Biography:
1. Richard Higgins was born at Preston-next-Faversham in 1791, and employed as a Cooper at Faversham in 1806. His service records indicated that he left the Ordnance for a short while, but was re-employed as a Cooper on the 30th November 1808 until the 25th June 1824, when his occupation changed to that of a Charcoal Burner. On the 1st April 1825, a Return (Supply 5/116) recorded that he was still a Charcoal Burner earning 2/4d per day, and that he was a married man with one child. Between the 1st July and 31st December 1825, he was stopped 1/-d for medical attention. During October 1826, he was suffering from ague, possibly Malaria, (Supply 5/116, FGPR, p.44)
2. Richard was transferred to Waltham Abbey on the 30th July 1832, and promoted to Foreman Charcoal Burner at 4/-d per day (Winters, op.cit., p.102). At that time, charcoal was burnt in slip cylinders at Waltham.
3. WO54/587 dated the 1st April 1833, confirmed that Richard was then at Waltham Abbey and that at that date he was earning £72.16.0d annually. His period of service was given as 24 years, and his age as 42. This Return confirmed he was a married man with one child, and had trained as a Cooper. His present appoinment was dated from the 30th July 1832.
4. WO54/587 dated the 1st October 1833, recorded that Richard's details were the same as the previous Return except that he had served just over 24 years, and was 43.
5. WO54/593 dated 1st April 1834, recorded that Richard was employed as Foreman of the Cylinder Works. He was still earning £72.16.0d annually, was still 43, but by then had served just over 25 years.
6. WO54/593 dated the 1st October 1834 confirmed the information given in Note 5; he was then 44, and had served just over 25 years.
7. Return of Properties made by the Royal Engineers' Office dated the 20th December 1834 (Supply 5/237) recorded that Richard Higgins had been leasing one of the Board's cottages (Tenement No. 62) from the 10th July 1833, at a rent of £5.4.0d per annum. The cottage was in Powder Mill Lane and formed part of Plot o. 62 on the Town Map in Appendix 1.
8. Return of Employees dated the 1st October 1839 (WO54/623) confirmed that Richard had come to Waltham from Faversham, where he had been employed on the 20th November 1806 as a Cooper. In 1839 his annual income was £72.16.0d, and he was a 48-year-old married man with one child
9. A Return of Domestic Properties for 1840 (WO44/133) dated the 28th May 1840) confirmed that Richard was living in a small cottage in Powder Mill Lane previously occupied by widow Freeman, for which he paid an annual rent of £4.0.0d. The cottage, with its small garden of two and a half perches, was listed as No.12 in a "statement of monies due on the 31st December, 1821" (Supply 5/232 dated the 14th February 1822).
10. The 1841 Census confirmed that Richard and his wife, Amy, were living in Powder Mill Lane; neither were born in the county, and no child was mentioned
