That's excellent Debbie - the phrase " to Whom and for what Estates " indicates , to me anyway , that this is a combination of standard , expected , components of the apprenticing process . That means I must be prepared to find the estate owner either dead or alive at the time of indenturing , instead of only dead . Many thanks , Robert >>>>> >>>>>>>>>>Robert Coincidentally I've been sent some transcriptions from the Churchwardens' and Overseers' Accounts for Cheriton Fitzpaine in North Devon and the word estate is used in a similar manner to the usage you've found in Dorset. I only have selected extracts for the surname Cruwys but here are two examples: An Account of Wt. Prentices have been bound this Yeare 1727 to whom and for wt. Estates. includes: Wm. Cruwys was Bound to Mr. Maunder for ye other pt of ye Barton [Langworthy's] called Tuckers April 26th 1735: An Account of Wt Apprentices were bound out ye Yeare last past, to Whom and for what Estates Includes Thos. Cruwys to Mrs. Anne Lake for Chilton W. G. Hoskins says in his book "Devon": "Of the farms in the parish [Cheriton Fitzpaine], Chilton, Coddiford, Coombe Barton, and Lower Dunscombe appear as small estates in Domesday". Debbie Kennett <<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<