Biography:
1. James Turnham, snr. was a Labourer by trade set to work by Daniel Cornish in October 1787 at 9/-d per week, possibly renovating the Mills following their purchase by the Government from Mr Walton. James would have worked in Walton's Powder Mill (Winters, p.27).
2. His son, James Junior, also worked at the Mills, and the records do not diferentiate between the two, but it would appear that by the 21st March 1789 (Supply 5/212) James the Elder was a Warder earning 1/6d per day. This was confirmed in a Return dated September 1789, which stated that he was "warding at the Refining House" and that he was 76 years of age (Supply 5/215). The Refining House referred to was probably the Sulphur Refining House in High Bridge Street.
3. Various Returns indicated that James continued as a Warder until at least the 3rd July 1795. He died in 1797 aged about 83 years' old, and Winters on p.152 of his book, confirmed that James Turnham, senior, was appointed Warder at the Refining house in 1789,and that he died in 1797.
