Biography:
1. William Newton came from Lincolnshire. According to Winters, p.121, he was appointed as Master Worker on the 2nd January 1788, and was finally installed on December 17th of the same year. This information would appear to be incorrect, however, because WO54/528 dated the 19th May 1819 gave William's starting date at Waltham Abbey as the 26th December 1787.
2. It would seem that he was to reside at Faversham for a while "to see your method of manufacturing gunpowder, keeping accounts, and every branch of duty as far as he may require as Master Worker...until the powder makers to be transferred from Faversham are ordered up." (Faversham Gunpowder Register, p.61).
3. Although he was installed in office at Waltham Abbey on the 27th January 1788, according to the FGPR, p.61, it would seem that very few, if any, who were "ordered up" from Faversham to Waltham Abbey, ever left the Kent town, as their names did not appear in the Waltham Abbey Returns (see FGPR, p12 - notes on Thomas Bates).
4. The key to when William was employed was given in a letter dated the 12th September 1812 (Supply 5/229). He was questioned by the then Clerk at Waltham Abbey as to when he started with the Ordnance, and he replied that he had been summoned by the Comptroller of the Royal Laboratory at Charlton at the end of 1787, and arrived there on the 25th December, seeing the Comptroller the next day, when he was appointed to His Majesty's service. He was told that he would not receive any pay until he had returned from Lincolnshire, where he had affairs to settle. He also said that the Comptroller had given him one month's leave, and Newton maintained that his service, therefore, had started on the 26th December 1787; it would appear that his statement was accepted.
5. Supply 5/232 dated the 6th February 1822, confirmed that he started work at Waltham Abbey on the 26th December 1787.
6. Employed as the Master Worker (Supply 5/212 dated the 29th January 1789), the Establishment set the Master Worker's pay at £90 per annum, and he was allowed to train an Apprentice, for which he received 7/-d per week (Supply 5/188 dated the 16th February 1789).
7. A Report in Winters' Centenary Memorial (p.30) dated April 5th 1788, stated that Mr Newton's family was to occupy part of the Master Worker's house when convenient. This report also said that W. Newton resided in Edmondsey near the pool, hence the name 'Newton's Pool'. This was the Turnpike House, and although he was there in 1801, it was only known as Newton's Pool after he had moved away. However, yet again, this appears to be an inaccurate statement because his first house was within the Manufactory, and was shown as Building No. 21 on the maps of the Mills dated 1783 and 1801 (WAGP, pp.107-110). He moved to Turnpike House circa 1804/1805.
8. William signed several of the early Personnel Returns submitted to the Board, such as those for January 1789 (Supply 5/212).
9. In 1795, his pay was £90 per annum with £5.5.0d per annum for coals and candles (Report on Pay & Allowances for Artificers & Labourers - Supply 5/217 - dated the 3rd July 1795).
10 In 1804 he received £100 per annum, with an annual coal and candle allowance of £12.10.0d. He was awarded a pay increase of £10 per annum, and a gratuity of £8 and was also supplied with a house on the premises according to Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804.
11 According to a Return dated the 18th June 1807, Newton's salary was still £100 per annum, and in the Remarks Column of this document was confirmation that he was taken on the Establishment in December 1787. He was provided with a house and entitled to take on an Apprentice (Supply 5/226 ).
12 William's pay had increased to £120 per annum by August 1808 (Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808), and the same document showed that he was receiving 6/6d per week for his Apprentice, John Godwin.
13 Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, confirmed that Mr. Newton was allowed 6/6d per week in respect of his Apprentice, John Godwin, Jnr.
14 All the previous information given applied in September 1810 (Supply 5/228).
15 A letter dated the 3rd October 1811, approved the Apprenticeship of John Carr to Master Worker, William Newton (Supply 5/229).
16 According to the Return dated the 29th August 1812 Mr. Newton took up the appointment of Master Worker on the 26th December, 1787, and at the date of this particular document, his pay had increased to £130 per annum, with a £55 gratuity and a house. He was, of course, still allowed an Apprentice (Supply 5/229).
17 In 1814 his gratuity was increased to £65 per annum, but his conditions of employment remained the same (Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814).
18 By the 14th June 1815, William had moved to a newly-built house, a refurbished stable on Horse Mill Island or Marsh Side (Supply 5/232) which was Building No. 96 on the Town Map in Appendix 1.
19 Return of Employees dated the 25th June 1818 stated that Mr. Newton was a Master Worker aged 73, who resided in Waltham Abbey, and was a widower with 3 children. He was employed in his capacity of Master Worker on the 26th December 1787, and earned £130 per annum with a gratuity of £150, as well as £22.8.0d per annum in respect of an Apprentice. He also had a house upon the Establishment (Supply 5/231).
20 According to a Return dated 19th May 1819, Mr. Newton was still a Master Worker aged 74, with all the other information given previously remaining the same. However, there is no mention in this List of the allowance of £22.8.0d per annum in respect of an Apprentice, so it is assumed that this particular Apprenticeship was completed and that Mr. Newton had not taken on a replacement (Supply 5/231).
21 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 updated the previous entry, with the basic details on pay, etc. remaining unchanged. He was then 75 years of age (Supply 5/232).
22 A statement dated the 4th April 1821, "of monies to which the public were entitled to receive credit between the 1st January and the 31st December, 1821, shewing the amounts received by the storekeeper" recorded that William Newton, Master Worker, was living rent free in a Board of Ordnance house from the 14th June 1815. This particular house was on Horse Mill Island (Supply 5/232). The same information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822 for the year 1821.
23 Supply 5/232 stated that Mr. Newton was still a Master Worker, that he was then aged 75, and was a widower with 3 children residing in Waltham Abbey. All other information as indicated in Note 19 remained the same, without the allowance for an Apprentice.
24 Supply 5/232 dated the 6th September 1822, updated Newton's salary, etc. He was then paid £130 per annum, with a gratuity based on service of £150, giving him a total annual income of £280.0.0d. He was provided with a house in Waltham Abbey, had served with the Ordnance for 34 years, was 76 years' old and was a widower with 3 children.
25 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 confirmed Newton's salary and entitlement to a house, and family details and date of employment were also confirmed therein. He had trained as a Gunpowder Maker.
26 Return showing the Pay, Allowances and Length of Service of all Employees included Mr. Newton, who was appointed Master Worker on the 26th December 1787. His annual pay on this Return was given as £130.0.0d with no allowances, but he was given an increase of £150 per annum - a gratuity for length of service - making a total of £280.0.0d per annum. He was entitled to a house, had nearly 37 years' service, was then aged 80, and was a widower with 3 children (WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1824).
27 William died in February 1825, still in office. For a while, his son, Charles, remained in the house with his invalid sister, but a decision was taken in October 1828 to converted his house into two dwellings, and to let each dwelling at 2/-d per week to Jeremiah Betts and John Simpson. REFERENCE PLEASE - SBT. Later REFERENCE PLEASE - SBT - it was converted back to a single dwelling, and when the 1841 Census was taken, it had become home to Thomas Sadd, the Master Worker.
28. It is possible that James Newton, Assistant Bargeman, was William's third child. WHY? SBT
