Biography:
1. Robert Perkis, Jnr. was Apprenticed to the Assistant Master Worker, John Ashwood, in August 1808, with pay of 6/-d. per week (Supply 5/227 of the 23rd August 1808). This document also showed that Mr. Ashwood was allowed 7/-d per week in respect of Robert, Jnr. A document dated 30th September 1808 (also Supply 5/227) showed that Robert was illiterate.
2. Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810, confirmed that Perkis, Jnr. was Apprenticed to the Master Worker and was paid 6/- week. It also recorded that 6/- per week was paid to the Master Worker for his Apprentice.
3. According to an Employee List of the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229), Robert Jnr. was still Apprenticed to the Assistant Master Worker, but he then earned 6/2d. per week, with his Master getting 6/6d per week for his Apprentice.
4. A Return dated the 13th February 1814 (Supply 5/230) recorded that as an Apprentice to the Assistant Master Worker, Robert Jnr. then earned 6/8d per week, and his Master's allowance had increased to 8/-d per week.
5. Robert Perkis and William Alsup were two of the casualties of an apparent reduction in the workforce in 1818. In their Petition (Supply 5/231) they stated that they were articled apprentices who had paid three pounds when first articled and they served seven years, continuing two years after the term of Apprenticeship had expired, after which they were discharged upon the reduction. Having gone into the Works at an early age, they were now unable to earn a livelihood in any other employment. They further wished to state that they had made themselves proficient in their several Departments, and hoped that their Lordships would take into their benign consideration their disagreeable case and replace them again into their former situation in the Works, in which case, "your humble Petitioners will as in duty bound to you for ever pray."
6. In a letter dated 7th April 1818 (Supply 5/231), it was stated, "In obedience to the Honourable Board's commands contained in your letter of the 1st instant, desiring us to report upon the enclosed Petition of Robert Perkis and William Allsop, praying that they may be restored to their situations in the Royal Powder mills, having served their apprenticeship in the Department, from which they were discharged on account of the reduction. We beg leave respectfully to represent that Robert Perkis and William Allsup were taken as Apprentices, the one as Apprentice to the Assistant Master Worker, the other as Apprentice to the Master Mixer of Composition, and after serving their Apprenticeship they were employed as Labourers in the Manufactory. In forming an arrangement to comply with the Honourable Board's commands of the 22nd December last that a reduction should take place at the Royal Gunpowder Manufactory at Waltham Abbey, the beforementioned Robert Perkis and William Allsup were selected, amongst others, as the junior Labourers to be discharged, for if a preference had been given to them to be retained, other Labourers with families who had been longer in the service than themselves (after --- their whole period of time as apprentice and Labourer) must have been discharged in their room, who are single young men, we are therefore humbly of [the] opinion that they have not any cause for complaint."
Nevertheless, from a letter dated 10th April 1818 (Supply 5/202) it appeared that the Board ordered that these men be re-entered when any augmentation may be required.
