Edinburgh Apprentices
The Register of Apprentices
of the City of Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Register of Apprentices (a 4-part series by the Scottish Record Society publications) is a historical register compiling records of formal apprenticeship contracts in Edinburgh from the late 16th to 17th centuries.
Purpose: It documents the binding of young men (often sons of burgesses, landowners, or tradesmen) to masters in specific trades/crafts (e.g., tailor, litster/dyer, skinner, merchant). These contracts secured training, housing, and guild entry pathways while recording family connections, locations, and sureties.
It complements sources like the Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses by revealing pre-burgess career starts, family networks, and social mobility for families such as the Guthries. Entries typically include the apprentice’s name/parentage, master’s name/trade, and binding date.
This volume is especially valuable for genealogy, highlighting Guthrie involvement in Edinburgh’s trade guilds across generations.
Glossary of Terms & Abbreviations:
| Term / Abbreviation | Meaning / Explanation |
|---|---|
| s. / son to | Son of (parentage reference for the apprentice). |
| p. to | Presented to / apprentice to (bound to a master for training). |
| mt. | Merchant. |
| minr. / minister | Minister (clergyman). |
| chirurgeon | Surgeon (medical practitioner). |
| (B.) | Burgess (master holds burgess status). |
| dec. / umq. / late | Deceased. |
| nat. s. | Natural son (illegitimate). |
| indweller | Resident (non-burgess inhabitant). |
| fermorer / fermourer | Farmer. |
| lock-smith / goldsmith / candlemaker / skinner / tailor / litster / cutler / etc. | Specific trades/crafts of masters or families. |
| brother-german | Full brother (same parents). |
| of that Ilk | Of the same name/place (landed family designation). |
The Register of Apprentices
of the City of Edinburgh,
1583-1666.
Primary Apprentice:
(Registration Date, Parentage/Family, Master)
| Name | Provided Data (Parentage & Master) | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Guthrie | Son to Gabriell G., brother-german to Alexander G., of that Ilk, with John Heriot, tailor | 12 Apr. 1615 |
| Alexander Guthrie | Son to Harry G., of Colliston, with John Rynd, merchant | 20 Sept. 1626 |
| Francis Guthrie | Brother to Alexander G., of Gegyye, with Robert Meiklejohn, skinner | 5 Dec. 1621 |
| Hercules Guthrie | Son to Alexander G., of that Ilk, with James Gairdyn, litster | 26 Mar. 1606 |
| James Guthrie | Son to late John G., of Colliston, with Robert Tenent, skinner | 20 Mar. 1598-9 |
| James Guthrie | With Samuel Thomson, cutler | 23 Mar. 1614 |
| James Guthrie | Son to Alexander G., of Kyncadrome, with Andrew Hepburn, skinner | 12 Nov. 1635 |
| James Guthrie | Son to late James G., writer in Edinburgh, with James Broun, hatmaker | 6 Feb. 1661 |
| John Guthrie | With John Heriott, tailor | 6 July 1602 |
| John Guthrie | Brother to Mr. David G., servitor to the Laird of Edzell, with James Mitchell, tailor | 1 Aug. 1610 |
| John Guthrie | Son to David G., of Kyncadrome, with David Jonkeine, merchant | 3 Feb. 1630 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Son to Alexander G., of that Ilk, with John Gairdyn, litster | 16 Mar. 1601 |
| Thomas Guthrie | Son to Walter G., burgess of Musselburgh, with Samuel Guthrie, litster | 14 Apr. 1652 |
| William Guthrie | Son to late John G., clerk in Leith, with John Rea, merchant | 29 Aug. 1610 |
| William Guthrie | Son to late George G., indweller in Edinburgh, with Barnard Abercrombie, tailor | 3 Mar. 1624 |
Indirect Guthrie Mentions:
(Sponsors, Masters, Relatives, or References)
| Referenced Guthrie | Role / Context | Associated Individual / Details | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Guthrie | Master (tailor) | David Guidlet (son to Harry G., of Abberschauck) | 2 Mar. 1636 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | William Blair (son to Thomas B., of Neve) | 27 July 1631 |
| James Guthrie | Master (merchant) | John Brown (son to late James B., of Leckaway) | 7 Aug. 1661 |
| David Guthrie | Master (litster) | James Crichton (son to Alexander C., notar in Fraserburgh) | 24 Feb. 1658 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | Alexander Culloch (son to Thomas C., merchant) | 3 May 1626 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | William Cuthbert (son to late Alexander C., indweller in Inverness) | 10 Apr. 1616 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | William Davidson (second son to James D., of Heirvestoune) | 7 Apr. 1619 |
| James Guthrie | Master (skinner) | Arthur Forbes (son to late Alexander F., bishop of Aberdeen) | 14 Dec. 1625 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | John Garden (son to Alexander G., of Cranstoun) | 6 Aug. 1634 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | Robert Goudie (son to late Robert G., wright) | 27 Mar. 1622 |
| Samuel Guthrie | Master (litster) | Nicoll Heriot (son to Mr. George H., minister) | 25 Nov. 1640 |
| James Guthrie | Master (skinner) | John Inglis (son to late Francis I., chamberlain) | 22 Mar. 1637 |
| James Guthrie | Master (skinner) | Gilbert MacLennan (transferred) | 14 Dec. 1625 |
| James Guthrie | Master (skinner) | Robert Mackye (son to late William M., burgess of Montrose) | 28 Nov. 1621 |
| Thomas Guthrie | Master (litster) | Alexander Simpson (son to John S., baxter) | 18 Feb. 1663 |
| James Guthrie | Master (skinner) | Hew Somervell (transferred) | 5 Dec. 1632 |
| John Guthrie | Master (tailor) | Gavin Thomson (son to Edward T., maltman) | 30 May 1621 |
| James Guthrie | Master (skinner) | Gilbert Wood (son to John W., in Mylne Bowie) | 25 Jan. 1615 |
Register of Edinburgh Apprentices,
1666-1700.
Primary Apprentice:
(Registration Date, Parentage/Family, Master)
| Name | Registration Date, Parentage/Family, Master |
|---|---|
| Gilbert Guthrie | 15 June 1681, s. to dec. Wm. G., mt. in Dundie, p. to Magnus Prince, mt. |
| Robert Guthrie | 4 Aug. 1675, s. to Thomas G. in Sanuchar, p. to James Prettey, lock-smith |
Indirect Guthrie Mentions:
(Sponsors, Masters, Relatives, or References)
| Referenced Guthrie | Context | Associated Individual / Details | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Guthrie | Master (candlemaker) | Thomas Anderson (s. to James A., indweller in Nether Gogar) | 23 Oct. 1667 |
| James Guthrie | Master (hatmaker) | George Cameron (s. to umq. John C.) | 14 Feb. 1672 |
| Walter Guthrie | Master (candlemaker) | James Dickson (s. to umq. John D. in Newtownhill) | 20 Aug. 1679 |
| Walter Guthrie | Master (candlemaker) | John Dickson (s. to John D., weaver in Newbotell) | 4 Dec. 1672 |
| Walter Guthrie | Master (candlemaker) | John Liston (s. to umq. John L., fermourer in Easter Drylaw) | 15 June 1687 |
| Walter Guthrie | Master (candlemaker) | Gilbert Penicuick (s. to Gilbert P., weaver in Stratoun) | 14 Mar. 1683 |
Register of Edinburgh Apprentices,
1701-1755.
Primary Apprentice:
(Registration Date, Parentage/Family, Master)
| Name | Registration Date, Parentage/Family, Master |
|---|---|
| John Guthrie | 20 July 1743, s. of Mr. John G., minr. at Ratho, p. to Andrew Mowat, mt. (B.) |
| Wm. Guthrie | 11 May 1720, s. to Wm. G., late chirurgeon in London, p. to Charles Dickeson, goldsmith (B.) |
Indirect Guthrie Mentions:
(Sponsors, Masters, Relatives, or References)
No Indirect Guthrie Mentions Found in this Volume.
Register of Edinburgh Apprentices,
1756-1800
Primary Apprentice:
(Registration Date, Parentage/Family, Master)
This volume is not available for free online. An electronic copy can be purchased from tannerritchie.
Indirect Guthrie Mentions:
(Sponsors, Masters, Relatives, or References)
See above.
Citations:
The Register of Apprentices of the City of Edinburgh, 1583-1666.
Ed. by Francis J Grant. Edinburgh, Printed for the Society by J. Skinner, 1906. HathiTrust Digital Library. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/012202930?type%5B%5D=all&lookfor%5B%5D=Edinburgh%20apprentices&ft=
Register of Edinburgh Apprentices, 1666-1700.
Ed. by Charles B. Boog Watson. Edinburgh : Printed for the Society by J. Skinner & Co., 1929. HathiTrust Digital Library. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/102635178?type%5B%5D=all&lookfor%5B%5D=Edinburgh%20apprentices&ft=
Register of Edinburgh Apprentices, 1701-1755.
Ed by Charles B. Boog Watson.Edinburgh : Printed for the Society by J. Skinner & Co LTD., 1929. HathiTrust Digital Library. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/102650540?type%5B%5D=all&lookfor%5B%5D=Edinburgh%20apprentices&ft=
Register of Edinburgh Apprentices, 1756-1800
Ed. by Marguerite Wood .Edinburgh : Printed for The Society by J. Skinner, 1963. HathiTrust Digital Library. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001597949?type%5B%5D=all&lookfor%5B%5D=Edinburgh%20apprentices&ft=