Biography:
1. Pay List (Supply 5/228 dated the 21st July 1809) recorded that William Bunce was a Carpenter, First Class. He was paid £1.9.9d for work carried out by the Engineers' Department in the Manufactory between the 15th and 21st July 1809.
2. WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 listing personnel employed in the Engineers' Department, recorded that he was paid 4/1d per day as a Carpenter for 313 days, giving him an income of £63.18.1d per annum. It would appear that he initially worked for a contractor employed by the Board in 1791, and apparently had continuous work with them until he was taken on the Establishment with other Carpenters on the 8th March, 1822. This Return shows that he had nearly 34 years' service, starting on the 3rd July, 1791. He was aged 52, living in Waltham Abbey, and had 6 children. An 1825 valuation of property showed that William was living in one of the cottages at the junction of High Bridge Street and Powder Mill Lane, being one of the tenements in Plot No. 60 on Drayson's 1833 Map. Sometime after this, William moved to one of the cottages in the old Tanyard, Tenement No. 54 on the same Map.
3. WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed that William was still paid 4/1d per day for 313 days as a Carpenter. His service was given as nearly 36 years, and he was then aged nearly 55, was married and had 6 children.
4. WO54/550 dated the 13th October 1825, is a repeat of the Return dated the 1st April 1825. A note in "former appointments" recorded that he had been in the employment of a contractor, who worked for the Ordnance on the 3rd July, 1791.
5. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 gave identical information as in Notes 3 and 4, except that he was nearly 56, with service of nearly 37 years.
6. WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the information given in the previous Return.
7. WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 gave the same information as in the notes above. However, at that date Mr. Bunce had nearly 38 years' service and he was over 56 years of age.
8. WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 contained no basic alterations from the previous Return.
9. Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) updated the basic information given in the notes above.
10 Return dated the 1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service with family details and pay unchanged. This Return confirmed that Mr. Bunce trained as a Carpenter.
11 WO54/566 dated the 1st April 1829 stated that William at that date still earned the same as in Note 3. His length of service was given as just over 39 years, and his age as nearly 59.
12 Return dated the 1st October, 1829 (no reference) updated his age and length of service, family and pay details remaining unaltered.
13 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Mr. Bunce as in Note 3, except that his service was just over 40 years, and he was nearly 60 years of age.
14 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830 recorded that William was still a Carpenter, his family details and earnings remained unchanged, but his length of service and age had been updated.
15 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 William Bunce was one of the 7 Carpenters to be employed at Waltham Abbey Powder Mills and Enfield Small Arms Factory. He was paid 4/1d per day, and required to undertake general services as a Carpenter in the Manufactory, requiring great care, attention and sobriety, etc.
16 WO54/575 dated April 1831 updated his age and period of service in the October 1830 Return; all other details remained unchanged.
17 WO54/575 dated October 1831 confirmed that William still earned 4/1d per day as indicated in Note 15, giving him a total of £63.18.1d per annum. He had then served just over 41 years, and was aged 61.
18 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, and again, all other details remained unchanged.
19 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 confirmed that he still earned £63.18.1d per annum. He had by then served just over 42 years and was aged 62.
20 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed the information given in Note 19, except that he was then nearly 63 years of age and had served nearly 43 years.
21 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 recorded that his basic details remained unchanged, but his age and length of service had been updated.
22 A Return of Properties owned by the Board prepared by the office of the Royal Engineers on the 20th December1834, recorded that Widow Bunce occupied a cottage in West Street (High Bridge Street) and that she (or her husband) had been in occupation since the 6th April 1829 (Supply 5/237). Another Return of the same date showing showing how vacant properties were proposed to be let, recorded that William Bunce had died, that the cottage had been leased to his widow on the 6th April 1829 but that the cottage was to be let to J. Lording, Labourer (also 5/237). The property has been identified as one of those purchased from Mr. Cannop in 1818 - see notes on Jeremiah Betts.
