Biography:
1. John Tyler joined the Storekeeper's Department as a Labourer on the 25th January 1810, at 2/-d per day (WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826).
2. Supply 5/229 dated the 29th August 1812 recorded that he was a Corning House Man earning 3/3d per day, and in addition, he was allowed to watch in turn, for which he earned 1/6d per night (List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812.
3. Supply 5/230 dated 13th February 1814, confirmed Tyler was still a Corning House Man with the same rate of pay as in Note 2, and allowed to watch in turn, for which he received 1/6d per night. He may have left the Mills round this period - logic for this is his length of service - see Note 9.
4. Tyler joined the Engineers' Department as a Labourer on the 14th May 1818 , "occasionally as the service required."
5. WO54/528 dated the 19th May 1819, recorded that he was a 32-year-old married man without children, living in Waltham Abbey. He was paid 2/4d per day.
6. List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (WO54/532) confirmed that John was still employed as a Labourer. He was aged 33, still lived in Waltham Abbey, and was married with no children. He still earned 2/4d per day, and worked "Occasionally as the Service required."
7. WO54/536 dated the 2nd April 1821, recorded that he was 34 years' old; no other changes were recorded.
8. WO54/536 dated 31st December 1821 was a repeat of the Return dated the 2nd April 1821.
9. WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 listed personnel employed in the Engineers' Department, and included John Tyler. He was paid 2/2d per day as a Labourer for 313 days, giving him an income of £33.18.2d for the year. This Return recorded that at that date he had 5 years' service starting on the 14th May 1818. He was then aged 35, a married man living in Waltham Abbey, with no children
10 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed that John was still paid 2/2d per day for 313 days as a Labourer and this gave him an annual income of £33.18.2d. His service was given as 7 years; he was aged 37, was married but had no children.
11 WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825, was as the previous entry, but he now had 1 child. It recorded that he had started work at the Mills as a Labourer on the 25th January 1810 and in the Engineers' Department on the 14th May 1818.
12 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed the details given in the October 1825 Return.
13 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 recorded the same information as in the previous Return.
14 WO54/558 dated 1st April 1827 confirmed the same information as in the Notes above. However, at that date, John had 9 years' service and he was then 39 years of age. In addition, this Return states that he had no children; the child listed in 1825 must have either been a clerical error or it may have died.
15 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, recorded the same information as in the previous notes, except that Tyler had served over 9 years, and he was nearly 40 years of age.
16 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
17 WO54/566 dated 1st April 1829 confirmed that at that date John still earned the same 2/2d per day. His length of service was given as 11 years and he was then aged 41.
18 Return dated 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining the same as before.
19 According to the Return dated the 1st April 1830 (WO54/570), John was still earning £33.18.2d per annum as a Labourer. By then he had served 12 years and was 42 years of age, married with no children.
20 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830 confirmed that John was still working as a Labourer, and his family details and pay remained unchanged, but his length of service and age were updated.
21 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 John Tyler was one of the 15 Labourers to be employed at Waltham Abbey Powder Mills and the Enfield Small Arms Factory. He was to be paid 2/2d per day and employed to undertake different services as a Labourer in the Manufactories, where steadiness and sobriety were particuliary required (WO54/575).
22 WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831 updated John's age and period of service in the October 1830 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
23 WO54/575 dated October 1831 confirmed that Joseph still earned 2/2d per day as indicated in Note 9, giving him a total of £33.18.2d per annum. At that date he had served just over 13 years, and was aged just over 43.
24 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.
25 WO54/581 dated 1st October 1832 confirmed that John still earned £33.18.2d per annum. His service was given as just over 14 years, and at that date he was just over 44 years' old.
26 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 recorded that John was 45 years of age and that he had served 15 years. He was still in receipt of an annual wage of £33.18.2d.
27 WO54/587 dated 1st October 1833, was a straight update; he was still a Labourer, married, with no children
28 WO54/593 dated 1st April 1834 confirmed that John still earned £33.18.2d per annum, that he had served 18 years, and recorded his age as 46.
29. In 1839 he was still a Labourer paid 2/2d per day with an estimated annual salary of £33.18.2d. He was a fifty-one and a half year old married man with no children living in Waltham Abbey. He had twenty- one and a half years service. WO54/623 dated the 1st October 1839.
