Biography:
1. John Smith, Labourer, was born circa 1762/1763, and worked at the Royal Powder Mills at Faversham "attending the New Horse Mill". He was to be transferred as a Labourer glazing gunpowder to the Waltham Abbey Powder Mills in March 1788 (Supply 5/113).
2. He first appeared in the Waltham Abbey records on the 21st March 1789, described as a Labourer, "dusting and glazing gunpowder" at 1/6d per day (Supply 5/212).
3. In Supply 5/213 dated the 18th April 1789, he was "cutting and planting willow trees, cutting of canal at the new Corning House, removing earth to the Store, unloading barge of coals & charring wood."
4. In August and September 1789, he was grinding Saltpetre, Charcoal & Brimstone (Supply 5/213), and Supply 5/214 of that year gave his age as 26.
5. A letter from the Storekeeper, J. W. Wright, to the Comptroller of the Royal Laboratory, dated the 10th October 1789, recorded that John Smith, a Labourer, came to Waltham Abbey from Faversham, and had been on the sick list since the 28th August 1789. "His disorder has been chiefly ague, I have frequently observed him to walk about at improper times for a person having that disorder upon him. Yesterday there was a Horse race at Enfield meadows and tho' the waters were so much out that no person could walk without being half leg deep in water yet Smith went there and stayed several hours in the Wet and Dirt which was dangerous for anyone in full health. The Labourers speak much of his behaviour and I am afraid it will be a bad precedent for others to play loose when they may happen to be unwell, I have mentioned this matter to receive your directions in what manner this man is to be treated."
6. The above appeared to be the last entry for this particular John Smith. It is possible, however, that he may have returned to work at the Waltham Abbey Mills on the 2nd June 1794 and described as "John Smith Senior", indicating that one of the other John Smiths listed in the records was his son, or, alternatively, that he was the eldest of three other John Smiths working there at the same time.
