Biography:
1. Hugh Jones was listed as a Millman earning 2/-d per day in August 1790, but by the end of that year he is shown as a Labourer in the Corning House (Supply 5/215 dated the 14th August 1790).
2. From May 1790 to January 1791, he was still described as "Working in the Corning House." (Supply 5/215 dated January 1791).
3. Supply 5/215 dated January 1792, referred to him "grinding salt petre, charcoal and brimstone."
4. Jones was made Office Keeper and Rounder on the 11th July 1792, earning 2/-d per day (Supply 5/215 dated the 14th August, 1790).
5. According to Supply 5/217 dated the 24th June 1795, he started work at the Powder Mills as a Labourer on the 10th May 1790. He served in the Artillery from May 1784 to January 1790, and joined the Volunteer Company on the 7th May 1794, initially as a Corporal, but was made a Sergeant in 1798 (Supply 5/219 dated September 1798).
6. A signed document, Supply 5/220 of the 2nd February 1800 relating to a Petition on Pay, recorded that he was literate, and still the Office Keeper.
7. Report dated the 8th May 1801 (Supply 5/221) confirmed that he was still the Office Keeper, and a married man with 2 children.
8. A Return of Artificers and Labourers dated the 3rd November 1801 (Supply 5/221) recorded that he was still employed as the Office Keeper "attending at the office." This was also the case in 1804 (Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804) when he was paid 2/3d per day, and received an allowance of 1/6d every third night for "rounding."
9. In March 1805, he was on a weekly wage of 16/-d per week (Supply 5/223 dated the 28th March1805)
10 In the List of Foreman Artificers and Labourers Employed dated the 30th January 1806 (Supply 5/224) he was described as an Office Keeper earning 2/3d per day. This document also stated that he had been employed with the Ordnance for 16 years.
11 He was promoted to Foreman of Stoves, drying gunpowder in January 1808. (Supply 5/198 dated the 4th January, 1808)
12 According to the entry on Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Jones was still a Foreman of Stoves, then earning 4/-d per day. In addition, every third night he was "allowed 2/-d as Rounder (Supervisor) to superintend the Millmen and Watchmen on duty."
13. Winters (p.43) said that Jones had lived "...where Mr. C. Wiggs now resides."
14. Still Foreman of Stoves in 1810, his pay was unchanged and he received 2/-d for being a Rounder every third night (Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810).
15 According to the above document dated 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) Hugh Jones was then employed as the Master Mixer of Composition with pay of 6/4d per day, and WO54/536 dated the 6th February 1822, confirmed that he was appointed as the Master Mixer of Composition on the 28th February 1812.
16 Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814, confirmed Hugh Jones was still Master Mixer, with the same pay as he had in 1812,
17 Supply 5/231 and WO54/524 confirm that Mr. Hugh Jones was still a Master Mixer of Composition, aged 57, who resided in Waltham Abbey, and was married with one child. He earned 5/10d per day, with an allowance of £15.12.0d per annum in respect of an Apprentice. He also had a house; this may have been the Master Worker's house within the Manufactory (Building No. 21 on the 1801 map).
18 A Return of Employees dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) recorded the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818; Hugh Jones's name was recorded, with his pay unchanged. On the 6th November 1818, he moved into a rent-free house owned by the Board on the north side of High Bridge Street, previously occupied by Thomas Austin, who had moved to the Mill House in Romelands (Supply 5/232).
19 A very faint photostat copy of a letter dated 6th November 1818 (Supply 5/202) recorded that Jones had requested he be allowed to live rent free in a cottage he recently occupied. The Board were of the opinion that "as an indulgence to Hugh Jones" it should be let to him at a rent of £5 per annum. The hiouse, together with its large garden of 22 perches, is shown as being at the northern end of Plot No. 64 on the Town Map in Appendix 1.
20 According to the List of Officers and Other Persons Employed and Pay dated 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) Mr. Hugh Jones was still a Master Mixer of Composition, then aged 58, with all the other information given in Note 17 remaining the same. He was still allowed an Apprentice.
21 Return dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the previous entry, with the basic details on pay, etc. remaining unchanged. This document recorded that he was allowed 7/-d per week to train an Apprentice. It also confirmed that he lived in a house owned by the Board.
22 A Statement "of monies to which the public were entitled to receive credit between the 1st January and the 31st December, 1821, shewing the amounts received by the storekeeper" dated the 4th April 1821, (Supply 5/232) confirmed that Hugh Jones, Master Mixer, was living rent free in a Board of Ordnance house from the 6th November 1818. The same information was repeated in Supply 5/232 dated 16th February 1822, for the year 1821.
23 Return of Persons Employed dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) confirmed that Mr. Hugh Jones was still a Master Mixer of Composition, that he was then aged 60, was married and had one child, and resided in Waltham Abbey. His pay was still 5/10d per day, and he was allowed a house.
24 List of Employees in January 1822 (Supply 5/232 dated the the 26th January, 1822) giving age, number of years in service and pay per day, confirmed that Hugh Jones was still a Master Composition Mixer, aged 60, with 32 years' service, and that he was still paid 5/10d per day.
25 Return showing the pay, allowances and length of service and every description of the persons in the employment of the Ordnance as at the 31st December 1821 (Supply 5/232 dated the 6th February 1822) appeared to be a more detailed and, probably more accurate Return, than that dated the 23rd January 1820. It recorded that Hugh Jones, Master Mixer of Composition, was appointed as a Labourer at Waltham Abbey on the 10 May 1790, then appointed Master Mixer on the 28th February 1812. His total pay for the year, including an allowance to train an Apprentice, amounted to £113.2.9d, and he was provided with a house. He had nearly 32 years' service, was aged 60, was married man with one child and lived in Waltham Abbey.
26 List dated the 21st March 1822 of persons to form an Establishment to regenerate 2000 barrels of gunpowder as well as to make 100 or 200 barrels of gunpowder annually, included Mr. Hugh Jones, Master Mixer of Composition (Supply 5/232).
27 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, gave Jones' pay as £91.5.10d per annum. His family and service details were confirmed, but it would appear from this document that he no longer had an allowance for an Apprentice.
28 Return showing the Pay, Allowances and Length of Service of all Employees (WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1824) included Mr. Hugh Jones, who was appointed Master Mixer and Master Refiner of Saltpetre on the 30th July 1823. His pay was given as £118.3.7d per annum, with an allowance for an Apprentice amounting to £23.18.0d , making a total of £142.1.7d per annum. He was entitled to a house, had nearly 35 years' service, was then aged 63, and was married with one child.
29 According to Winters (p.92) Hugh Jones was appointed Master Worker on the 23rd February 1825, and that around that time, he moved to Powder Mill Lane (recollections of Henry Wright, as recorded in Winters).
30 Supply 5/205 dated the 21st December 1825 confirmed that Jones was a Master Worker, with total pay from the1st January 1825 of £130 per annum.
31 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed pay, and repeated the previous information given, as did WO54/550 dated 1st October 1825. His service at that date was given as just over 35 years, and his age as 63.
32 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, confirmed the basic information given in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825. WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826, confirmed the information given in the Return dated the 1st April 1826.
33 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 recorded "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826."
34 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, gave the same information as in the notes above. At that date, Hugh Jones had just over 37 years' service and was 65 years of age.
35 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as in the notes above. At that date he had served nearly 38 years and was aged 65.
36 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) recorded that Jones was paid £140 per annum, having received an increase of £10 per annum on the 22nd February 1827. All of his other details remained unchanged. (Note: this Return does not reflect his increase in pay).
37 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family details unchanged, but his pay in this document was shown correctly as £150 per annum.
38 WO54/566 dated 1st October 1829, stated that at that date Hugh Jones still earned the same as in Note 37. His length of service was given as just over 39 years, and he was aged 66.
39 Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service, with family details remaining the same. However, his pay had increased by £10 per annum from the 22nd February 1830, giving him £160 per annum..
40 According to the Return dated the 1st October 1830 (WO54/570) Hugh was still earning the same per annum as a Master Worker as as he was in Note 39. By then he had served just over 40 years, and he was 68 years of age.
41 According to Return WO54/ 575 dated the 1st April 1831, Hugh Jones, Master Worker, earned a total of £170 per annum, and had served for nearly 41years. His age was given as 69.
42 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.
43 WO545/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, also recording that he had been awarded another increase in his pay of £10 per annum, giving him an annual salary of £180 for the year. All other details remained unchanged.
44 WO54/581 dated 1st October 1832 confirmed that Hugh Jones still earned the same as indicated in Note 43. All other details remained the same, except that at that date he was 71 years of age and had served just over 42 years.
45 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, indicated that Hugh Jones then earned a total of £190.0.0d per annum. His service was given as nearly 43 years, and his age as 71.
46 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 stated that Hugh Jones was 72 and had served just over 43 years. He was still in receipt of an annual wage of £190.0.0d.
47 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834, updated the October Return for service and age, but his pay had been increased by a further £10 per annum with effect from the 22nd February 1834, giving him a total annual salary of £200.
48 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 updated the previous Return for service and age, with conditions and pay remaining unaltered.
49 Undated entry in Winters (p.103) for 1834, stated that Fred. Wright, an Apprentice to the Rex Offices, and Hugh Jones, Master Worker, paid, viz., Fred. Wright, 79 days at 3/-d - £11.17.0d; Hugh Jones for instructing Fred. Wright, 79 days, at 6d - £1.19.6d.
50. According to Winters, Jones retired in 1838 (p.104).
51 Henry Wright, relating his memories to William Winters, recalled that on one occasion, Jones, who resided in Powder Mill Lane, was superintending proving the powder, and the mortar was placed near the barge house and bridge, when "a great mistake was made by putting in a double charge of powder, sending the ball over the left lodge at the entrance crossing the lane and river, and some distance into the marsh"
