Biography:
1. David Wilkie was appointed as a clerk at Keyham Point on the 7th March 1806 before being appointed Second Clerk at Waltham Abbey on the 28th July 1806, with a salary of £80 per annum, lodging allowance of £12 and £8 for coal and candles (Supply 5/232 dated the 6th February 1822).
2. Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814, confirmed his salary was still £80 with the same allowances as given in Note 1. He had joined the Royal Artillery as a Lieutenant on the 25th July 1812, and served until the 19th May 1813, when he rejoined the Mills at Waltham Abbey as the Second Clerk.
3. According to the List of Officers and Others Employed the dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231) Mr. Wilkie was appointed Second Clerk on the 19th May, 1813. He was 30 years' old, lived in Waltham Abbey and was single. His salary was £80 per annum and he was allowed £8 for coal and candles with a gratuity of £35 as well as a house upon the Establishment. This Return confirmed his appointment on the 7th March, 1806, as the First Clerk at Keyham Point.
4. According to the List of Officers and Other Persons in the Employment and Pay of the Mills dated 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231), Mr. Wilkie was still Second Clerk, then aged 31, and all the other information given previously remained the same.
5. List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the previous entry, with the basic details on pay, etc. remaining unchanged. Wilkie's age was then given as 33.
6. 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, 1820, showing the amounts received by the Storekeeper" (Supply 5/232) recorded that David Wilkie, Second Clerk, had been living rent-free in a Board of Ordnance house from the 14th April, 1815, and that the house was within the Manufactory on Horse Mill Island. The house in question is Plot No. 97 on the Town Map in Appendix 1. The same information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated 16th February 1822 for the year 1821.
7. List of Officers and other Persons Employed dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) confirmed that Mr. Wilkie was still Second Clerk, that he was then aged 33, was still single and lived in Waltham Abbey. All other information remained the same.
8. Supply 5/232 dated the 6th February 1822 recorded that his salary was still £80 per annum, with a gratuity based on service of £50, candle and coal allowance of £8.0.0d in lieu of coal and candles, giving him a total income of £138.0.0d. He rented land from the Board in Lamas, was provided with a house in Waltham Abbey, had served with the Ordnance for 15 years and was a single man of 34.
9. WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 confirmed that his salary, entitlement to house and allowances, etc. were all as before.
10 Return showing the Pay, Allowances and Length of Service of all Employees (WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1824) included Mr. Wilkie. His salary was given as £130 per annum with allowances amounting to £8.0.0d, making a total of £138.0.0d per annum. He was entitled to a house, had just over 17 years' service, was then aged 36 and was unmarried.
11 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825 repeated the previous information given, as did the Return dated 1st October 1825 (WO54/550). At that date, however, he had nearly 19 years' service, and was 37 years of age. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 recorded the same basic information.
12 Wilkie was still Second Clerk, with a total salary at the 1st January 1825 of £138 per annum (Supply 5/205 dated the 21st December, 1825). This information was in the form of a memo, and adjustments in salary do not appear to have been put into effect. However, WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826, recorded that he had been awarded a £7 increase in salary which then gave him £145 per annum.
13 WO54/558 dated the the 1st April 1827 recorded, "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826."
14 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, gave the same information as in the previous notes. However, at that date Mr. Wilkes had nearly 21 years' service, and was then 39 years of age.
15 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) recorded the same information as in the previous notes, with the exception that Mr. Wilkie had served just over 21 years, and that he was aged 39.
16 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) recorded that Wilkie was paid £137 per annum, plus an allowance of £8 for coals and candles. Other details remained unchanged.
17 WO54/566 dated the 1st April 1829, updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay unchanged.
18 WO54/566 dated the1st October 1829 stated that at that date Mr. Wilkie still earned the same as in Note 13. His length of service was given as just over 23 years and that he was then aged 40.
19 Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unchanged.
20 According to the Return dated the 1st October 1830 (WO54/570), Mr. Wilkie, as Second Clerk, was still earning the same per annum as he was in Note 13 . By then he had served just over 24 years, was 41 and was still unmarried.
21 WO54/ 575 dated the 1st April 1831 recorded the same information as given in Note 13, except that he had now served nearly 25years.
22 WO54/545 dated the 1st October 1831 updated his age and period of service in the April 1831 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
23 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, confirmed that Mr. Wilkie still earned the same as indicated in Note 12. All other details remained the same, except that at that date he was 43 and had served just over 26 years.
24 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 recorded that Mr. Wilkie still earned a total of £145.0.0d per annum. His service was given as nearly 27 years, and his age as 43.. He was still a single man.
25 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 recorded that Mr. Wilkie was 44 years of age and had served 27 years. He was still in receipt of an annual wage of £145.0.0d.
26 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 updated the October Return for service and age, with conditions and salary remaining unchanged.
27 Return dated 1st October 1834 (no reference given) updated the previous Return for service and age with conditions and salary remaining unchanged.
28 Return of Staff dated the 1st April 1839 (WO54/623) confirmed that Wilkie's salary, including an increase and allowances in lieu of coal and candles was £145.0.0d per annum. He had 33 years' service at that date, was aged 49 years and was still a bachelor.
29 Following the death of Thomas Littler, Wilkie was promoted to 1st Clerk on the 19th August 1839, but his salary remained at £145.0.0d per annum (WO56/623).
30 The 1841 Census recorded that David Wilkie was living in Wall Marsh (Horse Mill Island) with John and Elizabeth Tyler as his servants. It also recorded that Wilkie was born in Ireland.
