Biography:
1. Thomas Tamkin worked as a Bricklayer with a Contractor employed by the Ordnance Board at Faversham in 1789. He married Sarah Smith, the daughter of John Smith, at Faversham on the 31st July 1791. The couple had a daughter, Phoebe, who was baptised at Faversham on the 19th August 1792, and a son, John James, baptised at Waltham Abbey on the 16th March 1811 (Faversham Register, pp.78-79). According to Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804, Thomas then worked as a Master Bricklayer in the Engineers' Department at 4/1d per day, in addition to which, he had an allowance of 6/-d per week to teach an Apprentice.
2. Thomas worked in the Manufactory for 7 days at 5/-d per day (Supply 5/228 July 1809)).
3. Supply 5/228 dated the 21st July 1809, confirmed that he was a Master Bricklayer who was paid £1.15.0d for work carried out by the Engineers' Department between the 15th and 21st July 1809.
4. WO54/512 dated September 1812, recorded that Tamkin was first appointed to the Establishment at Waltham Abbey as a Foreman Bricklayer on the 16th May1803. In 1812, he was paid 6/4d per day for 6 days' work, and one and a half days' pay for working on a Sunday. It also confirmed that he was entitled to 6/-d per week to train an Apprentice. WO54/516 dated February 1816 stated that he was first appointed on the 10th October 1789 as a bricklayer, but this was presumably at Faversham.
5. Winters' extract from files dated the 29th August 1815 (p. 82) recorded "Three houses building in Powder Mills Lane out of materials forming the Horse Mills at this place. Tenants are not allowed to have lodgers, that no dilapidations may take place to the premises being of timber, etc." Horse Mill Island was redeveloped during 1814/1815, and Tamkin's house was identified as one of three built from reclaimed and surplus materials.
6. WO54/516 dated February 1816 confirmed that Tamkin was still the Master Bricklayer, and that he was a 47-year-old married man with 1 unmarried child, who trained as a Bricklayer. He was still paid 6/-d per day, but his allowance to train an Apprentice had increased to 7/-d per week.
7. WO.54/ 520 dated the 28th February 1817, confirmed that Thomas Tamkin was still the Master Bricklayer. At that date he was 48, and was married with 1 unmarried child. He was also provided with a house. His pay was then 5/10d per day, with his allowance for an Apprentice increased to 8/-d per week.
8. WO/524 dated 1818, recorded that there was no change from the previous information given except that he was then paid 9/-d per week to train an Apprentice.
9. In a memo dated the 14th December 1818 (Supply 5/202) it was stated that Thomas Tamkin, Master Bricklayer, was to continue to pay the same rent of £1 per annum for the cottage he occupied in Waltham Abbey.
10 WO54/528 dated 19th May 1819, gave the same information as before but with no allowances, i.e. at the time he was not training an Apprentice.
11 List of Employees dated the13th September 1820 (WO54/532) confirmed that Tamkin was still employed as the Master Bricklayer. At that date he was 52, lived in Waltham Abbey, and was married with 1 child. He still earned 5/10d per day, and had no allowance for an Apprentice. He still had a house on the Establishment.
12 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, showing the amounts received by the Storekeeper" (Supply 5/232) recorded that Thomas Tamkin had been living in a Board of Ordnance house from the 1st September 1815, for which the rent was £1.0.0d per annum. Similar information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822 for the year 1821, and was confirmed in WO54/536 dated the 2nd April 1821. The house with its large garden was identified as part of a terrace of houses located in Powder Mill Lane, shown as part of Plot No. 64 of the Town Map in Appendix 1 and was one of three built from reclaimed materials (see Note 5).
13 WO54/536 dated the 31st December 1821, was a repeat of the Return dated the 2nd April
1821.
14 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 confirmed that Tamkin was earning 5/10d per day for 313 days, giving him an income of £91.5.10d for the year as the Master Bricklayer. His family and service details were confirmed.
15 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825 confirmed that Thomas was still paid 5/10d per day for 313 days as the Master Bricklayer, giving him an annual income of £91.5.10d, and he was still entitled to a house. His service was just over 20 years, and he was then aged 57.
16 WO54/550 dated the 13th October 1825 was a repeat of the record dated 1st April 1825. A note against former appointments in the department, recorded that Thomas had been in the employment of a Contractor working for the Royal Ordnance in 1789, and that he was employed directly by the Ordnance on the 14th May, 1803.
17 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 gave identical information as that given in Notes 10 and 11, with the exception that he was then 58, with service of over 21 years.
18 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826, gave the same information as the previous Return.
19 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, gave the same information as in the notes above. However, at that date Mr. Tamkin had just over 22 years' service and he was then 59 years of age.
20 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 showed no basic alterations from the previous Return.
21 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) updated the same basic information given in the previous notes.
22 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaing unchanged.
23 WO54/566 dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) stated that Thomas at that date still earned the same as in Note 10. His length of service was given as just over 24 years and his age 61.
24 Return dated the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unchanged.
25 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Mr. Tamkin as in Note 10, except that his service was over 25 years and he was aged 62.
26 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed that Thomas was still the Master Bricklayer, and that his family details and pay remained unchanged; his length of service and age were updated.
27 A Return of Persons belonging to the Civil Establishment of the Ordnance at the Gunpowder and Small Arms Manufactories at Waltham Abbey, Faversham and Enfield, showing in detail the several points of information called for by the Master General and Board's Order dated the 31st January, 1831, recorded that Thomas Tamkin was one of the three Master Artificers to be employed at Waltham Abbey and Enfield; he was the Master Bricklayer and was to be paid 5/10d per day. His duties were to work with Artificers and Labourers in the Gunpowder Manufactory, which consequently required great attention; sobriety, and steadiness of conduct (WO54?570).
28 WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, updated his age and period of service in the October 1830 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
29 WO54/575 dated October 1831 confirmed that Thomas still earned 5/10d per day as the Master Bricklayer, giving him a total of £91.5.10d per annum. He had served 27 years and was 63 at that date.
30 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, all other details remaining unchanged.
31 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, confirmed that he still earned £91.5.10d per annum. He had by then served 28 years and was aged 64.
32 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed the information given previously, except that Thomas was then 65.
33 Under an Order of the Board dated the 15th March 1833, Thomas Tamkin, Master Bricklayer, was to be discharged and granted a pension of £31.10.9d per annum, until an opportunity to employ him again should arise. (Supply 5/208 dated the 26th July 1833). He was still in receipt of a pension in 1837 (Supply 5/237).
34 According to the Faversham Register, Thomas died on the 3rd October 1840, and his widow, Sarah, died in 1863, aged 91.
30 The 1841 Census recorded that Sarah, Thomas's widow, was living with their son, John James, and his family, in Malting Yard, off High Bridge Street until she died.
