Biography:
1. John Eason was appointed a Labourer on the 17th June 1829 in place of Thomas Freeman, Snr., who had died. Mr. Eason's wages were given as £33.16.0d per annum, but as he was allowed to watch in turn, this brought his earnings up to £39.0.0d per annum. At that date he had served three months, was aged 38 and was a widower with 5 children. He had previously been a Mariner (WO54/566 dated October 1829).
2. According to Return WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1830, all details remained the same for John Eason as in Note 1, except that his service was 9 months, and that he was aged 39. This Return recorded that he was married; it can only be assumed that he had remarried - a common occurrence for a widower with a young family.
3. Return WO54/570 dated the 1st October 1830, confirmed the information given in Note 1, except that his service was then just over one year. This Return confirmed that he was a married man of 39 with 5 children. WO54/570 dated the 1st April 1831 updated the October 1830 Return.
4. 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.
5. WO54/581 dated the 1st April 1832 updated his age and period of service in the October 1831 Return, with family and pay details remaining the same.
6. WO54/581 dated the 1st October 1832 updated his age and period of service in the April 1832 Return.
7. WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833 confirmed that at that date John Eason was still earning £39.0.0d annually. His period of service was given as almost 4 years, and his age as 42.
8. WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833 recorded the same details as the previous Return, except that John had then served just over 4 years and he was 43.
9. WO54/593 dated the 1st April 1834, recorded that although John was still employed as a General Labourer, his basic pay had been cut to £28.5.6d per annum. He was still allowed to watch in turn, which increased his pay to £33.9.6d annually. He had served nearly 5 years by then and still had 5 children.
10 WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 confirmed the information given in Note 9, except that he was now 44, and had served just over 5 years.
11 On the 16th April 1836, 2 Mills exploded. According to Winters (p.103), John Eaton (Eason?) watchman, was called before Lt.Col. Moody as a witness.
