WAPP - Waltham Abbey Personnel Project

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Biography:

1. Supply 5/228 dated the 21st July 1809, stated that Thomas supervised the Engineering Department Labourers working in the Manufactory between the 15th and 21st July 1809, for which he was paid £1.4.6d. 2. Thomas had been appointed to the Ordnance on the 1st August 1806, and was made Foreman in charge of the Labourers in the Engineers' Department on the same day. His pay was 5/3d per day for a six-day week, and if he worked on a Sunday, he was paid one and a half days' pay (WO54/512 dated September, 1812). 3. WO54/516 dated February 1816, confirmed that he was still employed as Labour Foreman earning 5/3d per day in the Engineers' Department. At that date he was a 59-year-old married man living in Waltham Abbey, with four unmarried children. WO54/524 dated 11th April 1818 gave identical information, but noted that he was "established." 4. On the 21st April 1818 (Supply 5/231) Thomas petitioned the Ordnance Board for a cottage, stating that he entered the army in 1772 and was made a Serjeant in 1774, whereby he was at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina at the defeat of Generals Gates and Green, and that on the night prior to the engagement, was stationed with a party of men at an outpost about a mile from the battle in order to guard a Corn Mill (the only one in that station to supply the troops) when the enemy advanced with a party with lighted matches to set the same on fire. Mr. Holden, having posted his men, attacked the party and routed them, forcing them precipitately to fly and throw away their matches, for which action Colonel Doyle (afterwards Sir John), warmly recommended him to Lord Moira, who for good conduct appointed him in the year 1804 to the situation he at held at the date of the Petition. Mr. Holden further stated that he had never asked any favour whatever of them during the seventeen years he had been employed, and that in the whole of that time no complaint had ever been made against him for neglect of any kind. He then stated that he had a wife and four children - all females - and, therefore, could not but feel that the reduction which had been made in his pay should be viewed with dismay. He further stated that other cottages had been assigned to several of the Foremen in the different departments, and, therefore, he humbly requested that he would be granted the same, a cottage being much nearer to the works than the dwelling he occupied at that time. Mr. Holden also mentioned that should he be granted a cottage, it would enable him in case of any accident to attend his duty with more expedition. 5. On the 7th May, 1818 (Supply 5/231) it was recorded, "having received the Hon. Board's Commands of the 1st instant to report upon the Petiton by Thomas Holden, Foreman of Labourers, praying that on account of his services and the reduction made in his pay, Mr. Holden be allowed to inhabit a cottage, the property of the Board, it was found that a Mr. Matthews was in possession of the house which Holden desired to occupy, and that Mr. Matthews signified that he obtained the Board's permission to deposit therein portions of furniture and other articles, his property, until he had an opportunity of removing same, and that it was quite impossible for him to give up possession of this house until he was enabled finally to remove. The house was in any case under orders to be divided into two tenements to be let to Labourers or others in the Department, but which division must now be delayed until Mr. Matthews could give up possession." In addition, it was stated that the property was much too large for a person in Holden's situation, even should the Hon. Board be desirous of granting a cottage to him for his residence. Holden was first employed as a Labourer on the 1st September 1804 to 31st July 1806 at 1/6d per day, and afterwards as Foreman of Labourers at 2/6d per day from the 1st August to the 11th December, 1806. In consequence of an application to Lord Moira, his pay was increased from 2/6d per day to 4/9d per day. In April, 1812, he received an addition of 6d per day on account of the high price of provisions in common with all other Foremen, and he had only had a reduction of that 6d by the Board's order of the 19th April 1816, in common with all other Foremen. His pay in May 1818, was 4/9d per day for six days in the week, in addition to which, he was paid a considerable military pension, which was conceived to be an ample provision for his services in the army. It was concluded, therefore, that there were many Foremen in the Powder Works who were much more entitled to a residence at the public expense than was Holden. 6. WO54/528 dated the 19th May 1819, gave Holden's age as 63. It confirmed he was married with four children and that he was living in Waltham Abbey, that he was on the Establishment as the Labour Foreman, and that he was paid 4/9d per day. 7. List of employees dated the 13th September 1820 ( WO54/532) confirmed that Thomas Holden was still employed as a Foreman of Labourers. He was then 64, still lived in Waltham Abbey, was married with four children and earned the same 4/9d per day. 8. WO54/536 dated the 2nd April 1821 recorded that he was 65, and that his terms of employment, etc. remained unchanged.