Biography:
1. Thomas Mason was working in the Corning House as a Labourer, with pay of 2/1d per day. All Labourers received an additional allowance of 1/-d per night when it was their turn "to watch" - on average every 5th night.
2. Supply 5/224 dated the 30th January 1806, confirmed that he was still working in the Corning House, but his pay was then 2/2d per day. This Return also stated that at that time he had been employed with the Ordnance for 2 years.
3. Supply 5/226 dated the 18th June 1807, confirmed that he was still working in the Corning House with the same rate of pay.
4. According to the entry on Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Mason, as a Corning House Man, earned 2/6d. per day, and "in addition to their pay, they are allowed to watch in turn, for which they receive one shilling."
5. Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810, confirmed the details in Note 4. His allowance for watching in turn at that date had increased to 1/6d per night.
6. List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) stated that Mr. Thomas Mason was a Reeling House Foreman who earned 3/10d per day, in addition to which, he was allowed to watch in turn, earning 1/6d. per night for that duty.
7. All of the details in Note 6 remained the same according to Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814.
8. In 1816 the Board formed three tenements out of the dwellings in the Tanyard on the south side of High Bridge Street. Thomas, Foreman of the Reeling House, was allocated one (Plot No.54 or 55) shown on the Town Map in Appendix 1, and the rental was 3/-d per week (Winters' Centenary Memorial, p.83).
