Biography:
1. Charles Claydon, according to Supply 5/224 dated the 30th January 1806, had 3 months' service working in the Corning House at that date, and earned 2/2d per day WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, recorded that he was first employed as a Puntman on the 24th October 1805, so it would appear he was transferred as a Corning House Man shortly afterwards.
2. Charles was still working in the Corning House earning 2/2d per day. In addition, Corning House Men were allowed to watch in turn, for which they received 1/-d. (List of Officers, Foremen and Artificers, etc. Employed - Supply 5/226 dated the 18th June 1807)
3. According to the entry in Supply 5/227 dated the 23rd August 1808, Mr. Claydon was still employed as a Corning House Man, but then earning 2/6d per day, and "in addition to their pay, they are allowed to watch in turn, for which they receive one shilling."
4. Employee List dated the 1st September 1810 (Supply 5/228) confirmed the information given in the previous note.
5. List of Employees dated the 29th August 1812 (Supply 5/229) recorded that Mr. Claydon was still a Corning House Man who then earned 3/3d per day, in addition to which, he was allowed to watch in turn, for which he earned 1/6d per night.
6. According to the List of Employees dated the 13th February 1814 (Supply 5/230) Mr. Claydon was now a Reeling House Foreman earning 3/10d per day, in addition to which, he was still allowed to watch in turn at 1/6d per night.
7. Lists of Officers & Others Employed dated the 25th June 1818 (Supply 5/231 and WO54/524) recorded that Charles was working in the Corning House, that he was 33, resided in Waltham Abbey and was married with 5 children. He earned 2/11d per day and was allowed to watch in turn, for which he was paid 1/-d per night.
8. A List of Employees dated the 28th August 1818 (Supply 5/231) showed the names of people who were to be retained between the 3rd September and the 31st December 1818; Claydon's name was on the list with his pay remaining unchanged, but he was then not paid watch money.
9. Charles' name was included in a list attached to a letter dated September 1818 (Supply 5/231) wherein it stated "We respectfully beg leave to add the names and stations of those persons whom it will be necessary to discharge in consequence of this arrangement."
10 However, on a List of Employees dated the 19th May 1819 (Supply 5/231) Clayden was apparently still employed in the Corning House. He was then a married man, aged 34, with 5 children, who lived in Waltham Abbey. His pay was still 2/11d per day, and he was allowed to watch in turn, for which he received 1/-d per night.
11 List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 (Supply 5/232) confirmed the information given in Note 10, although he was then allowed 1/6d per night to watch. In addition, according to this Return, he only had 4 children.
12 A document dated the 4th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) was a statement "of monies to which the public were entitled to receive credit between the 1st January and the 31st December 1821 and showed the amounts received by the Storekeeper. It indicated that Charles Claydon was living in a house owned by the Board of Ordnance (Tenement No. 4) leased to him at £5.4.0d per annum. The property has been identified as being in Romeland. The same information is repeated in Supply 5/232 dated the 16th February 1822 for the year 1821.
13 List of Employees dated the 9th April 1821 (Supply 5/232) recorded that Mr. Charles Claydon was then 39, was married, had 4 children and still lived in Waltham Abbey. All other information remained the same as in Note 11.
14 List of Employees at the Royal Powder Mills (Supply 5/232 dated the 23rd January 1822) gave the age of Mr. Charles Claydon, Corning House Man, as 39, with pay per day of 2/11d.
15 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 6th February 1822) appeared to be a more detailed, and probably more accurate, Return than that dated the 23rd January 1822. It recorded that Charles Claydon, Corning House Man, was appointed on the 24th October 1805 as a Puntman at Waltham Abbey. His position on the Establishment as a Corning House Man was confirmed by an Order of the Board dated the 4th September 1818, and he was allowed to watch in turn to guard the works, for which he received an additional 2/-d per night, which gave him total annual pay for the year of £50.16.11d. He had just over 16 years' service, was aged 40, and was a married man with 4 children, living in Waltham Abbey.
16 List dated the 21st March 1822 (Supply 5/232) 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, included Charles Claydon, Corning House Man. A Statement "of monies to which the public were entitled to receive credit" dated he 4th April 1822, recorded that Charles was one of several employees "having occupied their present residences previous to the Hon. Board purchasing the same, sanction will be asked for their future residing in them." Under an Order dated the 4th May 1821, the property was leased to him for an annnual rent of £5.4.0d, (Supply 5/232) although where the property was is unknown. In the spring of 1827, Charles moved to Romeland to another tenement owned by the Board off High Bridge Street. A List of Properties prepared by the Royal Engineers' Office recorded that on the 6th April 1827, Charles Clayton was granted the lease of a tenement owned by the Board (Supply 5/237 and WO44/133) for which he was charged £5.4.0d per annum. The cottage is Plot No. 71 on the Drayson Town Map of 1833, and according to the 1825 Rateable Valuation for Waltham Abbey, had then been occupied by a Thomas Clayton (D/DHf B29). Charles continued to work as a general Labourer and retained his right to watch in turn until October 1827, when he was classified as a Leading Hand. This allowed him to act as a Rounder, which increased his annual income to £47.17.4d (WO54/558) Sometime between 1834 and 1840 he moved into a cottage within the Storehouse Yard following the death of Benjamin Archer, and this was Plot No. 21 on Drayson's 1833 Town Map.
17 A Return of Employees dated the 10th October 1822 (Supply 5/233) showed that he was required to carry out any type of work required anywhere within the Manufactory.
18 WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823, recorded that Clayden was classed as a "a Labourer for general purposes to be sent to all parts of the Manufactory wherever their services may be requested." - in other words a general Labourer. He was paid £33.16.0d per annum, and this record showed that he was then a widower with 4 children.
19 According to a document dated the 1st April 1823 ( - Alteration in Return B), Charles 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.
20. WO54/546 dated the 1st October 1824 recorded that Charles earned £39.0.0d per annum which included an allowance for watching in turn, for which he received 2/-per week. His period of service was given as 19 years, he was then aged 42, and was a widower with 4 children.
21 WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, confirmed he was still a general purpose Labourer, and that he was earning £33.16.0d per annum. He was allowed to watch in turn, which gave him, on average, 2/-d per week, giving him total pay of £39.0.0d per annum; this Return also confirmed his previous family and service details.
22 WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826 confirmed the basic information given in WO54/550 dated the the 1st October 1825. WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 confirmed the basic details given in WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826.
23 According to WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, although Charles was still classified as a General Labourer, he was a Leading Hand. This allowed him to act as a Rounder every third night, which increased his annual income to £47.17.4d. Family details were confirmed as in the notes above. At that date Charles Claydon had 22 years' service and was then 44 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 then served nearly 23 years.
25 Return dated the 1st October 1828 ((WO54/562)) updateed his age and length of service, with family details and pay remaining unchanged.
26 Return dated the 1st April 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family details and pay unchanged.
27 Return of Employees as at the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) recorded that Charles earned in total £45.17.4d per annum, that his service was nearly 24 years, that he was 45 years of age, and that he was married, with 4 children.
28 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for Charles as in Note 27, except that his service was given as just over 24 years and that he was aged 46.
29 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed the information given in Note 27. WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831 updated the October Return, and confirmed that he was still employed as a General Labourer within the Manufactory.
30 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.
31 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return. He was a Rounder every 3rd night, for which he received an additional 2/-d per night, giving him annual pay of £47.17.4d.
32. WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832, updated his age and period of service in the April, 1832 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
33 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed that at that date Charles was still earning £45.17.4d annually. His period of service was given as 27 years, and his age as 49.
34 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 stated that Charles was 50 years of age, and had served for 28 years. On the 15th July 1833, he had been promoted to a Corning House Man, replacing James Pallett who had died This Return recorded that his annual wage was then £53.16.0d, which included an amount for Rounding every 3rd night of 2/-d.
35 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834 recorded that although Charles was still employed as a Corning House Man, his basic pay had been cut to £35.17.9d per annum. He was still a Rounder every 3rd night, for which he was paid 2/-d each time, and this increased his annual pay to £48.1.9d. His age and service details were updated.
36 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 updated the previous Return for service and age, but his conditions and pay remained unchanged.
37 A List of Properties prepared by the Royal Engineers on the 20th December 1834, recorded that Charles Claydon had leased or rented Tenement No. 72 since the 6th April 1827. This property was in Romelands although the document described it as on "Horse Mill Island." This may have been a clerical error, since Charles was soon to move into another cottage following the retirement of Benjamin Archer. That cottage was located within the Salpetre Refinery, where a track via a footbridge, led to the island.
38 Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) indicated his pay was £55.0.8d per annum, which included an amount for being allowed to watch in turn. He had been restored as a Corning House Man on the 5th September 1834; all other details remained unchanged.
39 The 1841 Census recorded that Charles was living in a cottage on the south side of High Bridge Street with, presumably, his second wife, Elizabeth. Both were in their fifties, and living with them was a Sarah Pegrum, aged 90, perhaps his mother-in-law.
