Biography:
1. Michael Summers was employed in 1805, and appointed as a Millman on the 30th January 1806 at 2/3d per day (Supply 5/224 dated the 30th January 1806). At that date he had 3 months' service.
2. Supply 5/226 dated the 18th June 1807, recorded that he was still employed in the same capacity and at the same rate of pay at that date, but was then allowed 3d per night when on duty.
3. According to the entry in Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Michael was still a Millman earning 2/3d per day, and "allowed 6d per night when on duty."
4. Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810, confirmed that he was still a Millman who was paid 2/3d day, and allowed 6d per night when on duty.
5. List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) confirmed that Mr. Summers was still a Millman, but that he then earned 3/-d per day, in addition to which, he was allowed 6d per night when on duty. He remained a Millman according to Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814, with the same rate of pay and additional 6d per night when on duty.
6. In a letter dated 10th December 1817 (Supply 5/201) it was stated that the dwelling house formerly occupied by James Alsup, "will be ready to let in two distinct tenements on the 31st instant" and that, "those tenements should be let at 3/-d per week each to John Braddock, Foreman of Magazines and Michael Summers, Millman." The property has been identified as one of 5 cottages on the south side of High Bridge Street, almost opposite Powder Mill Lane in the old Tanyard. However, no evidence has been seen which indicated that he ever lived there.
7. Lists of Officers & Others Employed dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231 and WO54/524) confirmed that Mr. Michael Summers was still a Millman, that he was 45 years' old and resided in Waltham Abbey, and was married with 5 children. According to this Return, he only earned 2/8d per day, in addition to which he was allowed 6d per night when on duty.
8. Supply 5/231 dated the 28th August 1818, recorded the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818; Summers' name was included, with his pay and allowances unchanged
9. A letter dated September 1818 (Supply 5/231) stated, "We respectfully beg leave to add the names and stations of those persons whom it will be necessary to discharge in consequence of this arrangement." The list included Michael Summers.
10 List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) recorded that Summers was still employed as a Mill Man, that he was a married man of 46 with 5 children, and that he lived in Waltham Abbey. It confirmed he was paid 2/8d per day and allowed an additional 6d when on night duties.
11 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the previous entries above with basic pay, etc. remaining unchanged. At that date he had 6 children.
12 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) recorded that Mr. Summers was aged 39, that he was married and had 5 children. He still lived in Waltham Abbey and worked as a Millman. His pay at this date was the same as in Note 10, with the same allowance when on night duties.
13 List of Employees dated the the 26th January 1822 recorded that Michael Summers, Mill Man, was aged 39, was paid 2/8d per day and had 16 years' service (Supply 5/232).
14 Return showing the pay, allowances and length of service and every description of the persons employed by the Ordnance at Waltham Abbey as at the 31st December 1821 (Supply 5/232 dated the 6th February 1822) appeared to be a more detailed, and probably more accurate, Return than that dated the 23rd January 1822. It recorded that Michael Summers,
Millman, was appointed on the 30th January 1806 at Waltham Abbey, and his position on the Establishment as a Millman was confirmed by an order of the Board dated the 4th September 1818. He was allowed to watch in turn to guard the works, for which he received an additional 2/-d per night, and this gave him total pay for the year of £46.18.8d. He had 16 years' service, was aged 39, was married with 5 children, and lived in Waltham Abbey.
15 Return showing pay and allowances, etc. dated October 1st 1825 (Winters, pp.93-95) confirmed previous information given. His pay was £33.16.0d. per annum, but that, however, appears to be in error. The names in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 did not include Michael Summers, indicating that possibly he had left the Mills. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed this, and recorded that Summers was appointed as a Saltpetre Refiner on the 10th February 1826 and that he had 2 months' service. His basic pay was £33.16.0d per annum and he was allowed to watch in turn, for which he received 2/-d per week, giving him an annual income of £39.0.0d. He was a married man aged 42 with 7 children
16 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, and confirmed that he was re-appointed on the 10th February 1826.
17 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, recorded "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826."
18 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, gave the same information as in the notes above. It stated that at that date Michael Summers had nearly 2 years' service and was then 44 years' old.
19 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as in the previous notes, except that he had then served over 2 years.
20 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
21 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service with family details and pay remaining the same.
22 Return showing employees at the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) confirmed that Michael Summers still earned in total £39.0.0d per annum, but that his service was then just over 4 years, that he was 45 years of age, married and had 7 children.
23 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Mr. Summers as in Note 22, except that he was then aged 46.
24 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed the information given in Note 22, except that his service was nearly 5 years. WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831 updated the October Return.
25 WO54/545 dated the 1st October 1831, updated his age and period of service in the April 1831 Return, with all other details remain unchanged.
26 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.
27 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 updated his age and period of service in the April 1832 Return.
28 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 recorded that at that date Michael still earned £39.0.0d annually as a Saltpetre Refiner. His period of service was given as 7 years, and his age as 49.
29 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, recorded that all details were the same as the previous Return, except that Michael had then served nearly 8 years, and that he was 50 years' old.
30 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 recorded that Michael was then employed as a Millman. His basic pay was given as £32.12.6d per annum, he was still allowed to watch in turn and also received an extra 6d when working at night, which increased his annual pay to £39.3.0d. His age and service details were updated.
31 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 updated the previous Return for service and age, with conditions and salary remaining unchanged.
32 A Return of Properties made by the Royal Engineers' Office dated the 20th December 1834 listed the occupants of property owned by the Board, and recorded that Michael Summers had been leasing one of their cottages, Tenement No.55, since the 22nd July 1829, at a rental of £5.4.0d per annum (Supply 5/237).
33 The same document, compiled by the Royal Engineers' Office dated December 1834, stated that the cottage in question had been vacated by then and it was proposed to let it to Patrick Hayes, Cylinderman (Supply 5/237). This cottage has been identified as being on the south side of High Bridge Street whih was formed out of dwellings in the old Tanyard and is Plot No. 55 on the Town Map in Appendix 1.
34 A similar List of Properties, again prepared by the Royal Engineers' Office, indicated that Summers had moved following the death of William Turner, to the opposite side of High Bridge Street, living in one of a row of tenements known as Bank Cottages(WO44/133) being part of Plot No. 48 of the Town Map in Appendxix 1. The move was confirmed in the 1840 Waltham Abbey Poor Rates (ERO D/P 75/11/16).
35 Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) recorded that since the 5th September 1834, Michael had been employed as a Millman with pay of £46.16.0d, which included an allowance to watch in turn. This Return, however, recorded that he had had a break in service at the Mills and was re-engaged on the 10th February 1826. It also recorded that he was a 55-year-old married man, with 8 children.
36 By the time the 1841 Census was taken, he had left Waltham Abbey.
