# Life as an apprentice on a Hull trawler in the 1880s



## aturner447 (Sep 18, 2015)

Hi

I'm new to the forum having just discovered (thanks to the newly-released records on Ancestry) that my great grandfather was an apprentice on the Hull trawler "Agnes" from 1879 (when he was 17) to the mid-1880s. I've now got copies of the crew agreements but would be interested to know what life was like as an apprentice on a trawler at that time.

Can anyone point me in the direction of any books or other sources that might give a taste of what he would have experienced?

Thanks

Andy


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello,
I don't know if you have seen this.

http://www.hulltrawler.net/History/Smacks/Apprentices.htm

regards
Roger


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## aturner447 (Sep 18, 2015)

Hi Roger

Thanks for the link - it's a fascinating article. It could have been written just for me! 

My g-grandfather was from Leeds and came from a broken home so I suspect he was tempted away to Hull. It sounds to have been a tough life. He didn't stick with it and must have returned to West Yorkshire after his apprenticeship expired. We had no knowledge of this period of his life until now.

Thanks again for your help

Andy


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## alan ward (Jul 20, 2009)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello,
> I don't know if you have seen this.
> 
> http://www.hulltrawler.net/History/Smacks/Apprentices.htm
> ...


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