This document is a copy of a Labour Certificate No. 1, a historical record issued in 1920 for Agnes Blake, residing at The Rock, Pilton. These certificates were used in the early 20th century to grant exemption from school so children could enter the workforce after reaching a certain age (in this case, 13 or 14 years old).
It was issued by the Local Education Authority for the Borough of Barnstaple and dated the 3rd April 1920. It was signed by G.W.T. Brown, identified as the Principal Teacher of the School, probably Pilton School. It certifies that Agnes met the age and school attendance requirements (typically 350 attendances per year for five years shown in the list included) to legally leave school for employment.
At the time, the Employment of Children Act 1903 and later the 1920 Act regulated how and when children could work. While today these certificates are often kept as family heirlooms, they were once essential legal work permits that controlled the supply of young labour in industrial and local markets.
PDF