JhsL J'bmL J'OiwdaiwtL of, Owl (Buaiwaa. 
The same thoroughness as shown by the 
Founder of this business in his first contract , 
has been maintained in 
spirit and practice. 
Reproduced on the right is 
the original Apprentice Contract 
entered into by Robert Nich¬ 
olson. 
Below is printed the text of 
Page One and excerpts of the 
Release. 
.n *.«*•» 
jv, 
It is contracted and agreed upon between 
the parties following viz: Messrs. Dickson 
& Company Nurserymen and Seedsmen 
Number One Waterloo Place Edinburgh on 
the one part and Robert Nicholson residing 
at Three Belevue Place a minor son of the 
late Robert Nicholson Farmer at Nisbet 
East Lothian with the advice and consent 
of Miss Margaret Euphemia Handasyde re¬ 
siding at Nisbet aforesaid as Cautioner 
and Surety and as taking burden upon her 
for the said Robert Nicholson on the other 
part in manner following that is to say 
the said Robert Nicholson with advice and 
consent foresaid hereby becomes bound 
Apprentice to the said Dickson & Company m 
in their occupation of Nurserymen and 
Seedsmen and for the space of four years 
from and after first October eighteen hun¬ 
dred and seventy-seven year which is here¬ 
by declared to be the date of entry to the 
said apprenticeship notwithstanding the 
date hereof during which space the said 
Robert Nicholson and the said Miss Mar¬ 
garet Euphemia Handasyde as Cautioner 
and Surety for him Bind and Oblige them¬ 
selves onjunctly and severally that the 
said Robert Nicholson shall faithfully dili¬ 
gently honestly and obediently attend his 
said Master's service both by day and by 
night excepting in cases of illness and 
shall not absent himself therefrom without 
leave asked and given under the penalty of 
two days service for each days absence 
without leave as aforesaid and that if he 
the said Robert Nicholson shall at any time 
hear or know of anything to the hurt or 
prejudice of his said Master’s either as to 
their names or goods he shall reveal the 
same to them and stop and prevent the 
same to the utmost of his power also that 
he shall behave himself decently civilly 
and discreetly towards his said Master’s 
during his Apprenticeship and that he 
shall not divulge any secrets or affairs 
wherewith his Master’s may intrust him 
And Further the said Robert Nicholson 
and his said Cautioner and Surety Bind 
and Oblige themselves conjunctly and sev¬ 
erally to repeat and refund to the said Dicksons & Company any loss 
damage or expense which they may incur or sustain through the intro¬ 
mission omission or default of the said Robert Nicholson at any time 
during his apprenticeship For which causes and on the other part the 
said Dicksons and Company Bind and Oblige themselves to teach learn 
and instruct the said Robert Nicholson in all the branches of the Nur¬ 
sery and Seed business carried on by them during the foresaid space 
and to conceal no part thereof from him in so far as they know and 
the said Robert Nicholson is capable of learning the same Declaring 
that the said Robert Nicholson shall serve two years of his apprentice¬ 
ship in the nurseries of his said master’s and two years in their shop : 
And Further the said Dicksons & Company Bind and Oblige themselves 
to pay to the said Robert Nicholson the sum of four shillings weekly as 
wages during the term of his Apprenticeship still to run : And the said 
Robert Nicholson Binds and obliges himself and his heirs executors and 
successors to warrant free relieve and harmless and skaithless keep his 
said Cautioner and Surety of all loss damage interest or expense which 
she may anyways sustain or be put to by being bound and obliged in 
manner aforesaid and lastly both parties Bind and Oblige themselves 
and their representatives to implement and fulfil the premises to each 
other under the penalty of one hundred pounds Sterling to be paid by 
the party failing to the party performing or willing to perform over 
and above performance. And all parties consent to registration for 
preservation and execution In Witness Whereof these presents written 
on this and the preceding page of stamped paper by Henry Vary Mc- 
Callum Apprentice to Messrs. Bruce Kerr Writers to the Signet Edin¬ 
burgh are subscribed as follows viz: by the said Robert Nicholson-at 
Edinburgh upon the fifteenth day of July Eighteen Hundred and Sev¬ 
enty eight years before these witnesses John Campbell and William 
John Campbell both Assistants to Messrs. E. G. Livengstone Book- 
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sellers in Edinburgh and by the said Margaret Euphemia Handasyde 
at Edinburgh upon the same day before these Witnesses Edward Liv¬ 
ingstone and Stuart Moodie Livingstone, both Booksellers in Edinburgh 
and by the said Dickson & Company at Edinburgh upon the first day of 
August in the year last mentioned William Welsh one of the partners 
thereof subscribing on behalf of the form before these Witnesses Philip 
Pollock Bookkeeper and David Patterson Clerk to the said Dicksons & 
Company: Declaring that the proper name of the late Robert Nicholson 
above designed is Thomas William Nicholson. 
Philip Pollock Witness 
David Patterson, Witness. 
William John Campbell, Witness 
John Campbell Witness 
Edward Livingstone Witness 
Stuart Moodie Livingstone Witness 
Dicksons & Company 
Robert Nicholson 
Margaret E. Handasyde. 
We Messieurs Dicksons & Company within designed in respect that the 
also within designed Robert Nicholson has served as our Apprentice in 
terms of the within Indenture during the whole period therein stipu¬ 
lated properly and faithfully Therefore we do hereby discharge him 
and the within designed Miss Margaret Euphemia Handasyde his 
Cautioner of the said Indenture whole purpose and effect thereof so 
far as the same were incumbent on them: 
Philip Pollock Witness 
Alex Skakel Witness 
C. E. Colville Witness 
H. Park Witness 
Maria Spence Corbett Witness 
Thomas Goodal Witness 
Dickson & Company 
Robert Nicholson 
Margaret E. Handasyde. 
'IIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIItllllllllltltlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllllHIMIIIIIHIIHIMIMIIIIttlllllllllllllllllllinilUHIIIIIIIIIIIllimMllllllillll^llllllllllimilllllllllllllirilllllllllltlllimillllllllMII.. ■IIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIMIIHIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIlllMHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIimilllllllllllim 
ROBERT NICHOLSON SEED CO. 
—3- 
DALLAS, TEXAS 
