5: The Ship's Apprentice Extracts

‘after a long journey, found himself deposited at Lime 
Street Station, Liverpool, little realising that in a few years 
the city would become his home base.’

            Captain William Price, later to become one of the principal ship owners of Liverpool, interviewed all prospective officers and apprentices himself. After examining Edward’s hands, followed by a gruff Humpph! as a comment at their softness, the fifty-seven year old captain introduced him to the man who was to witness his indenture, sixty-three year old, Bristol born Captain William Escott.

Now it may have been just by chance that Captain Escott was visiting an old friend after returning from a long voyage but it is much more likely his attendance had a threefold purpose. First to judge the suitability of this new raw recruit, secondly to give that recruit some idea of the perils of a life at sea before signing away the next four years of his life and thirdly, and of lesser importance, to witness his indentures.

However if Captain Price had wanted to deter Edward he could not have chosen a finer representative to impress him. Meeting Captain Escott was done, no doubt, to ensure Edward realised the hard life he could expect and the dangers involved, as well as the loneliness, boredom, harsh weather and hard work he would encounter, thus giving him the opportunity to change his mind before signing his articles.

Captain Price had run away to sea aged ten and obtained his Master’s Certificate when he was twenty-two, while Captain Escott had commanded sailing ships on voyages to Australia since the age of twenty-five and was an extremely experienced captain.

In 1852 he had taken the barque Samarang to Lyttelton, New Zealand with 121 mainly emigrant passengers as part of the Canterbury Association settlement set up by the Church of England to colonise Lyttelton, an important event in New Zealand’s history.

He was renowned for his benevolence to his passengers many of whom were emigrants on their way to Australia and New Zealand. Some were so impressed they wrote glowing testimonials about his treatment and concern shown for their welfare during the voyage, as did many cargo owners who were amazed at the efficiency with which his ships were loaded and unloaded.

If the two captains expected their tales to deter Edward they were unsuccessful for they only served to make him keener.

There is no doubt that in consequence of meeting Captain Escott Edward recognized the qualities of the sort of captain he wanted to emulate, which set him even more firmly on his chosen path.

So it was that he signed the standard Ordinary Apprentice’s Indenture with even more enthusiasm than when he had arrived in the office!

By its terms he was bound to Captain William Price for four years, during which time he agreed to ‘faithfully to serve the company, stay out of taverns and alehouses and not play unlawful games’. In return the company was bound to ‘cause him to be taught the business of seaman, and provide the said apprentice with sufficient meat, drink, lodging, washing, medicine and surgical assistance.’

The pay was poor, £3 in the first year rising to £9 in the last and he had to provide his own kit and books needed for his ticket; and anything provided by the company from that point on was to be deducted from his pay.

Before reporting for duty he first had to get kitted out, and Captain Price gave him a list of what he would need and advised him to return to the Liverpool Sailors’ Home, where prices were reasonable. He had to buy bedding, a black double breasted uniform, oil suit, sou’wester, shirts, socks and sea boots, cutlery and ‘hussif’ (clothes mending equipment) and other requisites, and a kitbag in which to carry everything. A sextant would have to wait for more prosperous times but to study for his ticket he bought a second hand copy of Nicholls’ Seamanship and Nautical Knowledge and Rapers Tables, an aid to navigation.

His orders were to report the following day to the master of the ‘splendid Iron clipper’, AA1, Workington registered Spirit of the South; a three masted square rigged barque of 517 tons, which at that time was the second largest ship in the company’s fleet of six ships. She carried general cargo but in 1873 had carried to 114 immigrants to Australia.

Hearing the destination of his first voyage was no doubt magic to Edward’s ears for it confirmed to him that the date 1606 carved in All Saints’ porch, Frostenden meant this was all pre-ordained!