Biography:
1. John Goats started work on the punts and "setting & drawing stoves" on the 19th December 1792, with pay of 1/6d per day. (Supply 5/216 dated the 31st August 1793).
2. In January and August 1794, he was in the Corning House (Supply 5/216). This was also the case in December 1794 as well as July 1795 (Supply 5/217)
3 John enlisted as a Private in the Volunteer Company on the 7th May 1794 (Supply 5/217).
4. In September 1798 (Supply 5/219) he was recorded as working as a Bargeman and a Private in the Voluntary Company
5. A signed document relating to a Petition on Pay (Supply 5/220 of the 2nd February 1800) indicated that he was literate and was still working as a Bargeman.
6. Report dated the 8th May 1801 (Supply 5/221) recorded that he was working as a Labourer and that he was a married man with no children. Note: in this document, anyone who was not an Artificer was described as a Labourer.
7. Robert Coleman recorded in his Minute Book on the 23rd October 1801, that 24 men were required to work at Faversham or be discharged, and John was one who agreed to go (Winters, p.60). However, his name does not appear in the Faversham records, so it is possible that he may have been retained at the Mills or re-engaged at a later date.
8. Supply 5/224 dated the 30th January 1806, recorded that John was working as a Refiner in the Saltpetre House with pay of 2/-d per day, and at that date he had 13 years' service.
9. According to the entry on Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Goats was still employed as a Saltpetre Refiner earning 2/-d. per day, and "when not working extra, they are allowed to watch in turn."
10 List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) recorded that Mr. Goats was now a Foreman of Saltpetre Refiners, earning 4/7d per day; this was also the case in 1814, according to Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814.
11 List of Employees dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that John Goats was a Saltpetre Refiner, that he was a married man of 47 with no children, and that he lived in Waltham Abbey. He was earning 2/4d per day and allowed to watch in turn, for which he was paid 1/-d per night.
12 A Report of Employees dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) listed the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818. John Goats' name was included with his pay unchanged, but he was no longer allowed to watch.
13 List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) recorded that John was then employed as a Brimstone Refiner; he was a married man, aged 48, with no children, who lived in Waltham Abbey. He was still paid 2/4d per day, and was allowed to watch in turn, for which he received 1/-d per night.
14 A Record of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) recorded that John Goats was now 49, still lived in Waltham Abbey and still earned 2/4d per day, but then worked as a Saltpetre Refiner. When watching, he was paid 1/6d per night.
15 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) indicated that John was now 50 and confirmed that he was employed as a Saltpetre Refiner; all other entries remained the same as in Note 14.
16 List of Employees (Supply 5/232 dated 23rd January 1822) gave the age of John, Saltpetre Refiner, as 51, with just over 29 years' service and pay per day of 2/4d.
17 Return dated 6th February 1822 (Supply 5/232) appeared to be a more detailed and accurate Return than that of the 23rd January 1822, and confirmed that John was appointed a Labourer at Waltham Abbey on the 19th August 1793; by Orders of the Board dated the 4th September 1818 and the 4th October 1819, he was appointed as a Saltpetre Refiner. He was allowed to watch in turn to guard the works, for which he received an additional 2/-d per night, giving him total annual pay of £41.14.4d. According to this Return, at 31st December 1821, he had 29 years' service, was 51 years' old, was married with no children and lived in Waltham Abbey.
18 List dated the 21st March 1822 (Supply 5/232) 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, confirmed that John Goats, Saltpetre Refiner, was to be retained.
19 List of Employees dated the 1st October 1822 (Supply 5/233) recorded that John Goats was living in a cottage belonging to the Board. All other details remained unaltered.
20 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, confirmed that Goats was still a Saltpetre Refiner, that his pay for the year was £39.0.0d, and that this included an allowance for watching in turn, for which he received 2/-d per week. His family and service details were confirmed, and he was still living in a cottage owned or rented by the Board "so that his wife could look after the water." It was noted that he then lived in Cheshunt, which would indicate that this was Aqueduct Lock in that parish, and this fact was confirmed in a later Return dated 1st April 1834 (WO54/593).
21 According to a document dated the 1st April 1823 (WO54/542 - Alteration in Return B) John Goats 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.
22 WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1823, recorded that he was still a Saltpetre Refiner and that his annual pay was £39.0.0d, which included an allowance for watching the works in turn, for which, on average, he received 2/-d per week. There is no mention in this document that he lived in property belonging to the board. His service and family details were confirmed.
23 Return showing Pay and Allowances, etc., dated October 1st 1825 (Winters, pp.93-95) confirmed previous information given, and recorded that Mr. Goats had been in continuous service with the Board since the 19th August 1793. He earned £33.16.0d. per annum.
24 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825 confirmed that John was still a Saltpetre Refiner and that his basic pay was £33.16.0d per annum. He was still allowed to watch in turn which gave him, on average, 2/-d per week, making his total pay £39.0.0d per annum. His family and service details were as before, and the same information was repeated in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825.
25 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.
26 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, recorded "no alteration since the last Report dated the 1st October 1826."
27 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827 recorded the same information as in the notes above. However, at that date John had 34 years' service and was 54 years of age. He still lived in the Board's cottage so that his family could look after the water.
28 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) records the same information as in the notes above.
29 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay unchanged. He still lived in a cottage belonging to the Board.
30 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay again remaining unchanged.
31 WO54/566 dated the 1st October 1829, confirmed that at that date John Goats still earned £39.0.0d. His length of service was given as 36 years and he was then aged 55.
32 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for John except that he was then aged 56 years, and Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, recorded that Mr. Goats had by then served 37 years.
33 According to Return WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, John was 57 years of age, and had served over 37 years. He was still earning a total of £39.0.0d.
34 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.
35 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, again with all other details remaining unaltered, as did WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832.
36 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, confirmed that at that date John was still earning £39.0.0d annually. His period of service was given as nearly 40 years, and his age as 59.
37 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, indicated that all details were the same as the previous Return, except that John had then served 40 years and that he was 60 years of age.
38 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 recorded that although John was still employed as a Saltpetre Refiner, his basic pay had been cut to £28.5.6d per annum; he was still allowed to watch in turn, which increased his annual income to £33.9.6d. His age and service details were updated, and he still retained a cottage so that his family could look after the waters.
39 WO54/593 dated 1st October 1834 confirmed the information given in the note above; he was then 61, and had served 41 years.
40 A List of Domestic Properties prepared by the Royal Engineers dated the 20th December 1834, clearly indicated that John Goats (as well as John Brown) was living on Aqueduct Island, and that his rent for the cottage was £5.4.0d per annum (Supply 5/237).
41 A Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) confirmed that John was still employed as a Saltpetre Refiner with income of £39.0.0d per annum, which included an allowance to watch in turn. He was then shown as a widower.
42 The 1841 Census recorded that John was then lodging with Elizabeth Pallett, the widow of James Pallett, in Powder Mill Lane, and that he was not born in the County.
