Biography:
1. Edward Heddy, according to a list of old barges employed by the Board 1789, was The Endeavour's Master. Heddy had previously worked for Mr Walton, and was an occasional Labourer at the Mills in 1788 (Winters' Centenary Memorial, p.32). Edward earned 1/6d per day according to Supply 5/212 dated the 27th November 1788, and was still earning the same in 1790 (Supply 5/214 dated the 27th March1790). He was still Master of the Endeavour in 1790 (Winters, op.cit. p.55).
2. Between August and September 1790, Edward worked within the Manufactory as a Labourer with his wages submitted by William Spry, Colonel commanding the Royal Engineers, and paid by the Storekeeper, James Wright. He signed for his pay with a cross (WASC 1382).
3. Supply 5/215 of December, 1790 recorded that at that date he was working on the barges, which was also the case in April to June, 1791 (Supply 5/215) and January to March, 1792 (also Supply 5/215).
4. Between July and September 1792, Edward was "in the country charring wood." (Supply 5/216 dated 31st July 1792),
5. Edward was described as a Bargeman in February and March of 1793 (Supply 5/216 dated the 28th January, 1793) as well as in August to September 1793, (Supply 5/216), but by January 1794, he had been replaced by John Turnham. Edward was then employed as a Warder (Supply 5/216 dated January 1794) as was the case in August 1794 (Supply 5/216), December 1794 (Supply 5/217) and July 1795 (also Supply 5/217). Supply 5/217 gave his start date as a Bargeman as the 28th May 1788, and as a Warder, the 1st October 1793.
6. A Report dated the 8th May 1801 (Supply 5/221) recorded that Edward was now working as a Labourer, and that he was a married man without children. Note: in this document anyone who was not an Artificer was described as a Labourer).
7. A Return of Artificers and Labourers dated the 3rd November 1801 (Supply 5/221) confirmed that he was still employed as Warder "attending at the field gate, Refining House and upper part of the works."
8. Supply 5/222 dated the 8th May 1804, confirmed that he was still working as a Warder and that his pay had increased to 2/-d per day. All Warders received an additional allowance of
1/-d per night when it was their turn "to watch" - on average every 5th night.
9. Edward was shown on Supply 5/224 dated 30th January 1806 as a Warder, and this Return confirmed he was earning 2/-d per day. He had 16 years' service, which agreed with previous information, and this Return also confirmed that he was allowed to watch in turn. This was also the case on the 23rd August 1808 (Supply 5/227).
10 A Return dated 1st September 1810 confirmed he was a Warder at 2/-d per day, and that he was allowed to 'round' every third night for which he was paid 2/- (Supply 5/228).
11 A Petition was received by the Board from Edward's wife (Supply 5/229 dated the 20th November 1811) asking for a pension after the death of her husband. A second Report dated 2nd December 1811 (Supply 5/229) related that he was in his 85th year, and confirmed that prior to becoming a "warderman" he had been a Bargeman, a position he had held with Mr Walton prior to the Mills being purchased by the Ordnance in 1787. The Report also described how Edward Heddy had left his post at the Refining House to wash his hands in the river on the 19th November 1811, when he became giddy and fell into the water. He was rescued, taken to the Wardhouse and lived for another 30 minutes. His wife, Mary, upwards of 67 years, asked for a small allowance "for the remaining years of her life." (Winters, op.cit.p.70).
12 The Board agreed to pay Mary 5/-d per week "upon the charity list", commencing from the date of her husband's death (Supply 5/199 dated 6th December 1811).
