Family Historian User Group

Could anyone please tell me where I may find records of a Master Grocer, and how someone became entitled to use this title? I guess of course that there would have been an apprenticeship. My great grandfather was described as a Master Grocer by his neice on his death certificate in 1899. Unfortunately, he does not appear on the 1871, 1881 or 1891 census, and its my belief that he went to America some time after 1861 and then later returned. Many thanks for any advice.

ID:4702

Master tradesman means that the individual was an wmployer tather than an employee or journeyman. There was a surprising amount of toing and froing between the UK and USA but I would check variants on spelling as names can be misheard or misread.

He might have been a Freeman of the Grocer's Company - worth check this out as they may have more information about him.

Try: http://www.grocershall.co.uk

Gerry

To reinforce the 2 previous replies: I'm guessing that where livery companies / guilds / etc held sway, then usage of the title 'Master XXX' might be controlled.

But outside these areas, then the term simply means to say that they were an employer or worked for themselves, rather than an employee. My GG-grandfather was 'promoted' to a 'Master Boot & Shoe maker' on his death certificate by his son in Nantwich in 1911. The census of that year confirms he was working on his own account, no doubt cobbling a few boots that were brought round to him for repairs to make a bit of money. Prior to that he's always described as an employee. Whether or not he ever served a formal apprenticeship I don't know - some apprenticeship papers survive for Nantwich, simply because they seem to have been lodged with one legal firm that donated its papers to Chester Record Office.

So you may find something but be prepared not to!