Biography:
1. John Todd worked as a Refiner at 2/-d per day. All Refiners received an additional allowance of 1/-d per night when it was their turn to watch - on average every 5th night. (Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804).
2. Todd was working as a Cooper in March 1805, on a weekly wage of £1.2.0d (Supply 5/223).
3. In Supply 5/224 dated the 30th January 1806, he was described as a Foreman of Coopers earning 4/-d per day, and at that date, had been employed with the Ordnance for 4 years.
4. In June 1807, he was described as a Working Foreman of Coopers with pay of 4/-d per day. He was also entitled to take an Apprentice, and this was Richard Todd, Jnr. (son of Richard Todd). He was paid 9/-d per week for his Apprentice (Supply 5/226).
5. According to the entry on Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, John was still a Foreman of Coopers and still earned 4/-d per day.
6. In a letter (Supply 5/199 dated the 6th January 1809) the Board recommended a pay increase to 5/- /day, "...in the zeal he has manifested in his duty".
7. According to a List of Officers and Others Employed dated the 29th August 1812, Mr. Todd was now the Master Cooper, earning 6/4d per day and entitled to an Apprentice (Supply 5/229).
8. On the 13th February 1814 (Supply 5/230) it was confirmed that Mr. Todd was still the Master Cooper earning 6/4d per day, but that he was then allowed £18.5.0d per annum in lieu of an Apprentice.
9. Lists of Officers & Others Employed dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231 and WO54/524) confirmed that Mr. John Todd was a Master Cooper, aged 33, who resided in Cheshunt and was married with 1 child. He was brought up in the Cooper trade, and earned 5/10d per day, with the same allowance of £18.5.0d per annum as before in lieu of an Apprentice.
10 Supply 5/231 dated the 28th August 1818, listed the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818, and Todd's name was included with his pay unchanged.
11 According to the List of Officers and Other Persons in the Employ and Pay dated 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) Mr. Todd was still a Master Cooper, then aged 34, with all the other information given in Note 9 remaining the same, except that it would appear that his child had died.
12 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the above entry with the basic details on pay, etc., remaining unchanged. He was then allowed 7/-d per week to train an Apprentice.
13 List of Officers and other Persons Employed dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) confirmed that Mr. Todd was still the Master Cooper, that he was then aged 35 and had been trained as a Cooper, was married with no children, and resided in Cheshunt. His pay was still 5/10d per day.
14 List of Employees in January 1822 (Supply 5/232 dated the the 26th January, 1822) recorded that he was 37 years of age, that he had 19 years' service and that he was paid 5/10d per day.
15 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 (Supply 5/232 dated the 6th February 1822) appeared to be a more detailed and probably more accurate Return, than that dated 23rd January 1822. It recorded that John Todd, Master Cooper, was appointed on the 22nd July 1802 as an Assistant Cooper at Waltham Abbey, and as the Master Cooper on the 6th January 1809 (WO54/536 dated 6th February 1822). His total pay for the year was £91.5.10d, he had just over 19 years' service, was aged 37 years, was a married man with no children and lived in Cheshunt.
16 Return dated the 21st March 1822 (Supply 5/232) of Persons to Form an Establishment at Waltham Abbey to regenerate 2000 barrels of gunpowder as well as to make 100 or 200 barrels of gunpowder annually, included John Todd, Master Cooper.
17 Return dated 1st October 1822, showing the alterations made since the Return of the 1st April 1822 (WO54/542) recorded that John Todd, Master Cooper, had been discharged by the Board's order dated 9th August 1822. His rate of pay at the time was £91.15.10d per annum.
