Biography:
1. John Simpson (1) started at the Mills on the 10th February 1790 (Supply 5/217 dated the 27th March 1790). From August to December 1790, he was a Labourer "in the punts and set and draw stoves etc." earning 1/6d per day (Supply 5/215 dated December 1790).
2. He was upgraded to a Millman in April 1791, and was still working as a Millman on the 31st Jauary 1792 (Supply 5/215). This was also the case in February 1793 (Supply 5/216 dated the 28th February 1793) as well as in January 1794 (Supply 5/216) and December 1794 (Supply 5/217). Robert Coleman, Clerk of the Cheque, recorded in his Minute Book on the 6th May 1793, that Simpson, a Millman, was caught wearing nailed shoes on duty and chequered (fined) a day's pay (Winters, p.41).
3. Millmen were paid an extra 3d per night when on duty according to Supply 5/217 dated the 3rd March 1795.
4. Supply 5/220 dated the 2nd February 1800 relating to a Petition on Pay, showed that John was literate and still working as a Millman.
5. Report dated the 8th May 1801 (Supply 5/221) confirmed that Simpson still worked as a Millman, and that he was a married man with 7 children.
6. A Return of Artificers and Labourers dated the 3rd November 1801 (Supply 5/221) recorded that, although still employed as a Millman, he was cleaning and deepening the river and canals, and performing other necessary work.
7. Simpson, Snr. was still employed as a Millman in 1804, but by then, his wage had increased to 2/3d per day. In addition, he had an allowance of 3d per night when on duty "working at the mill", i.e., the night-shift rate was 2/6d. By 1806 he had been employed with the Ordnance for 18 years.
8. John was still employed as a Millman at the 18th June 1807 with pay of 2/3d per day, and allowed 3d per night when on duty (Supply 5/226).
9. A letter dated the 4th January 1808, recommended that Simpson, Snr. be appointed as Foreman Millman (Supply 5/198).
10 According to the entry in Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Simpson was still a "Foreman of Millmen, allowed an house", and his pay had increased to 3/-d per day. The Board had purchased some 19 dwellings by 1808 in High Bridge Street and Powder Mill Lane, including 7 from William Hanscombe and his under-tenants, who were not named because they were in other purchases made at the same time (WO44/681A).
11 List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) confirmed that Mr. Simpson was still in the same job, but that he then earned 4/-d per day, and confirmed he was allowed a house. He also earned an extra 2/-d every third night as a Rounder.
12 List of Employees dated the 13th February 1814 (Supply 5/230) recorded that Mr. Simpson was still in the same job earning 4/-d per day, and was still allowed a house.
13 Lists of Officers & Others Employed dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231 and WO54/524) confirmed that Mr. Simpson was still a Foreman of Mill Men. He was brought up in the trade as a "Taylor", was aged 65, resided in Waltham Abbey, and was married with 10 children. He earned 3/6d per day, in addition to which, he was a Rounder at 1/6d every 5th night.
14 A List of Employees dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) included the names of people the Board proposed to retain between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818, together with their revised pay. John Simpson's name was on the list with his pay reduced to 2/8d per day
15 List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that Simpson was still employed as the Millman Foreman, that he was a married man aged 66 with 10 children, that he lived in Waltham Abbey, trained as a tailor, was paid 3/4d per day and was provided with a house, and that he was also a Rounder at 1/6d every third night.
16 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the previous entries, with his basic details on pay, etc., remaining unchanged. However, his pay as a Rounder was increased to 2/-d per night.
17 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, shewing the amounts received by the storekeeper", recorded that John Simpson Senior, Foreman Millman, had been living rent-free in a Board of Ordnance house from the 29th June 1808 (Supply 5/232), and an extract from Properties Owned by the Board, compiled from the Rateable Value for Waltham Abbey for 1825, located the property as at the southern end of Powder Mill Lane near its junction with High Bridge Street, being part of Plot No. 62 on the Town Map in Appendix 1. The same information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822 for the year 1821.
18 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) confirmed that Mr. Simpson, Senior, was aged 68, was married and had 10 children. He still lived in Waltham Abbey, was still a Foreman of Millmen, had trained as a "Taylor" and was then earning 3/4d per day, in addition to which, he was also provided with a house. He was also paid 2/-d every third night as a Rounder.
19 Empson Middleton, the Storekeeper at Waltham Abbey, wrote to the Board of Ordnance on the 15th September 1821 requesting that John Simpson, Foreman Millman, be granted a pension. He had served the Board for 31years and was then in a very ill state of health with debility. In their letter of the 16th November 1821, the Board agreed that he should receive a superannuated sum of £14.6.11.0d per annum (Supply 5/232).
20 A document dated the 6th December 1821 (Supply 5/232) gave the estimated pay of persons between the 1st January and 31st December 1822, along with their superannuated allowance, as well as "the allowance to widows and orphans of those who have lost their lives at this place". It was confirmed that Mr. Simpson, Senior, was in receipt of £14.6.11d superannuation per annum. A similar document, (Supply 5/232) dated the 28th December 1821, confirmed that the same pension would be paid in 1822.
21 Supply 5/205 dated the 19th February 1827, recorded that John Simpson had died, and that the Board had agreed that his wife could stay in their cottage for a period of 12 months on the condition that she paid a weekly rent of 2/-d.
22. A List of Domestic Properties dated 1840 recorded that a John Simpson had lived in the Master Worker, William Newton's house, which had been converted into two dwellings with a rental of 2/-d per week when William, the Master Worker, died in 1825(WAGP, p.110). Newton had lived on Horse Mill Island (Marsh Side or Wall), but it would seem clear that it was only intended that John and his wife, believed to be Sarah, should move from Powder Mill Lane into Newton's former house soon after the conversion, because from other documents such as WO54/554, it appears evident that John died in the autimn of 1826. Another record dated the 19th February 1827, confirmed that John had died and that the Board had agreed his widow could stay in the cottage they had lived in for another 12 months, on the condition that she paid 2/-d a week rent (Supply 5/205). This, coupled with details relating to Thomas Freeman (1), indicates that neither John nor his widow moved to Horse Mill Island.
