Biography:
1. Benjamin Cornish was employed as a Cooper in September 1810 with pay of 2/6d per day, and, according to Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810, he was not allowed to watch.
2. He was still employed as a Cooper in August 1812 with his pay increased to 3/2d per day (Supply 5/229 dated the 29th August 1812).
3. Benjamin was still in the same job on the 13th February 1814, but was now paid 4/-d per day (Supply 5/230).
4 List of Employees dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231) recorded that Benjamin Cornish, Cooper, was a single man, aged 21, who lived in Waltham Abbey and earned 4/-d per day.
5. A List of Empoyees dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) recorded the names of people the Storekeeper proposed to retain between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818. Benjamin Cornish's name was included with his pay given as 3/-d.
6. List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that Cornish was still a Cooper, that he was then 22, lived in Waltham Abbey and was paid 3/6d per day. However, his name does not appear in a similar Return dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) and he appeared to have left the Mills.
7. Return showing Pay and Allowances, etc. dated the 1st October 1825 (Winters, p. 94) recorded that he was re-engaged on the 20th December 1824 to make cement casks for Harwich.
8. WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 confirmed that he was employed for threequarters of a year as a Cooper making cement casks for Harwich, with pay of £54.12.0d per annum. He had been trained as a Cooper, and at the time was a 25-year-old married man with 2 children.
9. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, recorded that Cornish was re-employed as a general Labourer from the 10th February 1826, with basic pay of £33.16.0d per annum, and allowed to watch in turn, for which he received an extra 2/-d per week, giving him an annual income of £39.0.0d. At that date he had 3 children, and his age was recorded as 30 years. WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826.
10 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 recorded "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826."
11 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 gave the same information as in the previous notes.. At that date Benjamin had nearly 2 years' service as a general Labourer.
12 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as in the previous notes above, except that he had then served for just over 2 years.
13 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
14 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) (WO54/566) updated the previous document.
15 A List of Employees at the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) confirmed that Benjamin still earned in total £39.0.0d per annum, that his service was nearly 4 years, that he was 31, was married and had 3 children.
16 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Benjamin as in Note 15, except that his service was just over 4 years, and he was aged 32.
17 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed the information given in Note 15, except that his service was then nearly 5 years.
18 WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, recorded that Benjamin then had 4 children, that he was still employed as a General Labourer within the Manufactory and that his pay and allowances to watch remained as before.
19 WO54/575 dated the 1st October 1831 updated his age and period of service in the April 1831 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
20 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832, updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 return, all other details remaining unchanged.
21 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, updated his age and period of service in the April 1832 Return, with all other details remaining unaltered.
22 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, confirmed that Benjamin was still a Labourer earning £39.0.0d annually. His period of service is given as 7 years, and his age as 35.
23 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, recorded that all details were the same as the previous Return, except that Benjamin had now served over 7 years and was 36 years' old.
24 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834, recorded that Benjamin "had been removed to the Saltpetre Refinery" replacing William Turnham, deceased. Although he was allowed to watch in turn, his annual pay had been reduced to £33.9.6d.
25 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834, confirmed the information given in the note above; he was then 37, and had served just over 8 years.
26 A Return of Properties dated the 20th December 1834, prepared by the Royal Engineers' Office and listing the houses and cottages owned by the Board, recorded that Benjamin Cornish had been renting one of their cottages in High Bridge Street since the 6th April 1829 at £5.4.0d per annum (Supply 5/237). This was possibly when the rent was reduced because previously, the same cottage was occupied by Daniel Cornish at a rent of £8.9.0d per annum.
27 A Petition from Benjamin Cornish dated October 1838 (Supply 5/237) stated that he had been brought up as a Cooper and had 14 years' service as a Labourer (compelled to take a Labourer's place), that he had a large family of 6 children and that he was only paid 10/10d per week. In this Petition he requested that he should replace Thomas Sadd, a Cooper, who had been promoted to Master Mixer.
28 Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) confirmed that he had previously been employed as a Cooper on the 10th February 1826. His pay in 1839 was £39 per annum. He was then a 39-year-old married man, but this Return mentioned that he only had 5 children.
29 In a letter to the Board dated the 23rd March 1840 (Supply 5/238) it was stated that Bejamin Cornish's services were more valuable than that of a common Labourer, for which he was now paid 2/4d daily. He was employed as a Cooper occasionally, and often worked in the Proof House mending machinery. The Storekeeper recommended, therefore, that his pay be increased to 3/-d per day.
30 The 1841 Census showed that Benjamin and his wife Sarah, a Stay Maker, together with their 6 children, were living in High Bridge Street North.
