This Indenture made the 13th day of September in the sixteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord
George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth, and
in the year of our Lord 1776,
Witnesseth that John Shaw and John George
Churchwardens of the Parish of St. Mary
Whitechapel, in the County of Middlesex, and John Goss and George Shelley, Overseers of the poor of the said County of Middlesex,
whose names are hereunto subscribed, have put and placed, and by these Presents do put and place, John Picknett aged eleven
years the 20th day of June last, a poor child of the said parish, Apprentice to James Menakan of the parish of Marsk in the
County of York, Mariner, with him to dwell and serve from the day of the date of these Presents, until the said Apprenticeship
shall accomplish his full age of Twenty one years according to the Statute in that case made and provided; during all which
term the said Apprentice his said Master shall serve in all lawful Businesses according to his Power, Ability and Ability;
and honestly, orderly and obediently in all Things demean and behave himself, towards his said Master and all his during the
said Term.
And the said James Menakan for himself, his Executors
and Administrators, doth covenant and grant to and with the said Churchwardens and Overseers, and their and every of
their Successors for the time being, by these Presents, That the said James Menakan for and in Consideration of the sum of
two pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, to him in Hand paid by the said George Shelley one of the Overseers aforesaid,
at or before the Sealing and Delivery of these presents, the Receipt whereof the said James Menakan doth hereby acknowledge,
and also for and in Consideration of the further Sum of two Pounds and Two Shillings to be paid to him at the end of three
years from the Day of the Date of these Presents, the said Apprenticeship in the art of the Mariner shall teach and instruct,
or cause to be taught and instructed in the best manner he can during the said Term, And shall and will, during all the Term
aforesaid, find, and provide and allow unto the said Apprentice, meet competent and sufficient Meat, Drink, Apparel, Lodging,
Washing, and all other Things necessary and fit for an Apprentice:
And also shall and will so provide for the said Apprentice,
that he be not any ways a charge to the said Parish of Saint Mary Whitechapel, or the Parishioners of the same; but of and
from all Charge shall and will save the said Parishioners harmless and indemnified during the said Term;
And also shall and will at the end of the said Term
make, provide, allow and deliver unto the said Apprentice, double Apparel of all sorts, good and new (that is to say) a good
new Suit for the Holydays, and another for the Working Days.
In Witness whereof, the above Parties to these presetn
Indentures interchangeably have set their hands and Seals the Day and Year first above written.
Sealed and delivered in the Presence of
Jn° Clawson
James Monikan
(Note:- the spelling of Monikan's signature is different from that in the indenture.)
The reverse of the copy of the indenture
shows the receipts and endorsements through its term, and is copied here:
Received on the day of the date of the within indenture of
the within George Shelley the sum of Two Pounds being the consideration money paid to me.
James Monikan
Witness
Jn° Clawson
£2-0-0
Rec'd the 29 day of October 1779 of Mr. Wybourne one of the
overseers of the within named Parish the sum of Two Pounds Two Shillings being the second Consideration money within mentioned
paid to me
James Monikan
Witness
(not legible)
It is not known where the original Indenture is situated or if it still exists. The above is a transcription of
a copy sent in 1950 by William Allen PICKNETT to his son Sidney
