WAC - Waltham Abbey Chronology

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WAC Date Event RGM Superintendent War

1
2		CHRONOLOGY OF GUNPOWDER, EXPLOSIVES and THE WALTHAM ABBEY ROYAL GUNPOWDER MILLS Compiled by Richard Thomas
3		Abbreviations used : WA = Waltham Abbey. WASC = Waltham Abbey Special Collection. WARGM = Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills. GC = Guncotton. GP = Gunpowder. NG = Nitroglycerine. CE = Chemical Explosive. Barrels = 90lb.
4	3000BC	Arrowhead. The first recorded projectile at the RGM site. Flint arrowhead dated 3000-1800BC. Found at Newtons Pool by J.H.Munns, July 1967. For notes on arrowhead, see - wasc-0570 / wai-0173.
5	Pre 800s	China, fire mixtures for warlike purposes with no saltpetre in mixture
6	By 800s	Chinese aware of saltpetre - "hsiao", which appears in Taoist writings
7	900s	Chinese employ "hsiao" in fire mixtures with other materials
8	1044	Wu Ching Tsung Yao written record of fire mixtures for war which, included with other materials a mixture of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur - "huo yao" fire drug or proto gunpowder
9	12th C	Arabs add saltpetre to incendiary mix
10	1249	Franciscan friar, Roger Bacon sets out the secret of gunpowder in his "Letter on the Secret Workings of Art and Nature, and on the Nullity of Magic" or "De Secretis" and "Opus tertium" giving an account, in code, of saltpetre and gunpowder
11	1260s	First report in Britain of gunpowder used to propel a projectile.
12	Early 1300s	Gunpowder made in the Tower of London by hand methods using imported materials
13	1327	Cannon used by Edward III in his invasion of Scotland "Crackys of War"
14	1346	Bombard used at the Battle of Crecy by the English
15	1543	First gunpowder mill in England (?) erected by the Lee family at Rotherhithe.
16	1548	Gunpowder first used in civil engineering - dredging of the River Niemen
17	1561	First references to gunpowder at Waltham Abbey. Contract in Calendar of State Papers with correspondence from Marc Antonio Erizzo to John Thomworth (Tamworth), merchant of Waltham Abbey, who bought saltpetre and sulphur. Probably as a merchant, not a maker.
18	mid 1560s	Evelyn Family - gunpowder manufacture at Tolworth Surrey
19	1570	Thos Gill and Wm Byrd making gunpowder at Faversham, Kent
20	1588			Armada
21	1590	Map of Waltham Abbey (WASC 900/0) showing the Millhead Stream already in existence and the location of a Fulling Mill (later converted to an Oyle Mill)
22	1605			GP Plot
23	1627	Gunpowder first used for blasting in mining for ore, in Hungary
24	1638	Gunpowder first used in Britain for blasting in mining for ore at Ecton copper mine
25	1640	Production of Gunpowder at Sewardstone started, probably until 1715. Start of gunpowder industry in Lea Valley.		English Civil War 1642-46
26	1643	Samuel Hudson as tenant of the Oyle Mill (converted from the Fulling Mill)
27	1652	Saltpetre Act		1st Dutch War 1652-4
28	1662	Thomas Fuller, curate of Waltham Abbey, claims in "History of the Worthies of Great Britain" that more gunpowder was "made by mills of late erected on the River Lea ... than in all England besides". (Possibly referring to the Sewardstone Mills.) Also that "the mills in my parish have blown up 5 times in 7 years but blessed be God, without loss of any man's life."
29	1665	First recorded deaths at WA.Thomas Guttridge and Edward Simons - killed by a powder mill. Also Ralph Hudson (brother of Samuel) signed ordnance contract to supply gp to the government. The Oyle Mill converted to a Gunpowder Mill.		2nd Dutch War 1664-7
30	1669	"an Oyle Mill, lately converted into two powder mills ... in the tenure of Samuel Hudson"
31	1672	Ralph Hudson secured new contract; new mills built at Hooks Marsh Bridge, near present Grand Magazine, which lasted until after 1676		3rd Dutch War 1672-4
32	1673	Hudson fined
33	1676	Ralph Hudson died, succeeded by son Peter who continued with contract until 1693, when he was accused of supplying bad powder. No further contracts awarded
34				War with France 1689-98
35	1702	William Walton took over the mills. First contract awarded		War of the Spanish Succession 1702-13
36	1711	William Walton died. His widow Philippa took over with son John.
37	1719	Act regulating the storage and transportation of gunpowder
38	1724	Further Act regulating the storage and transportation of gunpowder
39	1732	Lawsuit against Philippa Walton, widow of William Walton
40	1735	John Farmer's plan of the mills. Powder mills worked by horses but corning and glazing was water powered. Mills owned by John Walton, son of Philippa.
41	1739	"Only his clothes were found on Galley Hill" - 1 man killed		War of Austrian Succession 1739-48
42	1741	Act regulating the storage and transportation of gunpowder
43	1747	Board of Ordnance first purchase proof mortars
44	1748	Act regulating the storage and transportation of gunpowder
45	1755	Act regulating the storage and transportation of gunpowder
46	1757	John Walton dies; brothers Thomas & Bouchier Walton inherit		7 Years War 1756-63
47	1759	Government purchased the Faversham Mills
48	1767	John Smeaton engaged to design improved mills by Bouchier Walton
49	1770	Factory had "several curious gunpowder mills … worked by water" Making 100 x 1cwt barrels per week. Cutting of the Lee Navigation.
50	1771	Act regulating the storage and transportation of gunpowder
51	1772	Stamp mills outlawed. First Act regulating manufacture of gunpowder
52	1779	Capt Congreve inspected Royal Navy's gunpowder at Plymouth - reported that only 4 barrels were serviceable	WARGM Controller	American War of Indepen- dence 1776-83
53	1781	Explosion of the Corning & Glazing Engine "3 killed and much damage done in the town"
54	1783	First detailed plan of the works WASC 900/1
55	11.10.1787	Government became involved with the Mills and started negotiations with Walton for the purchase. Mills producing about 600 barrels p.a. Mr James Wright (1) appointed Storekeeper	James Wright (1)
56	9.2.1789	Production resumed after refurbishment costing £35,000 under control of Major William Congreve.
57	12.2.1789	First explosion at WARGM
58	1789	First set of "Gunpowder Rules" issued from Faversham
59	1791	Congreve said "not piece work"
60	1793	Sunday working introduced.		French Revo- lutionary and Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815 Anglo-American War 1812-15
61	1793	Steps taken to tighten security.23.2 No beer admitted. 27.2.Gravel found on shoe.- Instructions given to inspect footwear. Many references made to a days pay being stopped for safety transgressions 28.5 Flint found in seive.29.5 First references to traverses being set out.
62	1794	Cylinder charcoal introduced, brought in from Faversham
63	1795	Final settlement of the purchase. £10,000
64	April 1795	First Steam stove
65	18.4.1801	Explosion at new Corning House on Horse Mill Island - 9 men and 4 horses killed. (400 barrels removed by boat just before explosion)
66	15.7.1801	"No (electrical ?)excitation in rolling barrels on leather covered floors"
67	1801	Detailed plan of the works (WASC 900/2)
68	1804	Shortage of powder. 9 more horsemills built. Grand Magazine built for 1500 barrels. 20,000 barrels a year forecast. Ballincollig bought by the Crown.
69	1805	Cheshunt Cornmill bought and shut down to conserve water for the Gunpowder Mills.
70	6.4.1805	Mr H S Matthews appointed Storekeeper	H S Matthews
71	1806	Report by John Rennie. (Archives at Inst of Civil Engineers) Also detailed plan MR 580 (WASC 900/3)
72	1809	Waltham Abbey Cornmill bought
73	1809	20050 barrels
74	1810	20688 barrels
75	27.11.1811	Explosion in No 4 Press House on Lower Island. Ensuing fire spread to Corning House and Reel House. - 8 men killed
76	1811	21252 barrels
77	1811/12	Bramahs Hydraulic Presses introduced instead of screw presses
78	1812	21033 barrels. General Congreve created Baronet.
79	1813	22398 barrels. 250 men employed
80	1814	10161 barrels. William Congreve succeeded his father. There were 5 barges, nine powder boats, two ballast barges and six punts.
81	1815	17331 barrels. 1027 barrels regenerated. Battle of Waterloo
82	1816	9551 barrels
83	1817	2270 barrels
84	20.1.1818	Mr E Middleton appointed Storekeeper (died 17.6.1825)	E Middleton
85	1818	1127 barrels
86	1819	988 barrels
87	1821	1012 barrels
88	1822	365 barrels. 307 barrels regenerated. 34 men employed
89	1823	208 barrels. 1589 barrels regenerated
90	1824	217 barrels. 1602 barrels regenerated
91	1825	500 barrels. 2021 barrels regenerated
92	29.6.1825	Mr C Wilks appointed Storekeeper	C Wilks
93	1825	Faversham Home Works sold (after leasing to private sector from 1816)
94	1826	519 barrels. 3035 barrels regenerated
95	1827	505½ barrels. 3396 barrels regenerated
96	1829	985 barrels. 1244 barrels regenerated
97	1830	2070 barrels. 1988 barrels regenerated
98	c1830	Charcoal manufacture transferred to Waltham Abbey
99	1831	3294 barrels
100	15.10.1831	Mr James Wright (2) appointed Deputy Storekeeper	James Wright (2)
101	1832	2733 barrels.
102	13.10.1832	Lt Col. C T Moody C.R.E. appointed in charge of the Royal Gunpowder Manufactory	Lt Col C T Moody
103	1833	Ballincollig sold. WA now only government factory
104	1833	1435 barrels. 1139 barrels regenerated
105	1834	1077 barrels. 254 barrels regenerated
106	1838	Pelouze discovered that treating cotton with nitric acid produced a highly inflammable material
107	2.7.1840	Lt Col C T Moody C.R.E. appointed Inspector of Gunpowder
108	13.4.1843	Explosion at Corning House and Press House. Very violent - timber found one mile away at Enfield Lock - 7/10 men killed
109	1845	Order received for closure, never carried out.
110	27.11.1845	Capt Alexr. T Tulloh R.A. appointed Inspector of Gunpowder	Capt A T Tulloh
111	1846	Guncotton (a dangerous rival to gunpowder),discovered by Schönbein following thoughts suggested by his discovery of ozone in 1844. A mixture of sulphuric and nitric acids' nitration on cotton. Bottger discovers guncotton, independently of Schonbein
112	1846	Ascanio Sobrero discovered Nitroglycerine involving the nitration of glycerine
113	1847	Maynard discovers nitrocellulose soluble in a mixture of ether and alcohol - collodion cotton
114	1847	John Hall & Sons(English Patentees) announced production of GC and supply in various packings. 4oz of GC =28oz of GP
115	14.7.1847	Hall's factory exploded killing 21 men
116	1847/8	3 other explosions in France at Vincennes and Bouchet
117	1.7.1852	Major C C Dickson R.A. appointed Inspector of Gunpowder	Major C C Dickson
118	1852	Austria (Von Lenk) purchases rights to Schonbein GC process
119	1853	Capable of producing 20,000 barrels pa
120	2.1854 -3.1854	Capt W Henderson appointed Acting Inspector of Gunpowder	W.H.
121	4.1854	Col W H Askwith R.A. appointed Acting Inspector of Gunpowder	Col W H Askwith	Crimean War 1854-6
122	1854	Faversham Marsh Works sold (after leasing to private sector from 1832)
123	18.8.1855	Col W H Askwith R.A. appointed Superintendent
124	1856	Water driven hydraulic presses introduced. Demand starts to grow.
125	3.1856	Lord Panmure Lea sailing barge built
126	1857	First steam driven gunpowder mills (Group A). Also raised tramway system, with trucks propelled by men or boys.		Indian Mutiny 1857-8
127	29.10.1858	Report on "Government gunpowder works at WA" published in The Engineer
128	1860	Explosives Act passed to include new types of explosives - proves inadequate
129	27.5.1861	Explosion at Group A Mills		American Civil war 1861-5
130	Feb 1862	Details of improvement sent to British Government
131	July 1862	Another explosion in Austria. GC production banned there
132	1862	Alfred Nobel added 10% NG to gunpowder and developed NG as a commercial blasting explosive
133	1863	Further experiments on guncotton under Mr (Sir) Frederick Abel, War Office Chemist. Made 1000-2000lbs of GC at WA over next 5 years in adapted saltpetre refinery buildings in Highbridge Street.
134	1859 -1863	Nobels discover that NG can be exploded by a mercury fulminate detonator. Immediate significant success as a civil blasting material - blasting oil.
135	1864	Lasting cloth adopted as fire prevention measure
136	1864	Explosion killed Emil Nobel and 4 others
137	1864	Earl de Grey and Ripon Lee sailing barge built
138	1865	Abel took out patent after solving difficulties of GC manufacture by pulping. GC became widely used in military mines and torpedoes and as a military & civil blasting agent. Its rate of combustion was too rapid for use as a military propellant and it was too sensitive for shell filling. manufacturing development continued at Highbridge Street.
139	1866/1867	Abel publishes "Researches on Guncotton"
140	1867	Nobel patented NG with a silica absorbent
141	1867	Alfred Nobel greatly increases safety of NG by absorbing in Kieselguhr, an inert porous silica, to produce material in conjunction with a fulminate detonator, named Dynamite
142	27.2.1868	Col C W Younghusband R.A. appointed Superintendent	Col. C W Younghusband
143	1868	E. O. Brown discovers that Nobel method of dynamite detonation by mercury fulminate can be applied to compressed GC
144	1869	E. O. Brown discovers that wet GC can be exploded by a small primer of dry GC - made handling much safer since GC could now be stored and transported in safer wet state.
145	1869	15 boats in use at WA. 21'-30' in length 5'11'' - 8'6'' in width. Also 16 open boats and 2 barges built for the Lee
146	16.6.1870	Explosion of Press House on Lower Island. Magazine next door containing 5000 lbs of GP emptied into river. - 5 men killed
147	1870	32 pairs of mills 27,000 barrels. 150 men employed
148	1871	M Berthelot publishes first treatise on explosives
149	1872	Factory at WA to produce 250 tons of guncotton a year in old Saltpetre factory by Highbridge St using Abel process.
150	2.10.1874	5 am Macclesfield Bridge, Regents Canal - 2 or 3 barrels of petroleum and 5 tons of GP on narrow boat Tilbury en route for Chilwell near Nottingham exploded. 3 died. This explosion was a contributory factor in bringing about the 1875 Explosives Act
151	1.4.1875	Lt Col Young R.A. appointed Superintendent (died 25.5.1875)	Young
152	26.5.1875	Capt Morgan R.A. appointed Acting Superintendent	Morgan
153	29.6.1875	Col R J Hay appointed Superintendent	Col R J Hay
154	1875	Explosives Act. Introduced an effective and longlasting system of licensing and inspection. Col Sir V D Majendie appointed first permanent Inspector of Explosives
155	1875	Nobel gelatinised collodion cotton with NG as blasting gelatine - 25% more powerful than Dynamite
156	2.8.1877	Explosion of GC in press. Rope Mantlets introduced after this.
157	1.7.1880	Col C B Brackenbury R.A. appointed Superintendent	Col C.B Brackenbury
158	1881	Electric lighting installed at WA
159	1884	Factory Rule book introduced
160	1884	P Vielle produced a rifle powder consisting of a mixture of GC and collodion cotton gelatinised by ether-alcohol called Poudre B (B=Blanche, white) as opposed to Poudre N (N=Noir, black) which was gunpowder.
161	1.7.1885	Maj Gen W H Noble appointed Superintendent (died 17.5.1892)	Maj Gen W H Noble
162	1885	South Site (Quinton Hill) purchased
163	1885	Turpin in France demonstrated advantages of Picric Acid as shell filling. Adopted by French government under name of "Melinite"
164	1888	Nobel produced a military propellant "Ballistite" a mixture of collodion cotton (45%) and NG with camphor as a gelatiniser/moderator
165	1888	GC Factory on South Site opened
166	1889	Cordite patented by Abel and Dewar - 58% NG, 37% GC, 5% Vaseline using acetone as a solvent.
167	22.8.1890	Explosion in No 1 Breaking down house prior to pressing - 2 men killed
168	1891	Telephone system introduced
169	1.1891	Quinton Hill NG plant completed
170	16.3.1891	First charge of glycerine nitrated at Quinton Hill NG plant
171	21.3.1891	First incorporation of NG and GC at WA. Sent to Woolwich by barge for further processing .
172	17.6.1891	Full production of cordite commences at WA - 2 tons per week
173	1.4.1892	Maj F W Barker R.A. appointed Acting Superintendent during Major Noble's illness	Barker
174	1.10.1892	Lt Col W McClintock R.A. appointed Superintendent (until 13.7.1894)	Lt Col W McClintock
175	13.12.1893	Explosion at Cam House on Lower Island. - 9 men killed
176	24.4.1894	Beginning of real Safety Practice and Policy
177	7.5.1894	Explosion at Quinton Hill NG plant - 4 killed
178	31.5.1894	Maj F L Nathan R.A. appointed Acting Superintendent	Nathan
179	27.7.1894	Col J B Ormsby appointed Superintendent	Col J B Ormsby
180	1895	Picric Acid (Lyddite) adopted for British shell filling
181	1895	Picric powder introduced as booster for Lyddite
182	1895	Opening of Sandhurst Hospital
183	1897	NG plant built at Edmonsey on North Site
184	1898	Cordite Factory completed on North Site
185	20.1.1900	Bt Col F L Nathan appointed Superintendent	Bt Col F L Nathan	Boer War 1899-1902
186	1901	Cordite MD introduced (GC 65% NG 30% Mineral jelly 5%)
187	1901	Nathan Thomson Rintoul displacement method of NG manufacture patented
188	1903	Booster tetryl (CE) entered British service use
189	1903	Quinton Hill No 1 Nitrating House plant replaced by Nathan Thomson Rintoul NG displacement plant
190	15.12.1903	Explosion of cordite incorporating M/c - 3 killed
191	1904	Quinton Hill Guncotton Factory extended. Nathan Thomson displacement system for GC nitration introduced
192	1904	Germany commences use of TNT (Tri Nitro Toluene)
193	1904	Edmonsey Nitration Plant replaced by Nathan Thomson Rintoul NG displacement plant
194	8.2.1909	Bt Col F L Nathan R.A. appointed Superintendent of SA and RG Factories
195	6.8.1909	Maj F T Fisher R.A. appointed Superintendent of SA and RG Factories	Maj F T Fisher
196	1914	26 tons pw cordite		First World War 1914-18
197	3.1915	64 tons pw cordite
198	1915	Cordite RDB introduced. 200 tons pw (52% Collodion Cotton 42% NG 6 % Mineral Jelly)
199	1916	Quinton Hill enlarged. Building of Women's Hospital
200	15.12.1917	Lt Col P H Evans R.A. appointed Superintendent of RG Factory	Lt Col Evans
201	1925	WA commenced production of RD 202 fuze powder, a mixture of ammonium perchlorate, charcoal and starch.
202	1931 - 32	Total Cordite production at WA 207 tons
203	1933	Cordite W introduced, including 6% carbamite in place of mineral jelly
204	1933	TNT first made at WA
205	12.7.1934	Dr R. C. Bowden appointed Superintendent - 1st civilian. Beginning of winding down.	Dr R C Bowden
206	1935 - 36	Total Cordite production at WA 662 tons
207	1938	RDX Cyclo-trimethane-trinitramine invented. Small pilot plant at Quinton Hill producing 5 tons pw
208	late 1930s	Cordite RDN introduced including 55% picrite (nitroguanidine)
209	1938 - 39	Total Cordite production at WA 3970 tons
210	1939	Creation of Bishopton plant. Dr Bowden is transferred there 31.7.1939
211	1.8.1939	Mr P G Knapman appointed Superintendent	Mr P G Knapman	2nd World War 1939-45
212	18.1.1940	Explosion at NG Mixing House handling frozen NG - 5 men killed
213	20.4.1940	Explosion of NG Mixing House - 5 men killed
214	1940	Enemy land mine destroyed the last of the water powered mills
215	1940	120 tons NG a week. 75 tons cordite a week
216	1943	January - Cordite and RD 202 production stopped. August - GC production stopped. September - NG production stopped
217	1.1.1944	Mr R F Smith appointed Managing Chemist	Smith
218	28.7.1945	The Royal Gunpowder Factory was formally closed down as an Ordnance Factory and was transferred to the Chief Superintendent of the Armament Research Department for use as an Explosives Experimental Establishment.
219	31.7.1945	Armament Research Department was opened.
220	1.10.1946	Chemical Research and Development Dept.
221	1948	Explosives Research and Development Establishment
222	1977	Propellants, Explosives and Rocket Motor Establishment
223	1984	Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment. North & South Sites split. North remained MOD. South went to Royal Ordnance
224	1986	Royal Ordnance bought by BAE Systems
225	1989	South Site closed
226	7.1991	North Site closed (June or July???)
227	1.1992	Remediation contract by S.W. Atkins on behalf of MOD (until 1996)
228	1993	English Heritage starts on site (until 1996)
229	3.1997	Trust takes over.
230	5.4.2001	Opening scheduled but cancelled due to Foot & Mouth crisis
231	16.5.2001	Site opened by Duke of Gloucester
232	17.5.2001	Site opens to the public
233		Abbreviations used : WA = Waltham Abbey. WASC = Waltham Abbey Special Collection. WARGM = Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills. GC = Guncotton. GP = Gunpowder. NG = Nitroglycerine. CE = Chemical Explosive. Barrels = 90lb.