Biography:
1. James Wright, Jr. was appointed Junior Clerk at Faversham on the 17th April 1801 and transferred as a Junior Clerk to Waltham Abbey on the 1st September 1801, with a salary £70 per annum., lodging allowance of £20.16.0d per annum and coal/candle allowance of £12.10.0d per annum (Supply 5/232 dated 6th February 1822). He was awarded a pay increase of £10 per annum and a gratuity of £8 (Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804) and WO54/528 dated the 19th May 1919, recorded that he became the Clerk of the Cheque on the 26th February 1812.
2. Winters, in Our Parish Registers, recorded that Lucy, the daughter of James Wright, was baptized on March 3rd 1805, and that Wright was promoted to 1st Clerk on the 20th March 1805, with his salary increased to £80 per annum, but his lodging and candle allowance remaining the same.
3. List of Salaries dated the 18th June 1807 (Supply 5/226 ) stated that his appointment to First Clerk on the 20th March 1805, brought a salary of £90 per annum, with an allowance of £20.16.0d for lodging and £12.10 for coal and candle, these amounts remaining the same on the 23rd August 1808 (Supply 5/227). However, in September 1810 he was entitled to a house, and was in receipt of the same heating and lighting allowances (Supply 5/228).
4. According to the List of Officers and Other Persons employed dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) James, Jnr. was appointed Clerk of Cheque on the 26th February 1812, at a salary of £150 per annum with £12.10 for coals and candles, a £20 gratuity and a house. It was also stated that he was "upon the Establishment".
5. Return dated the 13th February 1814 (Supply 5/230) confirmed his salary was £150 per annum with a £20 gratuity, a house provided, and £12.10.0d per annum coal and candle allowance.
6. Supply 5/231 dated the 25th June 1818 recorded that Mr. Wright was Clerk of Cheque, that he was aged 42, resided in Waltham Abbey, was married, and had 9 children. On the 17th April 1801, he was employed as a Clerk at Faversham. His present employment commenced 26th February 1812, when his salary was £150 per annum, and he was allowed £12.10 for coal and candles, with an £80 gratuity. He also had a house upon the Establishment.
7. According to the Return dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231), Mr. Wright was still Clerk of Cheque, then aged 43, and all the other information given previously remained the same.
8. Supply 5/232 dated the 13th September 1820 updated the previous entry, the basic details on pay, etc. remaining unchanged. He was then aged 45.
9. 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 shewing the amounts received by the storekeeper" (Supply 5/232) recorded that Wright had been living rent-free in a Board of Ordnance house from the 12th September 1814. He was also renting 14 acres of Lammas - or half-year land - from the Board at a cost of £14.14.0d per annum, and this information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated 16th Feb 1822. The Board purchased the Cornmill House in Romelands in 1809 (Plot No.715 on the 1825 Waltham Abbey Town Map) and the house was appointed as the residence of the 1st Clerk. Wright was appointed to this position on the 20th March 1805, and received a housing allowance until sometime between 1808 and 1810 when he no longer had an allowance for lodgings. He was promoted to Clerk of the Cheque on the 26th February 1812, and it can only be assumed that he was living at the Corn Mill House from 1809, rather than Thomas Littler. According to a Return of Properties owned by the Board and prepared by the Royal Engineer's Office in December 1834, Wright had occupied a house and garden on the west side of the River Lee since the 8th September 1814 (Supply 5/237). A similar Return prepared by the same office in 1840 noted that Wright was the first occupant, i.e., it was newly built, and comprised of Plots Nos. 93 and 94 on the Town Map on the Town Map in Appendix 1. The house was "The Lodge" and the building still stands. By the 1st May 1820, he was renting 14 acres of Lammas or half-year land at £1 per acre from the Board.
10 List of Officers and other Persons Employed dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) confirmed that Mr. Wright was still Clerk of the Cheque, that he was then aged 45, was married with 9 children, and lived in Waltham Abbey. All other information as indicated in Note 7 remained the same, with the exception that he was now given a £150 gratuity.
11 Supply 5/232 dated 6th February 1822 updated his salary, etc. Wright was paid £150 per annum with a gratuity based on service of £150, a candle and coal allowance of £12.10.0d in lieu of coal and candles, and a further £13.16.0d in lieu of a Labourer from 1st July to 31st December 1821, giving him a total income of £326.6.0d per annum. He rented 7 acres of grass land from the Board in Lamas to the value of £15, was provided with a house in Waltham Abbey, had served with the Ordnance for nearly 21 years, was 46, and was married with 9 children.
12 Return dated the the 1st October 1822 showing the alterations made since the 1st April 1822 (no reference given) recorded that his position as Storekeeper no longer existed, and he was then called Deputy Storekeeper, without alteration to pay, conditions and allowances. From then on, the overall charge of the Manufactory was in the hands of the newly-created position of Superintendant.
13 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 confirmed Wright's salary, entitlement to a house, allowance of £25 for coal and candles and £27.7.6d in lieu of attendance of labour. His family details and previous employment were also confirmed.
14 WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1824, included Mr. Wright, who was appointed Deputy Storekeeper on the 20th March 1822. His salary was given as £300 per annum with allowances amounting to £39.17.6d, making a total of £339.17.6d per annum. He was entitled to a house, had just over 23 years' service, was then aged 49 and was married with 9 children.
15 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825 confirmed the previous entries, but Wright was then allowed £27.7.6d in lieu of attendance of labour, which gave him a total income of £339.17.6d per annum.
16 Supply 5/205 dated the 21st December 1825 confirmed that Wright was Deputy Storekeeper with a total salary at the 1st January 1825 of £317 per annum (This was in the form of a memorandum, and adjustments in salary do not appear to have been put into effect).
17 Return dated the 1st October 1825 (WO54/550) stated that James Wright, Jr. earned a basic salary of £150 per annum. At that date he received an increase of £150 per annum with an allowance in lieu of Coals and Candles of £12.10.0d and another of £27.7.6d in lieu of attendance for 'Labour', making a total of £339.17.6d per annum in all. He was appointed to the post of Deputy Storekeeper on the 22nd March, 1822. He had a house, and his period of service was given as just over 24 years. At that date he was 50 years' old, was married and had 9 children. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed the same information.
18 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the Return dated the 1st April 1826, with the exception of his salary, which had increased by £4.10.0d per annum.
19 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 recorded "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826."
20 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 gave the same information as in the notes above. At that date Mr. Wright had 27 years' service and he was then 52 years of age, with an income amounting to £344.7.6d.
21 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) recorded the same information as in the notes above, with the exception that James had now served 28 years, and was aged 52.
22 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) recorded that Wright was paid £304.10.0d per annum, plus an allowance of £12.10.0d for coals and candles and £27.7.6d in lieu of "attendance in labour". All other details remained the same.
23 WO54/566 dated the 1st October 1829 stated that at that date James still earned the same as in Note 23. His service was given as just over 28 years, and he was now aged 54.
24 Return dated the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unchanged.
25 Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
26 According to the Return dated the 1st October 1830 (WO54/570), James was still earning the same per annum as Deputy Storekeeper as he was in Note 23. By then he had served nearly 30 years and he was 55 years of age.
27 Return WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831 confirmed that James Wright was still earning a total of £344.7.6d made up as in Note 21, that he had served 30 years and that he was 55 years of age.
28 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.
29 On the 28th October 1831 Lt.Col. Moody, R.E. was appointed to have general superintendance of the Establishment at Waltham Abbey. The office of Storekeeper was abolished and the Deputy Storekeeper, Mr Wright, was to have charge of the Store Department (Winters, p.102).
30 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 confirmed Winters' entry and the Board's Order No. 609 of the 28th October 1832 stating, "the office of storekeeper was abolished, and a saving thereby effected of £652.7.6d per annum.", this being Charles Wilks' (the previous Storekeeper's) salary. The Return for April 1832 was signed by Wright as the Deputy Storekeeper. He still received an annual salary of £344.7.6d, which included an allowance for coals, candles and attendance, and he was still provided with a house. The Return updated his age and service record.
31 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 recorded that James Wright, Jnr. earned the same as indicated in Note 31. All other details remained the same, except that he was then 57 years of age, and had served for over 31 years.
32 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed that James still earned £344.7.6d per annum. His service was given as 32 years, and his age as 57.
33 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 stated that Mr. Wright was 58 years of age and had served over 32 years. He was still in receipt of an annual salary of £344.7.6d, and was still provided with a house.
34 James Wright was severely reprimanded by the Board for allowing two employees to remove Government stores from the Mills at Waltham Abbey. The two were apprehended by the Thames Police (Supply 5/208 dated the 3rd April 1833).
35 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 updated the October Return for service and age, with conditions and salary remaining unchanged.
36 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 updated the previous Return for service and age, with conditions and salary remaining the same.
37 Return of Staff dated 1st April 1839 (WO54/623) recorded that his dates of appointments, etc. remained as before. His salary, including an increase, allowances in lieu of coal, candles and the attendance of a servant, was £344.7.6d. His years of service were given as 38 and his age as 63.
38 Winters, in Our Parish Registers (page unknown), stated "tomb in churchyard, raised slab (near north wall) - Sacred memory of Mrs Lucy Wright, wife of James Wright, died 19th September 1845 aged 62".
