Biography:
1. Charles Carter, according to a List of Employees dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231) was Appenticed to the Master Worker. He was a single man who lived in Waltham Abbey, and earned 6/-d per week.
2. A List of Empoyees 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; Charles Carter's name was on this list with his pay increased to 6/2d per week.
3. List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) confirmed that Carter was still Apprenticed to the Master Worker, lived in Waltham Abbey and that he was paid 6/2d per week.
4. List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) recorded that 16-year-old Charles Carter was still an Apprentice, but that his pay had increased to 6/4d per week.
5. According to the List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) Charles was 17 at that date and Apprenticed to the Master Mixer of Composition; he was then paid 6/8d per week.
6. List of Employees at the Royal Powder Mills (Supply 5/232 dated the 23rd January 1822) gave Charles' age as 18; he was still an Apprentice with over 6 years' service, and then earned 7/-d per week.
7. Return showing the pay, allowances, length of service and every drescription of those employed in 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 dated the 23rd January 1822. It stated that Charles Carter was appointed Apprentice to the Master Worker on the 14th August 1815 at Waltham, and then as a Gunpowder Maker. His total earnings for the year amounted to £17.14.3d. At that date he had nearly 7 years' service, was aged 19, was a single man, and he lived in Waltham Abbey.
8. Return dated the 1st October 1822 (Supply 5/233); this document recorded that Charles Carter, Apprentice, having completed his Aprenticeship with the Master Worker, had been discharged by the Board's Order dated the 22nd May 1822.
9. List of Persons Employed by the Engineers' Department (WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825) confirmed that Charles Carter, a single man aged 22, had been employed as a Labourer for 4 months from June 1825 on a temporlary basis, and was to be discharged at the end of that month. He was paid 2/2d per day.
10 Although Charles was apprehended, together with William Taylor, by the Thames Police for being in possession of Government stores from the Waltham Abbey Mills, the outcome of this is unknown. (Supply 5/208 dated April 1833).
11 Nevertheless, a Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) recorded that Charles was employed as a General Labourer on the 17th April 1837, with pay of £39 per annum, which included an allowance to watch in turn. He was then a 34-year-old married man with 1 child.
12 Supply 5/238 of the 30th November 1840 indicated that Charles Carter, a Labourer in the Mixing House, was appointed Millman.
13 The 1841 Census recorded that Charles was 35 years old, and that he and his wife, Ann, aged 25, were living in Broomstick Hall Road with their chidren Charles (4), George (3) and Thomas (3 months). All were born in Essex.