping her shop and yt.he be noe longer employed therein till yt. time."jAt a later date Mrs. Sybil Hetherington, Mrs. MaryNixon, Mrs. Jane Jackson, widow, and four men,were dealt with for having shops or retailery of goodscontrary to the statute.'l Mzddlesex County Records, p. 2, 1690.* C. R. 18th, August, 1640.lVottzngham R~cords, Vol. V., p. 331, 1686.rerguson, Municipal Records, Carlr,le, p. r 10, 1651.Ihtd, p. 112, 1669.11 rd, p. 115, 1710.