Articles of Apprenticeship

This Indenture made the Thirtieth day of August 1917 BETWEEN James Alban Brown son of Alfred Fordingham Brown of 20 William Street Newcastle upon Tyne (which said James Alban Brown hereinafter referred to as the "Apprentice") of the first part, the said Alfred Fordingham Brown of the second part, and R & W HAWTHORN, LESLIE AND COMPANY LIMITED, of Newcastle upon Tyne, Manufacturing Engineers, hereinafter referred to as "the Masters," and which expression shall, unless the sense or context excludes them, extend to and include the persons for the time being carrying on the business now carried on by them of the third part. WITNESSES that the Apprentice, of his own free will, and with the approbation of the said Alfred Fordingham Brown doth bind himself Apprentice to the Masters, to serve the Masters henceforth for the term of Five years from June 1st 1916 And the said Alfred Fordingham Brown and the Apprentice do for themselves, severally, and for their respective heirs, executors, and administrators, covenant with the Masters that the Apprentice shall and will diligently, faithfully, soberly,and honestly, according to the best of his knowledge, skill, and ability, serve the Masters as an Apprentice in the Plating branches of the business of a Manufacturing Engineer during the said term, and obey, observe, and fulfil all and every the instructions, orders and lawful commands of the Masters and of those put in authority under them. AND ALSO that the Apprentice shall not nor will unduly spend, waste, damage, spoil, destroy or embezzle any of the goods, chattels, or property of the Masters or their customers, or willingly or knowingly permit it to be done by others, but shall and will in all respects endeavour to promote the interest of the Masters and the credit of their works, to the best of his knowledge, skill and ability. AND shall not nor will at any time during the said term (except sickness make it necessary) absent himself from or wilfully neglect the work or service of the Masters, or work with or for, or serve any other person or persons, or engage in any trade or business, without the Masters' express consent in writing, under the hand of the Secretary of the Masters, for that purpose first obtained. AND ALSO that the Apprentice shall and will during the said term observe, perform and be subject to all the rules and regulations (including bye-laws and fines, except bye-law numbered 5) contained in the Schedule hereunder written, as well as those applicable to workmen as those applicable to apprentices, and in particular that the Apprentice shall be subject to the same fines as a workman. AND ALSO that the said Alfred Fordingham Brown will at all times during the said term provide for the Apprentice, board, lodging, clothing, and all other necessaries. AND THIS INDENTURE further witnesses that in consideration of the premises the Masters covenant with the Apprentice, and also as a separate covenant with the said Alfred Fordingham Brown that the Masters will accept the Apprentice as an Apprentice during the said term and by the best means that they can, will instruct him, or cause him to be instructed in the Plating branches of the business of a Manufacturing Engineer. AND FURTHER that the Masters will, during the said term, pay to the Apprentice the following wages for such time as he shall actually work for them, namely:-

        A copy exhibited at the gate of the works or in the workshops shall be held as sufficient intimation and legal notice thereof.

        Those under Special Agreement or Indenture will be relieved from such of the rules and regulations as are inconsistant with the provision of such Agreement of Indenture.

        WORKING HOURS--INSIDE.--The working hours to be 53 per week, arranged as may be agreed upon between the employers and workmen. (See Bye-Law No. 1.)

        WORKING HOURS--OUTSIDE.--Time actually at the work or on board ship only to be reckoned. A fixed time allowance to be added for travelling, so as to make the total hours equal to shop hours.

        ALLOWANCES AND TRAVELLING EXPENSES to be, as per scale, as follows, viz:-

NEW WORK	OLD WORK
UNDER 10 MILES If not required to lodge, 6d. per day and fares daily	UNDER 10 MILES If not required to lodge, 1/- per day and fares daily
10--40 MILES 1/- allowance and fares daily. When required to lodge 2/6 (lodgings and allowance). Fares once each way	10--40 MILES 1/- allowance and fares daily. When required to lodge 2/6 (lodgings and allowance). Fares once each way
OVER 40 MILES 17/6 per week. Fares once each way.	OVER 40 MILES 17/6 per week. Fares once each way.

        Apprentices to be allowed, during the first third of their apprenticeships, one half of these allowances; during the second third of their apprenticeships, three-fourths of such allowances, and during the remainder of their apprenticeships, the whole of such allowances.

        OVERTIME to be worked when and to the extent required. All time over and above 53 hours per week to be valued at rate and a quarter, except in cases of workmen required to work all day and the whole or a portion of the succeeding night, when they will be paid at the rate of time and a half for the time worked after 9.15 pm.

        TIME lost from the following causes not to count against overtime, viz;- Specified holidays, inability to work by reason of accidents to machinery, leave of absence granted by the manufacturers, lying off on account of working all the previous night.

        SUNDAYS --All work on Sunday to be considered special, and the hours worked to be valued at double rate, with usual meal hours.

        PIECE-WORK --Workmen engaged at piece-work will in all respects be subject to these rules and regulations, unless modified by special agreement. All advances on Contracts will be made according to time worked at time wages, and the balance paid on the completion of the work.

        1.---The ordinary working hours are as follows:--On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 6am to 5pm; allowing half-an-hour for breakfast, from 8 to 8.30; one hour to dinner, from 1 to 2pm. On Saturday, from 6am to 12noon; allowing half-an-hour for breakfast, from 8 to 8.30am, making the weeks work 53 hours.

        The whistle will be blown five minutes before, and again at the hour named for commencing work, when the gates will be closed; but workmen entering up to 6.15am, to have a quarter-of-an-hour deducted from their time; and from 6.15am to 6.30am, half-an-hour. And no workman or apprentice will be allowed to begin work at any other time than the above hours (except 8.30am) without special permission from his foreman.

        2.---Wages to be reckoned by the hour and quarter hour, and paid weekly at 12 noon on Saturday.

        3.---When night shift is worked the hours will be from 5pm to 6am with half-an-hour from 9.15 to 9.45pm, and from 1.30 to 2am for meals. This will give twelve working hours, and the pay will be reckoned at the rate of time and quarter, or fifteen hours per night shift. Men working overtime will be allowed from 5 to 5.15pm for tea.

        4.---The fixed time allowance for men working away from the factory on the River Tyne (except on Newcastle Quay and at St. Peter's Works, where shop hours will be observed), will be nine hours per week, or otherwise as may be specially agreed.
        Workmen engaged at work in other towns away from the Tyne will observe the shop hours of their own factory.

        5.---One week's notice will be given and required previous to any workman being discharged or leaving his employ, except in cases of gross misconduct, wilful neglect of duty, disobediance of orders, or leaving his work without permission, when he will be discharged without notice.

        6.---No entrance to or exit from the works is permitted, except by main entrance at the time office.

        7.---Any workman or apprentice, by neglect or carelessness, injuring tools, machinery, buildings, drawings, or other property of his employers, will be charged with cost of repairing the same, in liquidation of damages, and the amount deducted from his wages.

        8.---No beer of spirits, or smoking is allowed in the works.

        9.---No strangers admitted to the works without special permission.

      10.---Every workman will be held responsible for the portable tools delivered to him by the store-keeper. Also for such fixed tools as he may be working with, all of which must be kept clean and in good order, and the former returned when done with.

      11.---No oil to be used for cleaning hands or other improper purposes.

      12.---The premium apprentices are expected to adhere to same rules and regulations as the workmen.

      13.---Any apprentice absenting himself without leave will forfeit double his wages, and to be subject to legal penalties.

FINES	s.      d.
1.---Any workman neglecting to take his time board out of the time office when first commencing his day's work, or neglecting to write his time on the time board, with the name of article at which he has been working during the day, or neglecting to return his time board to the office when done work to be fined.....	0      6
2.---Any workman either putting into the office or taking out any other board than his own to be immediately discharged or fined.....	5      0
3.---Any workman giving in more time than he has worked to be fined.....	2      6
4.---Any workman leaving his candle burning, or neglecting to shut his gas cock,or in any way altering his gas burner, to be fined.....	1      0
5.---Any workman opening the drawer of another, or taking his tools without leave, to be fined.....	1      0
6.---Any workman not returning taps or dies, or any other general tool, to the person who has charge of them, as soon as he is done with them,to be fined.....	1      0
7.---Any workman washing himself, putting on his coat, or making any other preparations for leaving work before the bell rings, to be fined.....	1      0
8.---Any workman using oil to clean his hands, or for any other improper purpose, to be fined.....	2      0
9.---Any workman bringing beer or spirits into the works without leave, to be fined.....	2      6
10.---Any workman creating tumult or noise in the factory, to be fined.....	1      0
11.---Any workman taking chips, or other articles out of the works without leave, to be fined.....	2      6

        All workmen and apprentices are employed in these works subject to the preceding regulations, and any inattention to them---absence without leave, sleeping in three mornings in one week, or general misconduct---will render the workman liable to dismissal, and the apprentice to forfeiture of wages and legal penalties.

        Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said parties
in the presence of

John W Moesby, 29 William Street, Mary Jane Tait, 13 William Street, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.	James Alban Brown [SEAL] Alfred Fordingham Brown [SEAL]
Signed on behalf of R & W Hawthorn, Leslie and Company Limited, by Charles Edmond Straker and Benjamin Chapman Browne two of the Directors thereof, in the presence of Henry Knott, 127 Normount Road, Newcastle on Tyne	C E Straker B C Browne

        This is to certify that the within named apprentice (Jas. A. Brown), has served the term of his Indenture to our satisfaction

        For R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Limited

C E Straker

Director.