Biography:
1. William Speller started work as a Labourer at the Corning Houses on the 11th November 1793, earning 1/6d per day (Supply 5/216 dated the 31st August 1793). He was still in the Corning House in January 1794 (Supply 5/216) in August 1794 (Supply 5/216) and in December 1794 to July 1795 (Supply 5/217). He also enlisted as a Private in the Volunteer Company on the 7th May 1794.
2. Speller was a Refiner and still a Private in Voluntary Company in September 1798 (Supply 5/219).
3. A signed document, Supply 5/220 dated the 2nd February 1800, relating to a Petition on Pay, indicated that he was lilliterate and was working as a Labourer in the Refining House.
4. Report dated the 8th May 1801 (Supply 5/221) confirmed that he was working as a Labourer and that he was a married man with 1 child. Note, in this document, anyone who was not an Artificer was described as a Labourer.
5. Robert Coleman recorded in his Minute Book on the 23rd October 1801 that 24 men were required to work at Faversham or be discharged, and Speller was one of those who agreed to go (Winters, p.60). However, the Faversham Gunpowder Personnel Register 1573-1840 does not record his name, so it can only be assumed that his services were terminated, and that he was subsequently re-engaged.
6. Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804, recorded that William was then working as a Refiner at 2/-d per day, and all Refiners received an additional allowance of 1/-d per night when it was their turn "to watch" - on average every 5th night.
7. Speller was still a Refiner in the Saltpetre House on the 30th January 1806, with pay of 2/-d per day, and at that date he had 12 years' service. This was the last entry for William Speller.
