Biography:
1. James Rowland was employed in the Engineers' Department as a Carpenter, and was paid 4/1d per day for 313 days, which gave him an annual income of £63.18.1d. His service was nearly 20 years, and he was aged 61, a widower, with 5 children (WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825). Various Property Returns indicated that between 1821 and 1825, Rowland lived in a cottage belonging to the Board at the juncton of Powder Mill Lane and High Bridge Street. This cottage, without a garden, had been purchased by the Board by auction in 1808 from the executors of a Mr. Barwick, and was part of Lot No. 2 in the sale. It was described by the Board's agent as follows:- "…is on the corner of Powder Mill Lane and it is desirable to buy this to pull the corner down to make a better turning circle for the charcoal wagons which from the lightness of that article are loaded o high as often they touch the eaves of the houses in Powder Mill Lane." (WO44/681A). The cottage forms part of Plot No. 61 of the Town Map in Appendix 1.
2. WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 confirmed the previous entry, and also recorded that he had trained as a Carpenter, and was employed by a contractor working at the Mills on the 4th February 1805.
3. WO54/554 dated 1st April 1826 gave identical information as in Notes 1 and 2, with the exception that Rowland was then 62, and he had then served for just over 21 years.
4. The information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 is the same as that indicated in the previous Return.
5. WO54/558 dated 1st April 1827 recorded that at that date, Mr. Rowland had nearly 22 years' service and was 63 years of age.
6. WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 contained no basic alterations from the previous Return.
7. Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) updated the basic information given in the previous notes.
8. Return dated the 1st October 1828 updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged. It also confirmed that Rowland had been trained as a Carpenter (WO54/562).
9. WO54/566 dated 1st April 1829, recorded that James still earned the same as he did in Note 1. His length of service was given as nearly 24 years, and he was aged 65.
10 Return dated the 1st October 1829 (no reference) updated his age and length of service, and his family and pay details remained unchanged.
11 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Mr. Rowland as in Note 1, except that his service was given as nearly 25 years and he was aged 66.
12 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed that James was still a Carpenter and that his family details and pay remained unchanged, but length of service and age were updated.
13 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 James Rowland was one of the 7 Carpenters to be employed at Waltham Abbey Powder Mills and the Enfield Small Arms Factory. He was to be paid 4/1d per day and was required to undertake general services as a Carpenter in the Manufactory, requiring great care, attention, and sobriety, etc.
14 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, except that he was recorded as having 4 children. This information was repeated in susequent Returns, so it is possible that one child may have died.
15 WO54/575 dated October 1831 confirmed that James still earned 4/1d per day as in Note 13, giving him a total of £63.18.1d per annum. He had served just over 26 years, and was aged 67.
16 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
17 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, confirmed that James still earned £63.18.1d per annum. His service was given as just over 27 years and at that date, he was 68 years of age.
18 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed the information given in Note 17, except that James was then aged 69 years and had served for nearly 28 years.
19 Under an Order of the Board dated the 15th March 1833, James Rowland, Carpenter, was to be discharged and granted a pension of £20 per annum, until an opportunity to employ him again should arise (Supply 5/208 dated the 26 July 1833). He was still in receipt of a pension in 1837 (Supply 5/237).
20 A Return of Properties owned by the Board and prepared by the Royal Engineers' Office on the 20th December 1834 (Supply 5/237) showed that James was still living in his cottage in West Street (High Bridge Street).
21 The 1841 Census recorded that James Rowland, an Ordnance Pensioner, aged 75, was living in Silver Street. He was not born in Essex. Emily Litller, a 12-year-old girl, was his servant.
