The sources for these apprenticeship records are various, but mainly from the Apprentices Index kept by the Society of Genealogists in London. These latter records are predominantly London apprentices where a stamp duty had to be paid on indentures during the period 1710-1784. However, other apprenticeship records survive in numerous other sources, mainly due to the activities of the overseers of the Poor, who would apprentice out youngsters rather than have them living off the poor rate. The significant recent increase in the number of records is due to the inclusion of apprenticeships from the Freedom of the City of London records - one of the routes to gaining Freedom of the City was to have served a full apprenticeship in the city. Apprentices were normally about 14 years of age at the start of their indenture and the period of indenture was 7 years. However, an apprentice could be as old as 21 at the start, but they still had to serve a period of 7 years. An apprentice normally lived in the shop or household of his master and was not able to marry until he was free. Except for those apprenticed out under the various poor regulations, a fee was payable to the master for the training and the indenture contained details of any other costs and/or allowances. It is worth noting that in London, in order to practice one's trade one had to be a member of a Livery Company (or Guild)but from the mid 17th century you did not necessarily have to follow the trade of that Livery Company. So, for example, rather confusingly, one might be a member of the Apothocary's Company, but be a weaver by trade.
| Year | Apprentice | Abode, Parentage | County | Master | Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1559 | Andrew Foskett | LDN | Stationers Company | ||
| 1636 | John Foscett | son of Thomas of Milbourne, yeoman | WIL | John Moncke | Tallow Chandlers Company |
| 1644 | John Foskett | son of John Foskett, yeoman of Grendon Underwood | LDN | Anthony Lewing | Grocers Company |
| 1654 | Richard Fascott | son of Richard Fascott, Greenwich, Kent, Esq | LDN | Thomas Barnebowe, esq | Vintners Company |
| 1658 | William FFOSCOT | son of Christopher Ffoscot of Great Horwood | BKM | Ralph Stables | London Cordwainers Company |
| 1667 | Francis Foskett | son of John Foskett, weaver of Stewkeley | BKM` | John Beard, butcher | London Clothworkers Company |
| 1674 | John Foskett | son of Henry Foskett, late of Great Horwood | BKM | William Foskett | London Cordwainers Company |
| 1694 | Thomas Foscott | son of John Foscott of Rothwell, dec | NTH | Samuel Thompson | London Carmens Company |
| 1705 | Caleb Foskett | son of William, North Crawley, gentleman | BKM | Daniel Jenkins | London Curriers Company |
| 1714 | Tho Brittain | son of Thomas of Cosgrove | Cosgrove, Northampton | Hen Foskett | Cordwainer |
| 1719 | Wm Truelove | Cosgrove, Northampton | Hen Foskett | Cordwainer | |
| 1720 | Robt Previll | son of Robert, Joyner | St Giles In The Fields | Philip Foskett | Joyner |
| 1720 | Jarvis William | son of William William of Hertford | HRT | Caleb Foskett | London Curriers Company |
| 1730 | Joseph Nicholls | son of Roger, husbandman | London | Caleb Foskett | Citizen & Currier |
| 1730 | Thos Foskett | son of John of Clapton, Somerset | Bristol | Will Hargest | Barber Surgeon |
| 1730 | Joseph Nicholls | son of Roger Nicholls of Northaw | HRT | Caleb Foskett | London Curriers Company |
| 1733 | Henry Foskett | son of Joseph of Liberty Tower | London | John Pinchin | Citizen & Dyer |
| 1733 | Henry Foskett | son of Joseph Foskett of Liberty of the Tower, weaver, deceased | MDX | James Pinchen | London Dyers Company |
| 1735 | Joseph Foskett | son of Joseph of Shacklewell? | London | John Pearce | Citizan & Apothecary |
| 1736 | Will Foskett | son of Joseph of Spittlefields | London | James Gallopine | Citizen & Cooper |
| 1744 | John Fosgate | Westleton, Suffolk | Robert Penny | Cordwainer | |
| 1751 | Robert Forsket | son of Margaret, St Katherine Coleman, wid | LDN | James Tomlinson | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1752 | Joseph Foskett | Brampton | Edwd Bishop | Taylor | |
| 1753 | William Fosket | Musley | William Parret | Taylor | |
| 1753 | William Foskett | BKM | William Parrett | Tailor, of Mursley, BKM | |
| 1757 | Thomas Foskett | son of William Foskett of Islington | MDX | Thomas House | London Pattenmakers Company |
| 1758 | Ebenezer Foskett | son of Henry Foskett,Spitalfields, dyer, deceased | MDX | Robert Harwood | London Glass-sellers Company |
| 1758 | George Forskett | son of Robert, Crutched Friars, shoemaker, deceased | LDN | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1758 | James Field | LDN | Samuel Foskett | Leather Seller | |
| 1759 | Benjamin Read | London | Samuel Fosket | Citizen and Leatherseller | |
| 1759 | Saml Foskett | London | John Perry | Citizen & Goldsmith | |
| 1760 | James Field | London | Saml Fosket | Citizen and Leatherseller | |
| 1762 | Will Butcher | Hogston, Buckinghamshire | Geo Foskett | Cordwainer | |
| 1764 | Geo Cope | London | Sam Fosket | Citizen and Leatherseller | |
| 1765 | Nathaniel Stewart | London | Joseph Foskett | Citizen & Weaver | |
| 1772 | Mary Burridge | Ickwell, Bedford | Mary Fosket | Mantuamaker | |
| 1774 | Benj Foskett | Cambridge, Cambridge | Stephen Foskett | Baker | |
| 1774 | Benjamin Foskett | Cambridge | CAM | - | |
| 1774 | - - | Cambridge | CAM | Stephen Foskett | |
| 1780 | Samuel Foskett | St Pancras, Middlesex | James Praed | Attorney | |
| 1780 | Amos Adams | son of Thomas Adams, stationer | LDN | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1786 | Jno Forskett | Cranfield, Bedford | Edwd Odell | Butcher | |
| 1788 | John Gutteridge | London | Robert Forskett | Citizen & Spectacle maker | |
| 1788 | John Gutteridge | son of John Gutteridge, gent, deceased | MDX | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1789 | Wm Foskett | Allhallows Courth Gracechurch St | Isaac Fawcett | Attorney | |
| 1790 | Wm Eade | Chiswell St, Middlesex | Wm Foskett | Carpet maker | |
| 1790 | John Robertshaw | son of Thomas Robertshaw of St Sepulchre | LDN | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1792 | Joseph Merchant | son of John Merchant of Hoxton, milkman | MDX | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1792 | Benjamin Waddington | son of William Waddington, Shoreditch | MDX | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1792 | William Forskett | son of Robert Forskett, apprenticed to his father | MDX | Robert Forskett | London Spectaclemakers Company |
| 1793 | Samuel Forscutt | Kimbolton | HUN | Thomas Haddon | Staymaking |
| 1804 | Samuel Foskett | son of James Foskett, St George, Southwark | SRY | James Heather | Callenderer |
| 1817 | Bernard Foskett | North Crawley | BKM | George Austin | baker |
| 1818 | William Foskett | LDN | Stationers Company | ||
| 1826 | John Foskett | son of Samuel Foskett of Iver, Bucks | BKM | Thomas Hudson | Shipwrights Company |
| 1846 | James Foskett | 4 Friars St, Blackfriars | LDN | (Trading Dates) | Leather Dresser/Currier |
| 1847 | James Foskett | son of Samuel Foskett, 12 New St, Bath St, City Rd, St Lukes | LDN | John Thomas Faulder | Clothworker |
| 1867 | Edward Foskett | 23 The Drapery, Northampton | NTH | Horatio Warren | tea dealer and provision merchant |
| 1724 | Joseph Falscutt | Spaldwick | HUN | Joseph Palmer | Cordwainer |
© Sandra J Smith MBE 2015