Biography:
1. Samuel Knowler, Jnr., according to the Employee List of the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) was Apprenticed to the Master Refiner of Saltpetre, and earned 6/-d. per week. His Master was given 6/-d per week for this Apprentice, and this was was also the case on the 13th February 1814 (Supply 5/230). WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, recorded that he started his Apprenticeship with the Master Refiner on the 3rd June 1811.
2. In a letter dated 12th June,1818 (Supply 5/202) it appeared that Samuel Knowler had completed his Apprenticeship and was entered as a Saltpetre Refiner from the 8th June 1818, earning 2/4d per day . The letter also stated that approval was given by the Board for the Master Refiner to take on John Simpson, Junior, as an Apprentice in place of Samuel Knowler.
3. Contrary to the information given in the previous note, a List of Employees dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231) recorded that Samuel Knowler was still an Apprentice to the Master Saltpetre Refiner at that date, and that he was a single man, aged 19, who lived in Waltham Abbey and earned 7/-d per week..
4. A Return 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. Samuel Knowler (2) was included, with his pay shown as 2/-d per day.
5. List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) indicated that Samuel Knowler (2) was employed as a Brimstone Refiner; he was still single, was aged 20, lived in Waltham Abbey and was paid 2/4d per day. He was also allowed to watch in turn, for which he received 1/-d per night.
6. List of Officers on Employment dated 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) states that Samuel Knowler (2) was now 21, still lived in Waltham Abbey and was single, still earned 2/4d per day as a Saltpetre Refiner, but now received 1/6d per night whilst on watch.
7. List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) indicated that Samuel was now 22 and employed as a Saltpetre Refiner; all other entries remained the same as in Note 6.
8. List of Employees (Supply 5/232 dated the 23rd January 1822) gives the age of Samuel (2), Saltpetre Refiner, as 23, with 10 years' service and pay per day of 2/4d.
9. Return dated the 6th February 1822 (Supply 5/232) shows length of service and other full details of those persons employed by the Ordnance at Waltham Abbey as at the 31st December 1821. This appears to be a more detailed and accurate Return than that of the 23rd January 1822. Samuel Knowler (2), Saltpetre Refiner, was appointed Apprentice to the Master Refiner at Waltham Abbey on the 3rd June, 1811, and by Orders of the Board dated 4th September 1818 and the 4th October 1819, 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 the 31st December 1821, he had ten and a half years' service, was 23 and a single man who lived in Waltham Abbey.
10 List dated the 21st March 1822 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, recorded that Samuel Knowler, Saltpetre Refiner, was to be retained (Supply 5/232).
11 According to a document dated the 1st April 1823 (WO54/542 - Alteration in Return B) Samuel Knowler (2) 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. 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. His service details were confirmed, but he was then a
26-year-old married man without children.
12 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed Samuel (2) was still a Saltpetre Refiner, and gave his basic pay as £33.16.0d per annum. He was allowed to watch in turn, which gave him, on average, 2/-d per week, making an annual amount in total of £39.0.0d. This Return also confirmed his previous family and service details, and the details are repeated in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825, with the additional information that he then had one child, who was baptised at Waltham Abbey on the 25th September 1825.
13 Return dated the 1st October 1825 (Winters, pp.93-95) confirmed previous information, and recorded that he had been in continuous service with the Board since the 3rd June 1811. His pay was £33.16.0d. per annum.
14 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, confirmed the basic information given in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825.
15 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826, confirmed the information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, but recorded that at that date he had two children.
16 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, recorded "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October 1826" except that Samuel then had 3 children. It would also appear that the length of service 'goal posts' had been changed and started from the end of his Apprenticeship.
17 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, confirmed the same information as in the notes above, except that apparently one child had died. At that date, Samuel Knowler had just over 9 years' service and was 28 years' old.
18 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) confirmed the information given in the notes above, with the exception that he had served for nearly 10 years, although his age on this Return was shown as 27.
19 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
20 On the 14th October 1828, Samuel Knowler was paid 16/-d for travelling from Waltham to Woolwich for the purpose of instruction as to the mode of proof, and practical use of the new gun Epreuvette. The amount covered 48 miles at 4d per mile (Winters, op.cit.p.99).
21 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with his family details and pay remaining unchanged.
22 Return of Employees at the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) indicated that Samuel Knowler (2) earned in total £39.0.0d per annum, that his service was just over 11 years, that he was 28 years of age, was married and had two children.
23 According to the Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Samuel Knowler (2) as in Note 22, except that his service was given as nearly 12 years, and that he was 29 years of age.
24 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830 gave the same information as that provided at the 1st April 1830, except that Samuel had then served just over 12 years. WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, updated the October Return, and confirmed that he was still employed as a Salt Petre Refininer.
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.
27 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, updated his age and period of service in the April 1832 Return, and all other details remained unchanged.
28 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, recorded that at that date Samuel (2) still earned £39.0.0d annually. His period of service was given as nearly 15 years, and his age as 32.
29 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, confirmed that Samuel's details were the same as in the previous Return, except that he had then served just over 15 years and he was 33 years' old.
30 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 recorded that although Samuel 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 pay to £33.9.6d. He still had two children, and his age and his service details were updated.
31 WO54/593 dated 1st October 1834, confirmed the information given in the note above; Samuel (2) was then 33 years' old and had served just over 16 years.
32 Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) recorded that Samuel Knowler, Jnr., was promoted to Master Refiner of Salt Petre on the 5th September 1834. He was then entitled to a house, which is shown as Plot No. 39 on the Town Map in Appendix 1, and his pay was £118.13.7d per annum. He was then 37 years' old with nearly 22 years' service.
33 The 1841 Census recorded that Samuel, Jnr., aged 40, and his wife Elizabeth, also aged 40, were living on the north side of High Bridge Street with their family of Mary, 15, and John, 11). His father, Samuel Snr., was living with them, and with the exception of Elizabeth, they were all born in the County.
