1-2 S. X.JAN. 14, 1922.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 29 Colchester . . . . James Blithe. Dorchester . . . . Robert Gaylavd. Dublin . . . . Richard Gunne. Durham . . . . Mr. Freeman. Evesham . . . . Mr. Loveday. C Philip Bishop. Exon . . . . < John Marsh. (.Edward Score. Hereford . . . . James Wilde. Hull Thomas Ryles. Leeds . . . . John Swale. T eicester Mr - Heartshorn. ' { Simon Marten. Lichfield . . . . Michael Johnson. Lincoln . . . . Mr. Knight. Manchester . . . . Mr. Clayton. Newcastle . . . . Rich. Randall. Northampton . . John Fowler. Nottingham . . . . Will. Ward. ("H. Clements, senior. Oxford . . . . ] Anth. Peisly. (J. Wilmot. Peterborough . . Mr. Bouchier. Plymouth . . . . Mr. Smithurst. St. Edmundsbury . . Ralph Watson, ]un. Sher bourne . . . . John Cook. Whitchurch . . . . Mr. Taylor. Wolverhamptoii . . George Unite. Worcester . . . . J. Montford. York Francis Hildyard. John Walker (1674-1747) appears to have belonged entirely to Devon. But he must have had friends in Essex, for about fifty of his subscribers lived in Colchester. It is worth notice that no Bristol bookseller is mentioned in the foregoing lists. Richard Brickdale of Bristol, grocer, did subscribe for Walker's ' Sufferings.' Manchester, on the other hand, was almost a village in the time of Queen Anne, yet it had a book- seller. RICHARD H. THORNTON. EDWARD FITZGERALD : E. F. G. Those who claim to know most about the transla- tor of Omar Khayyam have told us that it is wrong to write " Fitzgerald " with a small " g," as the abbreviation " E. F-G. " suggests. Lately, however, a Cambridge friend who comes from Woodbridge showed me a series of FitzGerald's signed notes extending over several years, and they do not support the assumption that he never wrote " Fitzgerald." Indeed, that form seems his latest choice in the way of spelling. In 1879 he wrote his name with a big " G " in the middle of it. In the later autographs the
- ' G," so far as I and my friend can discern, is
a small one. Similarly he wrote " Little- grange " the name of his house in his last years as one word continuously with a small " g," whereas he had written it earlier as "Little Grange." The first mention of the house in his ' Letters to Fanny Kemble ' is in 1874, p. 43 ; and on the same page is a reference to " such a delicious bit " of Spedding's in ' N. & Q.' The notes I have seen show that the writer's fondness for capital letters was not confined to his published works. V. R. APPRENTICES TO AND FROM OVERSEAS. The Apprentice Books recently discovered in the vaults of Somerset House should prove of great interest to all Americans anxious to trace their connexion with the Old Country. In a search extending over some months many American names have been noticed : Taft, Washington, Garfield, Francklin, House, Baxter, Lincoln, Page, &c. These records also give particulars of American boys apprenticed in England, as instance : 5 June 1717. Leon Augustus son of Leon Augus- tus Carter, late of York River in Gloucester County in ye Province of Virginia, Planter, apprenticed to James Debraufree, Citizen and Clockmaker. Consideration 25. (Inland Revenue 1/6-136.) English boys apprenticed to Americans are also to be found : 22 Aug. 1728. James son of Thomas Penn of Chipping Wycomb, Bucks, apprenticed to John Harding of ye Province of Pensilvania, Miller. (Inland Revenue 1/6-81.) It may be as well to state that these registers of apprenticeships are a record of the tax levied on indentures at the rate of sixpence in the pound for sums under 50, and one shilling for sums over 50, the period covered being from 1710-1810, parentage being given in most cases down to 1752. Scotland and Wales are included in this return, but not Ireland. The genealogical value of this record is immense, as it forms a central register of parentage for a large proportion of our population, many years before the birth records at Somerset House commence. It only remains to say that the Society of Genealogists of London is making an alphabetical digest of these apprenticeship lists, and has already reached the year 1716. GERALD FOTHERGILL. 11, Brussels Road, New Wandsworth, S.W.U. INEQUALITY or POSTAL RATES. There are less curious facts than this recorded for the information of posterity : At Christmastide, 1921, it was possible to send a printed card to Uganda for a half- penny, whereas if you addressed a like communication to your next-door neigh- bour, Government would not carry it to him for less than a penny. ST. SWITHIN.
