At age 18 my great great grandfather William Winnell from Sheffield was transported to New South Wales in 1833. On the list of prisoners arriving on the ship Waterloo (3) his trade is given as moulder. I'm guessing he worked in the cutlery industry like other family members. I have found apprenticeships for his father and uncles on Sheffield Indexers but not William. Has anyone any suggestions where I might look, or if indeed there is likely to be any relevant apprenticeship records
Bev,
By the time William reached apprentice age (about 1827) there were very few formal apprenticeships. The control of the Cutlers' Company had been limited by an act of Parliament. Also the industrial revolution was well advanced so there were many large steel companies with many workers doing one task of many. A moulder was one of these tasks within the steel industry.
Dave