The story of an apprentice

12:11pm Friday 18th April 2008

THOMAS Thornycroft of Great Tidnock Farm, Gawsworth, would have been 15 or 16 years of age when his apprenticeship with the Macclesfield surgeon, Mr John Fleet, began in the very early 1830s.

At that time Fleet's premises were in Stanley Street, now represented by The Mall leading from the Market Place up and into the Indoor Market.

By 1841 his address is recorded as on the main street, Mill Street, while his old premises became home to the Macclesfield Useful Knowledge Society until 1849.

An indenture had to be signed as a guarantee of good conduct and payment; the stipulations were set out in full and make fascinating reading. An indenture of ten years earlier confirms an apprenticeship to a surgeon as five years, with an annual payment of £35, remitted in two equal half-yearly instalments; in all a sum of £175, probably somewhere in the regions of at least £15,000 today.

In the presence of a solicitor, both the prospective apprentice and his patron, usually a close family member, would sign the deed together with the surgeon, or surgeons if a partnership, offering the apprenticeship. This was obviously a legally binding contract, which could not be broken without some penalty occurring.

Cholera and typhus were ever constant fears at this time; and while Macclesfield was fortunate in its precautions against cholera, typhus epidemics in the overcrowded areas of the town would burst forth from time to time. Thomas, along with other apprentices, had to attend those cases, which did create immunity to the disease.

But while the anatomical lessons would be of great use in the future, his dislike of other necessary procedures in the performance of his duties took on such an abhorrence that he finally admitted to his mother he could bear it no longer'. He had, however, been sent home by Mr Fleet!

One can only imagine his mother's feelings on finding him at her door and, anxious to sort out what had gone wrong, she hurried back to town with him. Mr Fleet, a no-nonsense man with no children of his own, soon made known that there were reasons for Thomas's dismissal, but what compensation would he claim?

Ann must have felt angry, frustrated and worried, At that time Macclesfield was fortunate to have in the town another highly respected surgeon called William Binley Dickinson, who had recently been mayor for the year 1829-30. The situation could have turned into an expensive legal dispute, but it was agreed by both Ann and John Fleet that Mr Dickinson would take on the role of adjudicator, as he was a very fair-minded and just man.

Dickinson was not only fair-minded but also quite remarkable, with an exceptional mind. He soon investigated the circumstances of the case and discovered that one of the serious charges was that of Thomas using his scalpels to carve small pieces of marble.

The indenture was quite specific in stipulating that no damage to equipment or property was allowed, and scalpels were expensive instruments. On inspecting the scalpels, Dickinson found them blunted, with small pieces of marble still adhering to them.

Although the outcome is not known, except for the fact that Thomas was released from the bond, fate had now taken a hand.

Dickinson was intrigued, he had an inquiring mind and, true to form, he discovered that from being very young Thomas had loved modelling and carving, and had produced a copy of a horse's head in clay. When only 14 years old, among other attempts, he had tried to carve a medallion out of a piece of marble from a print by Milton, and also to work on a head of Lord Byron in half relief. Dickinson realised that this was no ordinary boy, and made up his mind to help the pent-up genius lurking within the soul of the youth, who had so far caused his mother great anxieties.

But who was Dickinson, and why should he take on such a challenge?

(To be continued).

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