A Cry for Help
An indentured servant named Richard Frethorne, from the Virginia plantation Martin’s Hundred, wrote letters to his mother and father begging them to “redeem” his indenture.1 The letter written by Frethorne opened up his parents eyes and the eyes of other Englishmen to the unforsaken truth about indentured servants, the conditions they were living in, and what hardships America was going through (e.g. disease, starvation, and death.)
Frethorne wrote his parents a letter in hopes of revoking his indenture and returning home to England. If the Frethorne family were unable to do that, alternatively, selling meals with “good folk” or sending him food to sell in America to pay back his indenture. Richard was surrounded by death and …show more content…
Centuries later Frethorne's letters were evidence of the parish-indentured servants; who were young children sent by the parish due to the fact the parish provided support for their poor families. Frethorne was indentured by his parish under The English Poor Law of 1601, which forced children into mandatory apprenticeships because their parents could not support their child. Children sent over under the provisions of The English Poor Law of 1601, were not volunteers, but forced to become indentured servants. The number of passengers on the boat were recorded and occasionally names were attached, but there were no traces of the parish children other than the relation between Bateman and Frethorne in another letter and Frethorne is referred to as a “parish-indentured poor child.” Frethorne’s letter gives some insight and historical significance on how indentured servants truly lived and the hardships they
An indentured servant named Richard Frethorne, from the Virginia plantation Martin’s Hundred, wrote letters to his mother and father begging them to “redeem” his indenture.1 The letter written by Frethorne opened up his parents eyes and the eyes of other Englishmen to the unforsaken truth about indentured servants, the conditions they were living in, and what hardships America was going through (e.g. disease, starvation, and death.)
Frethorne wrote his parents a letter in hopes of revoking his indenture and returning home to England. If the Frethorne family were unable to do that, alternatively, selling meals with “good folk” or sending him food to sell in America to pay back his indenture. Richard was surrounded by death and …show more content…
Centuries later Frethorne's letters were evidence of the parish-indentured servants; who were young children sent by the parish due to the fact the parish provided support for their poor families. Frethorne was indentured by his parish under The English Poor Law of 1601, which forced children into mandatory apprenticeships because their parents could not support their child. Children sent over under the provisions of The English Poor Law of 1601, were not volunteers, but forced to become indentured servants. The number of passengers on the boat were recorded and occasionally names were attached, but there were no traces of the parish children other than the relation between Bateman and Frethorne in another letter and Frethorne is referred to as a “parish-indentured poor child.” Frethorne’s letter gives some insight and historical significance on how indentured servants truly lived and the hardships they