My Mertens Links - Apprenticeship Indenture 1809
Below is a partial transcript of Wilhelm Mertens Apprenticeship Indenture
with two supporting photographs.
THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH THAT Wilhelm Mertens
Son of George Mertens of Wardour Street in the parish of Saint James
Westminster in the County of Middlesex Cabinet Maker (with the Consent &
approbation of his said Father testified by his executing these presents)
�� doth put himself Apprentice to Jacob Erat of Wardour Street aforesaid
- Harp Maker - - - - to learn his Art and with him (after the Manner of an
Apprentice) to serve from the day of the date of those presents - - - unto
the full End and Term of Five - Years from thence �� following to be fully
compleat and ended.
DURING which term the said Apprentice his Master faithfully shall
serve his Secrets keep his lawful commands everywhere gladly do he shall do
no Damage to his said Master nor see to be done of others but to his Power
shall let or forthwith give Warning to his said Master of the same; He shall
not waste the Goods of his said Master nor lend them unlawfully to any; he
shall not commit fornication nor contract Matrimony within the said Term;
he shall not play at Cards Dice Tables or any other unlawfull Games whereby
his said Master may have any loss With his own Goods or others during the
said Term without Licence of his said Master he shall neither buy nor sell,
he shall not haunt Taverns or Playhouses nor absent himself from his said
Master's service day or Night unlawfully. But in all things as a faithful
Apprentice he shall behave himself towards his said Master and all his during
the said Term - -
AND the said Jacob Erat in consideration of the services of the
said Apprentice during the said Term doth hereby covenant and promise that
- - - - - - - his said Apprentice in the Art of working composing and finishing
the Iron and Brass parts of or pertaining to an Harp by the best Means that
he can shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed Finding
unto the said Apprentice sufficient. Meat drink and - - - - - Lodging during
the ��� and the said George Mertens doth hereby �������.
promise to ���. with the said ���. to find and provide suitable and
necessary aparel washing and other Necessaries for the Apprentice during
his said Term - - - - -
AND for the true Performance of all and every the said Covenants
and Agreements either of the said Parties bindeth himself unto the other by
these Presents IN WITNESS whereof the Parties above named to these
Indentures have put their Hands and seals the Twenty seventh Day of July
- - in the forty ninth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by
the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland King
defender of the faith and in the Year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred
and Nine.
(Sd) Wilhelm Mertens
(Sd) Jacob Erat
(Sd) George Mertens
Sealed and delivered in the presence of George Price , 30 Poland Street.
Copy of the Indenture between Wilhelm Mertens and Jacob Erat:
The signatures on the left (Top to Bottom) are Wilhelm Mertens, Jacob Erat and George Mertens.