Biography:
1. Thomas started at the Mills as a Labourer on the 13th April 1791, earning 1/6d per day "Setting and Drawing Stoves and in the punts" which he was listed to do until June 1791.
2. July to September 1792 saw him working in the Corning House, still at 1/6d per day, (Supply 5/216) and this was the case until July 1795 (Supply 5/217 dated the 3rd July 1795). On the 16th March 1793, Mr. Bilton was chequered (fined) one day's pay for not having obeyed orders to ensure that his shoes were free of gravel when he entered the Corning House. In addition, Robert Coleman, Clerk of the Cheque, recorded that on the 29th July 1793, Thomas Bilton and others were chequered one day's pay for "having gone across the Hoppit contrary to repeated orders." (Winters, p.39).
3. Mr. Bilton had enlisted as a Private in the Volunteer Company on the 7th May 1794, and was still in the Corning House in September 1798.
4. A signed document, Supply 5/220 of the 2nd February 1800 relating to a Petition on Pay indicated that he was illiterate and was still working as a General Labourer.
5. Supply 5/220 dated the 19th April, 1801 recorded that the new Corning House blew up on the 18th April with a tremendous explosion. Nine men in the building, including Thomas Bilton, were killed, together with 4 horses.
6. A Petition dated the 24th April, 1801 (Supply 5/194) was signed by his widow, Ann Bilton, along with the other widows and in two cases, mothers of the deceased, requesting "relief in their distress."
7. A Report on the ages of the children and circumstances of widows and children and parents of the deceased (Supply 5/220 dated the 29th of April, 1801) recorded that Ann Bilton, Thomas's widow, was aged 32 and had suffered an accident three or four years previously, which prevented her "doing for herself." She had several (Winters says 7, but this may be an error) children, of which, a boy of 12 years old and a girl of 3, survived. Ann was also believed to be with child.
8. The Ordnance Board decided that the widow's pension should be based upon their husband's or son's basic pay and not to include any extra, "due to the severity of the times." On the 23rd March 1802 (Supply 5/195), it was agreed that the pension awarded to Mrs Ann Bilton should be 10/-d per week.
