WAPP - Waltham Abbey Personnel Project

About WAPP
  
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Biography:

1. John Bailey was shown to be literate in a signed document relating to a Petition on Pay (Supply 5/220 of the 2nd February 1800). This document recorded that he was working as a General Labourer in the Corning House, and earned 1/6d per day. 2. Supply 5/220 dated the 19th April, 1801, was a letter to the Board stating that the new Corning House on Horse Mill Island blew up the day before, with a tremendous explosion. Nine men were in the building and all were killed, including John Bailey, together with four horses. Winters recorded in his book "Centenary Memorial" (p.59) that "the mangled bodies of the poor men were buried in a high heap in the yard, without memorial stone, near the path leading to Mr King's House and in front of the Wollard tombs." (King was a Market Gardener at the Abbey Gardens) 3. A Petition dated the 24th April, 1801 (Supply 5/194) was signed by Sarah, the other widows and two mothers of the deceased, requesting "relief in their distress." 4. Supply 5/220 dated the 29th April, 1801 - a Report on the ages of the children and circumstances of widows and children - stated that Sarah was aged 37 and that she had no children from her husband Labourer, "but has reason to believe she is with child." At this date the Board agreed that the pension awarded to Mrs Sarah Bailey should be 5/3d per week. However, in May 1801 (Supply 5/194) it is stated that "pay and allowances were to be continued as follows: Sarah Baillee (Bailey) was to receive half of her husband's pay"; his pay had been 10/6d per week, plus 1/6d on account of "the severity of the times." The Ordnance Board decreed that the widows' pensions should be based upon their husband's or son's basic pay and not to include the extra "due to the severity of the times." 5. A document dated the 8th November, 1818 (Supply 5/231) confirmed persons to whom pensions or charitable allowances were granted by the Hon. Board as widows, etc. Sarah Bailey was still among the recipients, as she was on the 17th November, 1821, according to Supply 5/232. 6. A document dated the 6th December, 1821 (Supply 5/232) gave the estimated pay of persons between the 1st January and 31st December, 1822, along with their superannuated allowance, as well as "the allowance to widows and orphans of those who have lost their lives at this place". It was confirmed again that Sarah's superannuation should continue at £27.6.0d per annum. A similar document (Supply 5/232 dated the 28th December, 1821), confirmed that the same pension would be paid in 1822, as well as in 1826 (Winters, p.96) 7. A letter dated the 21st July, 1826, (Supply 5/205) stated that Sarah Bailey had died, and that any pension due could be paid to her legal representative.