Biography:
1. James Pallett was born circa 1786, and commenced employment as a Labourer wih the Ordnance Board on the 20th February 1805 (Supply 5/232). In June 1897, he was working in the Corning House earning 2/2d per day. In addition, Corning House men were allowed to watch in turn, for which they received 1/-d per night (Supply 5/226 dated the 18th June 1807).
2. According to the entry in Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Pallett was still employed as a Corning House Man earning 2/6d per day, and "in addition to their pay, they are allowed to watch in turn, for which they receive one shilling."
3. Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810, confirmed James was a Corning House Man with pay of 2/10d per day, and that he was allowed to watch in turn for 1/6d night.
4. Pallet was then employed as an Office Keeper at 3/3d per day (Supply 5/229 dated the 29th August 1812), in addition to which, he was allowed to watch in turn.
6. Likewise, Supply 5/230 dated the13th February 1814, confirmed that James was still an Office Keeper, with the same pay of 3/3d per day, and that he was allowed to watch in turn.
7. List of Employees the dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231) recorded that James Pallett was still an Office Keeper. He was a married man aged 33 with one child, and lived in Waltham Abbey, but then earned a reduced amount of 2/11d per day.
8. A Return dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) proposed the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818, and James was to be retained as a Saltpetre Refiner with pay of 2/-d per day. However, the list was modified , date unknown, showing the people who were to be retained between the 10th September and the 31st December 1818, and James Pallett's name then appeared as a Bargeman with pay of 3/-d per day. Subsequent Lists confirm this change. He took the place of Joseph Brown, who, in earlier Lists, was shown as a Bargeman, but was then the Office Keeper.
9. List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/223) confirmed that Pallett was still employed as a Bargeman at 3/-d per day, that he was a married, aged 33, and that he had 2 children and lived in Waltham Abbey.
10 Supply 5/232 dated the 13th September 1820, revealed that James was then working in the Corning House with pay of 2/11d per day, and allowed 1/6d per night to watch, which gave him annual pay of £50.16.11d. His age was shown as 34 years and the Return confirmed that he had 2 children.
11 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 showing the amounts received by the storekeeper" (Supply 5/232) recorded that James Pallett lived in a house purchased by the Board of Ordnance, Tenement No. 39, with a rent of £5.4.0d per annum. The property, together with its small garden, has been identified as being one of a terrace of tenements in Powder Mill Lane (part of Property No. 714 on the 1825 Waltham Abbey Town Map, or Plot 1434 on the 1842 Tithe Map) - at the northern end of the terrace adjacent to Samuel Knowler's place.
12 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 indicated that James was then 34; all other entries remained the same as in Note 10 (Supply 5/232).
13 List of Employees (Supply 5/232 dated the23rd January 1822) gave the age of James Pallet, Corning House Man, as 35, with 17 years' service and pay per day of 2/11d.
14 Return showing the pay, allowances and length of service and every description of the persons in the employment of the Ordnance at Waltham Abbey as at the 31st December 1821 (Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822) appeared to be a more detailed, and probably more accurate, Return than that dated the 23rd January 1822.
James Pallett, Corning House man,was appointed on the 20th February 1805 as a Labourer at Waltham Abbey, and his position on the Establishment as a Corning House man was confirmed by an Order of the Board dated the 4th September 1818; he was allowed to watch in turn to guard the works, for which he received an additional 2/-d per night, which gave him total pay for the year of £50.16.11d. He had 17 years' service, was aged 35 years, was a married man with 2 children and lived in Waltham Abbey.
15 List dated the 21st March 1822 (Supply 5/232) of Persons to form an Establishment at Waltham Abbey to regenerate 2000 barrels of gunpowder as well as to make 100 or 200 barrels of gunpowder annually, included James Pallett, Labourer, drawing and setting stoves, who was to be retained. He then lived in a house purchased by the Board - Tenement No. 39 - at a rental of £5.4.0d. Per annum. James had occupied the property prior to its purchase by the Board, and this property together with its small garden was one of a terrace in Powder Mill Lane forming part of Plot No. 63 on the Town Map in Appendix 1.
16 Supply 5/233 dated the 1st October 1823, recorded that James then had 3 children.
17 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, confirmed that Pallett was still a Labourer setting and drawing stoves, and that his pay for the year was £39.0.0d, which included an allowance for watching in turn, for which he received 2/-d per week. His family and service details were confirmed.
18 According to a document dated the 1st April 1823 (WO54/542 - Alteration in Return B), James Pallett had his pay reduced by £2.12.0d per annum in accordance with the Board's Orders dated the 27th December 1822 and the 15th January 1823.
19 A Return dated the 1st October 1824 (WO54/546) confirmed that James still earned £39.0.0d per annum, which included an allowance for watching in turn - for which he received 2/-d per week. His period of service was nearly 20 years, he was then aged 38, was married and had 3 children.
20 Return showing pay and allowances, etc. dated the 1st October 1825 (Winters, pp.93-95) confirmed the previous information, except that James then worked as a Millman and recorded that he had been in continuous service with the Board since the 20th February 1805. His pay was given as £42.8.0d per annum.
21 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, recorded that Pallett was still a Labourer drawing and setting stoves, and gave his basic pay as £33.16.0d per annum. It confirmed he was still allowed to watch in turn which gave him, on average, 2/-d per week, making his total pay £39.0.0d per annum. It also confirmed his previous service details, but by then he had 4 children.
22 WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825, recorded that James Pallett had been working as a Corning House man since the 25th May 1825 in place of George Ridpath, and that his basic pay had been increased to £42.18.0d per annum, in addition to which, he was allowed to guard the works, for which he received on average 2/-d per week. This gave him an annual income of £48.2.0d.
23 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, confirmed the basic information given in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825, and WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826.
24 WO54/558 dated 1st the April, 1827 recorded "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826." (This record indicated that he had 5 children, but the figure was back to 4 by the next Return).
25 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, gave the same information as that given in the previous notes, and at that date he had 23 years' service. He was then 41 years of age.
26 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as in previous notes, with the exception that he had served nearly 24 years.
27 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay unchanged.
28. Return dated the the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, family details and pay remaining unchanged.
29 WO54/566 dated the 1st October 1829, stated that at that date James still earned the same as recorded in Note 22. His length of service was given as 25 years, and he was then aged 42.
30. Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remainining unaltered.
31 WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, recorded that James was 43 years of age and that he had served 26 years. His pay was still the same as in Note 22, and all other information given remained the same.
32 According to the Return WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, James Pallett was now 44 and had served nearly 27 years. His earnings remained the same as in Note 22 at a total of £48.2.0d per annum.
33. WO54/545 dated the 1st October 1831, updated his age and period of service in the April 1831 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
34 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, with all other details remaining unaltered.
35 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 updated his age and period of service in the April 1832 Return.
36 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, confirmed that James still earned a total of £48.2.0d per annum. His service was given as 28 years, and his age as 46.
37 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, recorded that James Pallet had died since the last report.
38 At the time of his death, James Pallett lived in a tenement belonging to the Board in Powder Mill Lane. The cottage, with a small garden of 3 perches, was listed as No. 39 in a "statement of monies due on the 31st December 1821" (Supply 5/232 dated the 14th February 1822). He had paid an annual rental of £5.4.0d for his property.
39 A Return of Properties owned by the Board prepared by the Royal Engineers' Office dated the 20th December 1834 (Supply 5/237) recorded that the cottage was leased to widow Pallet on the 16th July 1833 by an Order of the Board, and a similar Return made in Ma 1840 confirmed this information (WO44/133).
40 James's widow continued to live in the premises until at least 1840 (Poor Rates 1840) and would be the Elizabeth Pallet (Laundress) who was living in Powder Mill Lane in the 1841 Census, together with James Pallet (13) and Ann Pallet (11), along with John Goats (65) as a lodger. John Goats had worked at the Mills as a Saltpetre Refiner and his wife had died by 1839.
