Biography:
1. Thomas Parker was an occasional Labourer in the Engineers' Department, earning 2/8d per day for a six-day-week (WO54/512 dated September 1812).
2. WO54/516 dated February 1816, confirmed he was first employed as an occasional Labourer by the Board on the 25th May 1811, earning 2/4d per day in the Engineers' Department. He was a 40-year-old married man with 5 children, living in Waltham Abbey.
3. WO54/520 dated the 28th February 1817 updated his record, with family and pay details remaing unchanged.
4. WO54/524 dated 11th April 1818, confirmed he was still employed as a Labourer "Occasionally as required" at 2/4d per day. This was also the case in 1819 (WO54/528 dated the 19th May 1819).
5. WO54/532 dated the 13th September 1820, recorded that Thomas Parker was still employed as a Labourer. He was aged 44 at that date, still lived in Waltham Abbey, and was a widower with 5 children. His pay was still 2/4d per day, and he still worked "Occasionally as the Service required."
6. WO54/536 dated the 2nd April 1821, indicated that he was then aged 45 years, was still a widower with 5 children, and that his Terms of Employment, etc. remained unchanged.
7. WO54/536 dated 31st December 1821, was a repeat of Return dated the 2nd April 1821.
8. WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, recorded Thomas was aid 2/2d per day as a Labourer for 313 days, giving him an income of £33.18.2d for the year. He had nearly 12 years'service, starting on the 25th May 1811. He was aged 46, and this Return recorded that he was a married man living in Waltham Abbey who had 5children.
9. WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed that Thomas was still paid 2/2d per day for 313 days as a Labourer. This gave him an annual income of £33.18.2d. His service was given as nearly 14 years; he was aged 48, was married and had 5 children.
10 WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 confirmed the previous entry. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed the details given in the October 1825 Return, and gives his date of appointment as the 15th May 1811.
11 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 was as the previous Return.
12 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 gave the same information as indicated previously. However, at that date, Thomas had nearly 16 years' service, and was now 50 years of age.
13 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 gives the same information as in previous notes.
14 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) updated the same basic information as given in the notes above.
15 Parker's name was not listed again until April 1830, yet his service was unbroken, so it can only be assumed that he worked elsewhere for the Ordnance.
15 According to a Return dated the 1st April 1830 (WO54/570) Thomas was still earning £33.18.2d per annum as a Labourer. By then he had served 19 years and was 53 years' old. This Return stated he had 6 children..
16 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed that Thomas was still working as a Labourer, with family details and pay unchanged, but length of service and age updated.
17. A Return of Persons belonging to the Civil Establishment of the Ordnance at the Gunpowder and Small Arms Manufactories at Waltham Abbey, Faversham and Enfield showing in detail the several points of information called for by the Master General and Board's Order dated the 31st January 1831, recorded that Thomas Parker was one of 15 Labourers to be employed at Waltham Abbey Powder Mills and the Enfield Small Arms factory. He was to be paid 2/2d per day and employed to undertake different services as a Labourer in the Manufactories, where steadiness and sobriety were particuliary required (WO54/575).
18 WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831 updated his age and period of service in the October 1830 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
19 WO54/575 dated October 1831, confirmed that Thomas still earned 2/2d per day as indicated in Note 8, giving him a total of £33.18.2d per annum. He had then served just over 20 years and was aged 54.
20 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, recorded that Thomas was then 56 years of age, and that he had served 22 years. He was still in receipt of an annual amount totalling £33.18.2d.
21 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, gave the same basic details with his age and length of service updated. It recorded that he was a married man with 6 children.
22. WO54/593 dated 1st April 1834, confirmed that Thomas still earned £33.18.2d per annum, that he had served 23 years, and that his age was then 57.
