Biography:
1. John Simpson Junior (also 3) was bound Apprentice to the Master Refiner of Saltpetre in place of Samuel Knowler, who at that date had completed his term of Apprenticeship (Letter dated the 12th June, 1818 - Supply 5/202) and WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed that he had started his Apprenticeship on the 12th June 1818.
2. Supply 5/231 dated the 28th August 1818, recorded the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and 31st December 1818. Simpsons's name was included, with his pay shown as 6/-d per week.
3. List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that John Simpson (3rd) was an Apprentice to the Master Refiner of Saltpetre, that he was 14 years' old, lived in Waltham Abbey and was paid 6/-d per week.
4. List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 confirmed that Simpson was still an Apprentice, but that his pay had increased to 6/4d per week and that he lived in Enfield.
5. List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) recorded that John was 16, with all other details given previously remaining the same.
6. List of Employees (Supply 5/232 dated the 23rd January 1822) gave John's age as 17; he was still an Apprentice with 4 years' service.
7. Return showing the pay, allowances and length of service and every description of the persons in the pay and employment of the Ordnance at Waltham Abbey as at the 31st December 1821 appeared to be a more detailed and possibly more accurate Return than that dated the 23rd January 1822. It recorded that John Simpson was appointed Apprentice to the Master Refiner of Saltpetre on the 12th June, 1818 at Waltham, that his total pay for the year amounted to £15.16.10d, that he had nearly 4 years' services, was aged 17 years, and was a single man living in Enfield, "bringing up as a Gunpowder Maker." (Supply 5/232 dated 6th February 1822)
8. WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, confirmed that Simpson was still an Apprentice to the Saltpetre Refiner and that his pay for the year was £16.7.8d. His family and service details were confirmed, and he still occupied a house belonging to the Board.
9. According to a document dated the 1st April 1823 (WO54/542 - Alteration in Return B), John Simpson, Jnr. (3) had his pay increased by ten shillings and ten pence farthing per annum, in accordance with the Board's Orders dated the 12th June 1818 and the 1st August 1821.
10 According to the Return dated the the 1st October 1824 (WO54/546) John Junior (also known as John 3) earned £18.4.0d per annum as Apprentice to the Master Refiner of Saltpetre. His period of Apprenticeship was given as just over 6 years, he was then aged 19 and was single. However, it would appear that he was discharged at the end of his Apprenticeship, since his name does not appear in the List of Employees dated the 1st April 1825 (WO54/550).
11 WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 recorded that he was employed since the 25th May 1825 as a Labourer, setting and drawing stoves in place of James Pallett, who was then working in the Corning House. His basic pay was £33.16s.0d per annum, and he was also allowed to guard the works, for which he received, on average 2/-d per week, giving him an annual income of £39.0.0d.
12 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, confirmed the basic information is given in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825. WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, although he was then listed as John Simpson (2). John Simpson, Snr, - John (1) - had died by February 1827.
13 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 records, "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826."
14 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 gave the same information as in the notes above. At that date he had nearly 2 years' service, was then 22 years of age and was still single.
15 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as given in previous notes, with the exception that he had then served just over two years.
16 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
17 Return dated the the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, again with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
18 WO54/566 dated the 1st October 1829, confirmed that at that date John Junior (3) still earned the same as in Note 11. His length of service was given as just over 4 years, and he was aged 23, married with 1 child.
19 Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unaltered.
20 WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, stated that John (3) was aged 24 and that he had served just over 5 years. His pay was still the same as in note 11 (£39.0.0d per annum). However, in this document he was recorded as being single. Possibly his wife and child had died.
21 According to the Return WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, John Simpson (3) was 25 and had served for nearly 6 years. He was still earning a total of £39.0.0d and was still single.
22 WO54/545 dated the 1st October 1831, updated his age and period of service in the April 1831 Return, wih all other details remaining unchanged. He was still recorded as being single with no children, and was a Stoveman.
23 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832, updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, with all other details remaining the same as given previously.
24 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, updated his age and period of service in the April 1832 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
25 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, confirmed that at that date John (3) was still earning the same £39.0.d annually. His period of service was given as nearly 8 years, and his age as 27.
26 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, confirmed that his details were the same as given in the previous Return, except that he had served just over 8 years and he was 28 years' old. He had re-married but at that date had no children.
27 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834, recorded that although John was still employed as a Labourer attending the stoves, etc., his basic pay had been cut to £28.5.6d per annum. He was still allowed to watch in turn which increased his annual pay to £33.9.6d, and this Return showed that he had 1 child.
28 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834, confirmed the information given in the previous Note, and showed that he was then 30 years' old and had served for just over 9 years.
29. Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) confirmed that John was employed as a Labourer attending the stoves, with pay of £44.4.0d which included an allowance to watch in turn. He was a 34-year-old married man with 2 children who had 14 years' service (He possibly commenced at the end of his Apprenticeship, or left and later returned to the Mills).
30 A Return of Domestic Properties owned by the Board in May 1840 (WO44/133) recorded that he was living in one of five cottages known as "Bank Cottages" in High Bridge Street. He had possibly returned to Waltham Abbey following his marriage in 1833.
31 The 1841 Census recorded that John and his wife, Mary, although still living in High Bridge Street, had moved to a small yard forming part of Plot No. 60 on the Town Map in Appendix 1, and by then had a family of 4 children. John continued to work at the Mills, and by 1855, was the Foreman of Stoves (Winters, op.cit., p.112).
