I would appreciate advice, to further my education, about two documents I have from 1796:

• list of men admitted as City of York “Freemen by Patrimony” including “Richard Harrison of Hull Servant Son of John Harrison of York Butcher”
• City of York register of apprentice indentures including “Harrison Richard of Hull Servant Son of John Harrison of York Butcher”

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Studying these documents raises some questions on which I would appreciate advice:

1. Some of the apprentices listed include the phrase “apprentice to [name]”;? the one above does not.? Does this therefore mean that Richard was apprenticed to his father, and that he was apprenticed as a butcher?
2. Is there any significance that should be read into the fact that this same Richard was apprenticed and also admitted as a freeman in the same year?
3. What is the significance of the word “Servant” in the two quotes above?
4. This Richard is known to have been baptized in York in 1772 and so in 1796 was about age 24.? According to an index, the same John Harrison, butcher, appears to have had a son, Richard, apprenticed in 1784.? It seems unlikely that there were two butchers in York at the same time named John Harrison, each with a son Richard.? If the two Richards are the same, the one in 1784 was about age 12.? What circumstances would support a son being apprenticed at age 12, and then apprenticed a second time to the same master at age 24?? Or have I misinterpreted these two apparent apprenticeships?

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Ken Harrison

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