Biography:
1. Henry Coreham started work at the Mills on the 1st June 1793 as a Labourer in the Corning House, and was paid 1/6d per day, according to Supply 5/216 of the 31st August 1793. This information was confirmed the following year (Supply 5/216), and remained the case in July 1795 (Supply 5/215 dated the 3rd July 1795).
2. Henry was still in the Corning House in September 1798 according to Supply 5/219, and had enlisted as a Private in the Volunteer Company on the 7th May 1794.
3. A signed document, Supply 5/220 of the 2nd February 1800 relating to a Petition on Pay, showed that he was illiterate and was still working as a general Labourer, and a Return on the Marital Status of the Employees dated the 8th May 1801 (Supply 5/221) recorded that Henry was a married man ,without issue.
Robert Coleman recorded in his Minute Book on the 23rd October 1801 that 24 men were required to work at Faversham or be discharged. Coreham was one who agreed to go (Winters, p.60), but the Faversham Gunpowder Personnel Register 1573-1840 did not record his name, so it can only be assumed his services were terminated, and that he was subsequently re-engaged.
4. According to Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804, Henry was still working in the Corning House as a Labourer with pay of 2/1d per day. In addition, all Labourers received an extra allowance of 1/-d per night when it was their turn to watch - on average every 5th night.
5. In the List of Foreman Artificers and Labourers Employed dated the 30th January 1806 (Supply 5/224) Henry was described as a Foreman of a Corning House earning 2/6d per day, and, according to this Return, he had been employed with the Ordnance for 14 years.
6. Supply 5/226 dated the 18th June 1807, indicated that Henry was a Working Foreman of Corning Houses, with pay of 2/6d per day. He was allowed 1/6d as a Rounder to superintend the Watchmen on duty every 3rd night .
7. According to the entry on Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Coreham was still a Foreman of Corning Houses, who then earned 3/-d. per day and every 3rd night was allowed 2/-d as Rounder to superintend the Watchmen on duty. This information was repeated in 1810 (Supply 5/228).
8. List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) confirmed that Mr. Coreham was still a Foreman of Corning Houses, but that he then earned 4/-d per day, in addition to which, he was a Rounder earning 2/-d. every 3rd night. This was also the case according to the List of Employees dated the 13th February (Supply 5/230).
9. Lists of Officers & Others Employed dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231 and WO54/524) stated that Mr. Coreham was then Foreman of the Reeling House. He was aged 53, resided in Waltham Abbey, and was married but had no children. He earned 3/4d per day according to WO54/524, in addition to which, he was a Rounder at 1/6d every 5th night.
10 A List of Employees dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) showed the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818. Coreham's name was on the List, with his pay remaining as before.
11 List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that Coreham was still employed as the Reeling House Foreman, that he was a married man aged 54 with no children, that he lived in Waltham Abbey and was paid 3/4d per day. He was also still a a Rounder every 3rd night, for which he received 1/6d per night.
12 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the entry above, but his pay as a Rounder had been increased to 2/-d per night.
13 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) recorded that Mr. Coreham was 56, and that he was married without children. He still lived in Waltham Abbey, was still a Reeling House Foreman, and was earning the same amount as in Note 11, with 2/-d per night as a Rounder.
14 List of Employees in January 1822 (Supply 5/232 dated the 26th January 1822) confirmed that Henry was Foreman of the Reeling House. He was then aged 57, had 30 years' service and was paid 3/4d per day.
15 Return showing the pay, allowances and length of service and every description of the persons in the employment of the Ordnance at Waltham Abbey as at the 31st December 1821 (Supply 5/232/WO54/536 dated the 6th February 1822) appeared to be a more detailed, and probably more accurate, Return than that dated the 23rd January 1822.
It recorded that Henry Coreham, Foreman of the Reeling House, was appointed on the 1st June 1793 as a Corning House Man at Waltham Abbey, and appeared to have been appointed as the Reeling House Foreman by an order of the Board dated the 4th September 1818. His annual pay was given as £52.3.4d, and he was allowed to watch in turn to guard the works, for which he received an additional 2/-d per night. This gave him total annual pay of £57.7.4d. He had just over 28 years' service, was aged 57, was a married man with no children, and he lived in Waltham Abbey.
16 A List of Persons to form an Establishment at Waltham Abbey to regenerate 2000 barrels of gunpowder as well as to make 100 or 200 barrels of gunpowder annually, included Henry Coreham who was to be demoted as a Corning House Man (Supply 5/232 dated the 21st March 1822).
17 List of Employees dated the 1st October 1822 (Supply 5/233) recorded that Henry was employed as a Corning House Man with effect from the 22nd May 1822, and that his pay had been reduced accordingly.
18 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, confirmed that Coreham was still a Corning House Man and that his pay for the year was only £48.2.0d, which included an allowance for watching in turn of 2/-d per week. His family and service details were confirmed. WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1823, recorded that he was still a Corning House Man with the same annual earnings of £48.2.0d, which included an allowance for watching the works in turn. His service and family details were confirmed.
19 According to a document dated the 1st April 1823 (WO54/542 - Alteration in Return B) Coreham had had his pay reduced by £2.12.0d per annum, in accordance with the Board's Orders dated the 27th December 1822 and the 15th January 1823.
20 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, gave his basic pay as £42.18.0d per annum; in addition, he was allowed to watch in turn which gave him, on average, 2/-d per week making an annual amount of £48.2.0d. This Return also confirmed his previous family and service details.
21 WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 recorded that Coreham had been promoted to the Foreman of the Corning House on the 25th May 1825, in place of John Brown who was then the Foreman of the Stoves and Magazines. Coreham's pay was then £52.3.4d per annum and he was allowed to guard the works, for which he received on average 2/-d per week, giving him a total income of £57.7.4d for the year.
22 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed the basic information given in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825, and WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826, confirmed the details given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826.
23 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, recorded "no alteration since the last Report dated the 1st October 1826."
24 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, gave the same information as in the notes above. At that date Henry Coreham had just over 33 years' service and he was then 61 years of age.
25 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as in the notes above. At that date he had served nearly 34 years.
26 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
27 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, family details and pay remaining unaltered.
28 WO54/566 dated the 1st October 1829, confirmed that at that date Henry still earned the same as quoted in Note 21. His length of service was given as just over 35 years and he was then aged 62.
22 Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service with family and pay details remaining unchanged.
23 WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830 stated that Mr. Coreham was then 63 years of age and that he had served just over 36 years. His pay was still the same as given in Note 21, and all other information remained the same, except that he was then a Widower.
24 According to Return WO54/ 575 dated the 1st April 1831 Henry still earned a total of £57.7.4d annually. he had then served nearly 37 years and was 64 years of age.
25 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.
26 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832, updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return. He was still the Corning House Foreman under an Order dated the 30th June 1830, and was a Rounder every 3rd night, for which he was paid 2/-d per night. This gave him pay of £64.6.0d per annum.
27 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, confirmed that Mr. Coreham was still the Foreman of Corning Houses, earning the same £64.6.0d as before. He was then 66 years of age and had served just over 28 years.
28 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, recorded that Henry Coreham, Foreman of Corning House, then earned only £57.7.4d per annum. His service was given as nearly 29 years, and his age as 66.
29 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, stated that Henry was 67 years of age and had served 29 years. He was still in receipt of an annual wage of £57.7.4d, and his family details remained the same.
30 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834, updated the October 1833 Return for service and age. He was still a Foreman in the Corning Houses, with his conditions and pay unchanged.
31 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834, updated the previous Return for service and age, with conditions and pay remaining unchanged.
32 A List of Properties owned by the Board (Supply 5/237 dated the 20th December 1834)
recorded that Henry had leased one of their cottages in Powder Mill Lane since the 29th September 1829 for an annual rent of £5.4.0d. Between April and October 1830, Henry's second wife died (WO54/570).
33 A List of people dated the 12th September 1837 who were either promoted or superanuated (Supply 5/237) noted that "Henry Coreham, aged 71, with an infirmed hand, is now a Foreman in the Corning Houses, but recognises his infirmity, proposed that he is superannuated."
34 A Return of Domesetic Properties owned by the Board and dated May 1840, recorded that Henry had died, and that his cottage in Powder Mill Lane was then occupied by J. Gibbs (2) (WO44/133).
