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4. PUBLIC OFFICE, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

     It never has been the practice to keep any account of the apprentices bound at this office beyond the regular return of the fees received on each binding; and that no distinction has been made between those bound to chimney sweepers and others; so that we are unable to furnish the return, as required.

     In consequence, however, of the letter which we had the honour to receive from you on the 29th May 1823, on the subject of chimney sweepers apprentices, we directed a register to be kept of all future bindings at this Office; and we now enclose you an account thereof.  You will observe, that the account in question does not state the age of the apprentice, or what evidence of age was produced, (which is required by the recent resolution of the House of Commons;) but we beg to observe, that it has been our usual practice to examine a boy, offered to be bound to a chimney sweeper, apart from the presence of all the parties; and that a certificate of his baptism, extracted from the parochial register, has rarely been dispensed with, and then only when sufficient suppletory evidence could be otherwise provided

H.M. Dyer

J.E. Conant

9th March 1825.

Account of the number of boys apprenticed to chimney sweepers, under the Provision of 28 Geo.3,c,40, at the Police Office in Marlborough Street, from the 3rd June 1823 to the 9th March 1825.