Biography:
1. James Ridpath (1)born in Scotland in 1725, replaced John Godwin in the Corning House circa September 1793.
2. On the 11th November 1793 he was "drawing & setting stoves and in the punts" earning 1/6d per day (Supply 5/216). Winters, writing in his Centenary Memorial of the Royal Gunpowder Factory, recorded on page 51 that Mr. Ridpath lived at "Newton's Pool" in Edmonsey in the old Turnpike House, previously a pub known as "The Chequers" or "The Turnpike Inn "which ceased to be a licensed premise in 1796 (Licensed Victuallers' Returns). As well as working in the Mills, he cultivated a certain class of winter kale, since called "Ridpath Greens" (Winters, op.cit., p.51).
3. He enlisted as a Private in the Volunteer Company on the 7th May 1794 (Supply 5/219).
4. James was described as a puntman in June and July 1795 at the same rate of pay (Supply 5/217).
5. He was still a Private in the Voluntary Company (Supply 5/219 dated September, 1798).
6. A signed document, Supply 5/220 dated the 2nd February 1800, relating to a Petition on pay, showed that he was literate and working as a general Labourer.
7. A Report dated the 8th May 1801, confirmed he was working as a Labourer, that was a married man, and that he had 5 children (Supply 5/221). Note: in this document, anyone not an Artificer was described as a Labourer.
8. A Return of Artificers and Labourers dated the 3rd November 1801, confirmed that James was still employed as a Labourer, and that he was cleaning and deepening the river and canals as well as performing sundry necessary work (Supply 5/221).
9. On the 16th June 1801, the Corning House caught fire while undergoing repair; several men were badly burnt and others lost clothing. In a letter to the Board dated the 29 July 1801 (Supply 5/221) it was stated that the men had requested that they be reimbursed for the loss of clothing, and James Redpath's (Ridpath) claim amounted to 5/-d for a hat.
10 Ridpath was working as a Labourer in the Saltpetre Refinery and in other parts of the Manufactory as required, with pay of 2/-d per day. All Refiners received an additional allowance of 1/-d per night when it was their turn to watch - on average every 5th night. (Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804).
11. James was buried on the 24th November 1804, and hiw widow, Mary, on the 31st May 1807, aged 70 (WAGP, p.10). The house they lived in was sold by the executors of Mr. Ellis Were to the Board in 1805 (WO44/681A).
