Age when starting apprenticeship

I managed to get onto Origins Network a short time ago (it seems to have
gone down again now though) and found this apprenticeship record in the
Abstracts of London Apprentices:

1774 Farmer, Harry, son of Nicholas, Bermondsey, Surrey, ropemaker,
to Richard Mann, 7 Mar 1774, Feltmakers' Company

Nicholas FARMER, master rope-maker of Bermondsey, was my
4xgreat-grandfather, so it looks as if I may have discovered another
son. (There were three sons mentioned in Nicholas' will, but not this
one - perhaps he had died by 1805 when the will was made, or perhaps
there was another Nicholas FARMER, ropemaker, of Bermondsey )

At what age, approximately, would boys have started apprenticeships in
1774 ? 14 or 15, or younger ? I'm trying to get a starting date for
looking at parish registers for a baptism.

Eve McLaughlin...

In general, first apprenticeships were at 14 and for 7 years. You do get
the occasional lad who is either 'turned over' when his master dies or
goes bust, or himself decided on (and persuades his father to agree to)
a different apprenticeship later on, at 16 or 17.

Anne Chambers...

Thanks Eve
Anne

David Massie...

Usually at age 14, for 7 years, though some apprenticeships are shorter.
I've seen some of 3 or 4 years, but 7 is the most common.

I searched the web for but found nothing useful.

I also found that searching each of the Origins Network collections
separately produces far more results than doing a blanket name search.

Any help much appreciated
Anne
South Australia