Biography:
1. John Cooper, according to WO54/516 dated the 19th February 1816, was employed as a casual Labourer earning 2/8d per day in the Engineers' Department, and this Return recorded that he was first employed by the Board on the 3rd May 1815. At that date he was a 26-year-old married man living in Waltham Abbey, with one child.
2. The information given above is confirmed by WO54/520 dated the 28th February 1817, but his pay was then given as 2/4d per day.
3. WO54/524 dated the 11th April 1818, recorded that he was still employed "Occasionally as required" and paid 2/4d per day. He then had 2 children, and WO54/528 dated the 19th May 1819 confirmed this information.
4. List of Employees dated the 13th September 1820 ( WO54/532) confirmed that John was still employed as a Labourer. He was then aged 30, still lived in Waltham Abbey, and was married with 2 children. He still earned 2/4d per day, and worked "Occasionally as the Service required."
5. WO54/536 dated the 31st December 1821, was a repeat of the information detailed in a Return dated the 2nd April 1821.
6. WO54/542 dated the 1st April 1823 listing those employed in the Engineers' Department, stated that John was paid 2/2d per day as a Labourer for 313 days, giving him an income of £33.18.2d for the year. He had 8 years' service which had started on the 3rd May 1815. He was aged 32, married, living in Waltham Abbey, and had 2 children
7. WO54/550 dated the 1st April 1825, recorded that John, as a Carpenter, was paid 4/1d per day for 313 days, and this gave him an annual income of £63.18.1d. His service was given as 10 years, and he was then nearly 35 years of age, was married, and had 2children.
8. WO54/550 dated the 1st October 1825 confirms the previous entry.
9. WO54/554 dated the 1st April 1826, gave identical information as in Notes 8 and 9, but he was then just over 35 years' old, with service of nearly 11 years.
10 WO54/554 dated the 1st October 1826 was a repeat of the previous Return.
11 WO54/558 dated the 1st April 1827, gave the same information as in the notes above except at that date, John had nearly 12 years' service, and was then nearly 37 years' old.
12 WO54/558 dated the 1st October 1827, contained no basic alterations from the previous Return.
13 Return dated the 1st April 1828 (WO54/562) updateed the same basic information as in the previous notes, but recorded that Cooper then had 3 children.
14 Return dated the 1st October 1829 (WO54/566) updated his age and length of service, with family and pay details remaining unchanged.
15 According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for John Cooper as in Note 8; his service, however, was then nearly 15 years, and he was nearly 40 years old.
16 Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed that John was still a Carpenter; his family details and pay remained unchanged, but length of service and age were updated.
17 A Return of Persons belonging to the Civil Establishment of the Ordnance at the Gunpowder and Small Arms Manufactories at Waltham Abbey, Faversham and Enfield, showing in detail the several points of information called for by the Master General and Board's Order dated the 31st January 1831, recorded that John Cooper was one of the 7 Carpenters to be employed at Waltham Abbey Powder Mills and the Enfield Small Arms Factory, and was paid 4/1d per day. He was required to undertake general services as a Carpenter in the Manufactory, "requiring great care, attention, sobriety, etc." (WO54/575).
18 WO54/575 dated the 1st April 1831, updated his age and period of service in the October 1830 Return, with all other details remaining unchanged.
19 WO54/575 dated October 1831 confirmed that John Cooper still earned 4/1d per day as indicated in Note 18, giving him a total of £63.18.1d per annum. He had then served just over 16 years and was aged 41.
20 WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832, updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, with all other details remaining the same.
21 WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 confirmed that he still earned £63.18.1d per annum. He had by then served just over 17 years, and was aged 42.
22 WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, confirmed the information given in Note 22, except that he was now nearly 43 years' old and had served nearly 18 years.
23 WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, contained the same basic details, but his age and length of service had been updated.
24 WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834, confirmed that John still earned a total of £63.18.1d per annum, that he was now nearly 44 years of age, and that his service was nearly 19 years.
25 WO56/623 dated the 1st April 1839 stated that John Cooper was originally appointed as a Labourer in the Engineers' Department on the 3rd May 1815. According to this Return, he had trained as a Carpenter and was appointed as a Millwright on the Establishment on the 16th October 1834. He was paid 5/2d per day, with estimated annual earnings of £80.17.2d. He was then a 49-year-old married man with 5 children living in Waltham Abbey, and by then had 24 years' service.
26 The 1841 Census recorded that John, who was described as a Millwright, was living in Paradise Row, together with his wife, Mary, who was aged 50, and daughters Jemimah, aged 20, Susan and Mary, aged 15 and 12 respectively, and son, John, aged 10. All were born in Essex.
