Biography:
1. Samuel Britton was a Millwright who was paid £1.9.9d for work carried out by the Engineers' Department in the Manufactory between the 15th and 21st July 1809 (Supply 5/228 dated the 22nd July 1809).
2. In 1812 he was employed as a Carpenter earning 5/2d per day (WO54/512 dated September, 1812).
3. WO54/516 dated the 19th February 1816 confirmed that Samuel was employed as a casual Millwright by the Engineers' Department. He had first worked for the Board on the 29th March 1806, and was a 44-year-old married man living in Waltham Abbey, with 1 married and 1 unmarried child. He was paid 5/2d per day.
4. According to WO54/520 dated the 28th February 1817, Samuel was aged 45 and still lived in Waltham Abbey, his family details remaining the same. He earned 5/2d per day, and was employed "occasionally as the Service required." This was also the case in 1818 and 1819 (WO54/524 and WO54/528 respectively).
5. List of Employees dated the the 13th September 1820 (WO54/532) confirmed that Samuel was still employed as a Millwright. He was then aged 49, and all other details, including his pay, remained unaltered.
6. WO54/536 dated the 2nd April 1821 recorded that Britton was now aged 50 years, with all other details previously shown remaining unchanged.
7. A statement "of monies to which the public were entitled to receive credit between the 1st January and the 31st December 1821 shewing the amounts received by the storekeeper", indicated that Mr. Britton had been living in a house purchased by the Board of Ordnance. (Supply 5/232 dated the the 4th April 1821) and that his rent was £16 per annum. This house, Tenement No. 25, with a large garden, has been identified as being on the north side of High Bridge Street to the west of Powder Mill Lane at the western end of a group of tenements known as the Bank Cottages (part of Plot No. 44 on the 1842 Waltham Abbey Town Map, or Plot 44 on the Waltham Abbey Town Map in Appendix 1. Similar information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822 for the year 1821.
8. Return of Personnel Employed in the Engineers' Department (WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823) recorded that Samuel was still paid 5/2d per day for 313 days as a Millwright, giving him an income of £81.17.2d for the year. At that date he was nearly 53 and had served nearly 17 years.
9. WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825 is a repeat of the record dated the 1st April 1823, and confirmed Samuel was paid 5/2d per day; he had served 19 years and was aged nearly 55.
10 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, recorded identical information as in Notes 8 and 9, with the exception that he was now nearly 56, with service of 20 years.
11 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 and WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, gave the same information as before. However, in April 1827, Mr. Britton had 21 years' service and was nearly 57 years of age.
12 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 showed no basic alterations from the previous Return except that he had served nearly 22 years and was aged 57.
13 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) updated the same basic information as in the notes above, showing that Britton was nearly 58 and had served 22 years.
14 Return dated the 1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, family details and pay remaining unchanged.
15 WO54/566 dated the 1st April 1829 recorded that at that date Samuel earned £80.17.2d annually. His length of service was given as 23 years and he was then nearly 59.
16 Return dated 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unchanged.
17 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Samuel as previously, except that his service was then 24 years and he was nearly 60.
18 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830 confirmed that Samuel was still a Millwright,
with all further details and earnings remaining the same, but age and service updated.
19 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 Samuel Britton was one of the three Millwrights to be employed at Waltham Abbey. His duties were as a general service Millwright within the Manufactory, requiring great attention, skill and sobriety, etc.
20 WO54/575 dated April 1831 updated his age and period of service in the October 1830 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
21 WO54/575 dated October 1831 confirmed that Samuel still earned 5/2d per day, giving him a total of £80.17.2d per annum as indicated previously. He had then served for over 25 years and at that date was 61.
22 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return.
23 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 confirmed that he still earned £80.17.2d per annum. He had by then served over 26 years and was aged 62.
24 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed the information given previously, except that Samuel had now served 27 years.
25 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 again confirmed the information given previously, with his service and age updated appropriately.
26 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 recorded that Samuel still earned a total of £80.17.2d per annum, that he was nearly 64 years of age, and that his service at that date was 28 years.
