WAPP - Waltham Abbey Personnel Project

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Biography:

1. John Bradock (1) was born c.1762, and married his wife, Sarah, in 1793. They had two children, John, jnr., born in 1794 who was baptised at St. Martin in the Fields, and Sarah, born in 1803. John started work as a Barrel Marker on the 20th December 1804, earning 2/-d per day (Supply 5/224 dated the 30th January 1806). 2. His pay was increased to 2/6d per day according to Supply 5/199 dated the 15th January 1810, and WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 gave his appointment date as a Barrel Marker as the 30th December 1804. 3. Employee List (Supply 5/228 dated the 1st September 1810) confirmed he was still a Marker of Barrels, but was then only paid 2/3d day. He was also allowed to watch in turn, for which he received 1/6d per night. 4. List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) confirmed that Mr. Braddock was still a Marker of Barrels who earned 3/3d per day, in addition to which, he was a Rounder at 2/-d every third night. 5. Supply 5/230 dated the 13th February 1814 recorded that Mr. John Braddock was a Foreman of Magazines earning 5/2d per day, as well as being a Rounder at 2/-d every 3rd night. This appointment dated from the 11th January 1813 (WO54/536 dated the 6th February 1822). 6. In a letter dated the 10th December 1817 (Supply 5/201), it wa stated that the dwelling house formerly occupied by James Alsup, "will be ready to let in two distinct tenements on the 31st instant" and that, "those tenements should be let at 3/-d per week each to John Braddock, Foreman of Magazines and Michael Summers, Millman." In addition, a small tenement which would be vacated by Mr. Braddock, would continue to be let at the same rent of 2/-d per week to William Boreham, Warder at the Magazine Watch House. 7. Supply 5/231 and WO54/524 dated the 25th June 1818 confirmed that Mr. John Braddock was still a Foreman of Magazines. He was brought up in the trade of Silk Throwster, was aged 56, resided in Waltham Abbey and was married with 2 children. At that date he earned 4/2d per day, and was a Rounder at 1/6d every fifth night. 8. Supply 5/231A dated the 28th August 1818, showed the names of people to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818; Mr. Braddock's name was included, with his pay reduced to 3/8d per day. 9. List of Employees dated the 19 May 1819 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that John was still employed as the Foreman of Magazines. He was a married man, aged 57, with 2 children; he lived in Waltham Abbey, trained as a Silk Throwster and was again paid 4/2d per day. He was also a Rounder at 1/6d every third night. 10 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) updated the above entry, with basic details on pay, etc., remaining unchanged. His pay as a Rounder, however, had increased to 2/-d per night. 11 A statement "of monies to which the public were entitled to receive credit between the 1st January and the 31st December 1821 showing the amounts received by the storekeeper" dated 4th April,1821 (Supply5/232) recorded that John Braddock had been living in a Board of Ordnance house, Tenement No. 24, from the 10th December 1817 with a rent of £7.16.0d per annum. This property was identified as one of five cottages on the south side of High Bridge Street almost opposite Powder Mill Lane, and shown as Property No. 1972 on the 1825 Waltham Abbey Town Map. 12 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) indicated that Mr. Braddock was 58, confirmed he was married and that he had 2 children, one of whom, John, Jnr., wrote the influential treatise, "A Memoir on Gunpowder" (WASC.0677). He still lived in Waltham Abbey and was still a Magazine Foreman earning the same amount as in (9) above. In addition, he was still a Rounder, earning 2/-d every third night. 13 List of Employees at the Powder Mills in January 1822 (Supply 5/232 dated the 23rd January 1822) confirmed that John Braddock was still Foreman of Stoves and Magazines, was aged 59, had 17 years' service and was paid 4/2d per day. The same information is repeated in Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822 for the year 1821. 14 Return showing the pay, allowances and length of service and every description of the persons in the employment of the Ordnance at Waltham Abbey 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 of the 23rd January,1822. It confirmed that John Braddock, Foreman of Magazines and Stores, was appointed on the 20th December 1804 as a Barrel Marker at Waltham Abbey, and as Foreman of the Magazines on the 11th January 1813. He became Foreman of Magazines and Stoves on the 7th September 1821, with total earnings for the year amounting to £65.4.2d, and was allowed to act as a Rounder, for which he received an additional £12.3.4d annually. He had 17 years' service, was aged 59, was a married man with 2 children and lived in Waltham Abbey. It confirmed he had trained as a Silk Throwster (one who twists and winds silk). 15 List dated the 21st March 1822 of persons to form an Establishment at Waltham Abbey to regenerate 2,000 barrels of gunpowder, as well as to make 100 or 200 barrels of gunpowder annually, recorded that John Braddock, Foreman of Stoves and Magazines, was to be retained and continued in that position, receiving the same pay and allowances (Supply 5/232 and WO54/542). 16 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 gave Braddock's pay for the year as £77.7.6d, which included an allowance for being a Rounder every third night to superintend the watchmen, for which he received 2/0d. His family and service details were confirmed. 17 Return showing the Pay, Allowances and Length of Service of all Employees (WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1824) included John Braddock, who was appointed Foreman of Stoves and Magazines on the 11th January 1813. His pay was given as £65.4.2 per annum with allowances of 2/-d for Rounding every 3rd night, making a total of £77.7.6d per annum. At that date he had nearly 20 years' service, was aged 62, and was married with 2 children. According to Winters (p.92) a letter dated the 25th February 1825 from John Braddock, Foreman of Stoves and Magazines, solicited the appointment of Master Saltpetre Refiner, and he was appointed to the position on the 11th March 1825 (Winters, p.93). At the same time, Hugh Jones, the Master Mixer, who was living in a house associated with the Saltpetre Refinery in High Bridge Street, was promoted to Master Worker, following the death of William Newton. Braddock correctly assumed that Jones would move to the Master Worker's appointed house on Horse Mill Island, so applied to be granted Jones' house in High Bridge Street. However, Jones did not move immediately, since Newton's house was divided into two and was lived in by others, namely, Betts and Simpson. Another version of the reference book relating to the map held at the Northamptonshire Records Office and labelled "in the year of 1826", showed that the name Braddock applied to Plot No.710 - a property owned by the Board (WAGP, p.44). At some time during 1825, Hugh Jones moved to Powder Mill Lane, which enabled Braddock to move into the house adjacent to the Saltpetre Refinery, shown as Plot No. 39 on the Waltham Abbey Town Map. A Return of Property owned by the Board dated the 20th December 1834, (Supply 5/237) showed that Braddock was granted the lease of Tenement No.39 in West Street (High Bridge Street, adjacent to the Refinery) on the 25th May 1825, with an annual rent of £5.4.0d. 18 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825 confirmed that Braddock was appointed as the Master Refiner of Saltpetre on the 11th March 1825; it also confirmed his appointment as the Foreman of the Stoves and Magazines as of the 11th January, 1813. His pay was given as £118.3.7d per annum, he was entitled to a house, and was given an allowance for teaching an Apprentice. His service and family details were confirmed.. 19 WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 confirmed the above entry in all details. Braddock had just over 21 years' service and was aged 62. 20 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed the basic information given in WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825. 21 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the information given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826. 22 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827 recorded, "no alteration since the last report dated the 1st October, 1828" 23 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, gave the same information as in the notes above. However, at that date, John Braddock had just over 23 years' service and he was then 64 years of age. 24 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) gave the same information as in the notes above, with the exception that he had now served nearly 24 years, and was aged 64. 25 Return dated the1st October 1828 (WO54/562) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay unchanged. 26 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, family details and pay remaining unchanged. 27 WO54/566 dated the 1st October 1829 stated that at that date John Braddock still earned the same as in Note 18 as the Master Refiner of Saltpetre. His length of service was given as just over 25 years and he was now aged 65. 28 Return WO54/ 570 dated the 1st April 1830 updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unchanged. 29 WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, recorded that John was then 66 years of age and that he had served just over 26 years. His pay was still the same as in Note 18, and all other information remained the same, with the exception that no mention is made in this Return of any other allowances. 30 According to Return WO54/ 575 dated the 1st April 1831, John Braddock, Master Refiner of Saltpetre, still earned a total of £118.3.7d annually; he had served nearly 27 years and was then aged 67. 31 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, and confirmed he was still entitled to a house. 32 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged. 33 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 confirmed that Mr. Braddock still earned the same as indicated in Note 30. All other details remained the same, except that at that date, he was 69 years of age and had served just over 28 years. 34 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 recorded that Mr. Braddock, as a Master Refiner of Saltpetre, still earned £118.3.7d per annum. His service was given as 28 years, and his age as 69. 35 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 recorded that John Braddock was now 70 years of age and had served 29 years. He was still in receipt of an annual wage of £118.3.7d. His family details remained the same and he was still entitled to the use of a house. 36 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 updated the October Return for service and age, with conditions and pay unchanged. 37 WO54/… dated the 1st October 1834 (no reference given on photocopy) updated the previous Return for service and age, conditions and pay remaining unchanged, but his wife, Sarah, died that year at the age of 70. 38 According to Winters (p.104), on the 27th June 1836, John Braddock, then aged 74, was desirous of his pension in order to proceed to Graham's Town, Cape of Good Hope. 39 List of Pensioners dated 1838 (Supply 5/237) indicated that John Braddock, Master Refiner of Saltpetre, was granted a pension from the 30th December 1836; this pension was valued at £35.12.0d annually (Supply 5/237) 40 A letter dated the 28th March 1840 (Supply 5/237) recorded that John Braddock, Pensioner, died on the 26th March, 1840, and was buried close to the south wall of Waltham Abbey Church.