Biography:
1. John Chaplin was appointed as a Labourer within the Manufactory on the 11th February 1834, and was a 46-year-old married man with 7 children. He had worked in the Royal Ordnance Laboratory as a Labourer since the 1st May 1806 and had some 28 years' service. He was paid £28.5.6d per annum and was allowed to watch in turn, which gave him total annual pay of £33.9.6d (WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834).
2. WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 confirmed the information given in Note 1, except that he was then 47 years old and had served just over 28 years.
3. Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) indicated that he was employed as a Millman on the 26th October 1836 with pay of £46.16.0d, which included an allowance to watch in turn. He had 33 years' service, was a married man, was now aged 52, and had 7 children.
4. The 1841 Census recorded that John was only 50 years' old at that date, and that he and his wife, Sarah, who was described as a 45-year-old charwoman, were living in Camp's Alley with 5 of their children, John, aged 15 - described as a Labourer working at the Gunpowder Mills - Mary, aged 15, Eliza, aged 14, Rachael, aged 11 and Richard, aged 9. With the exception of Richard, they were all born in Essex.
