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1816 |
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Royal Armory Mills (later RSAF) opens at Enfield Lock. |
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1856 |
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The building of the large machine room was completed. This enabled American mass production machinery to be installed. |
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1857 |
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The first factory in Britain to manufacture weapons with interchangeable parts - using their innovative mass production systems. |
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1861 |
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The American Civil War began. The factory supplied large quantities of the Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle to the armies of both the North and South.) |
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1895 |
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The famous Lee-Enfield Magazine Rifle MK1 is first produced. |
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1914 |
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The First World War is declared. Women workers are taken on at Enfield Lock for the first time. |
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1939 |
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During World War II, the Bren, Sten, Hispano and Canon were made in vast numbers. |
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1950 |
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The Korea war returns the RSAF to large scale weapons manufacture. |
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1987 |
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The closure of the RSAF is announced. |
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1995 |
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After many attempts to find an alternative use for this Grade II listed building, a feasibility study is commissioned and a group of local businessmen take on the task of regenerating the old factory as the the village centre for the new community being created at Enfield Island Village (the new name for the old factory site). |
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1997 |
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Prime funding from European Regional Development Fund agreed. This enables commercial funding from Allied Irish Bank plc and English Partnership (now LDA) to be obtained. |
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1998 |
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Refurbishment commenced by Mansell plc. |
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2001 |
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The Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron, officially opens the RSA Island Centre.
The Doctor's Surgery, Supermarket, Gym and Community Hall are all opened
The Clock Tower is restored.
The Interpretation Centre opens.
Youth Club opened by Steve Chalke of OASIS. |
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2002 |
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The residential tenants move in. |
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2006 |
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A fire destroys the homes created in part of the old factory. |
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2007 |
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The Splash Day Care nursery opens.
The homes destroyed by the fire are rebuilt and tenants move back in. |
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2008 |
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The RSA Island Centre is a thriving Village Centre with a doctor's surgery, pharmacy, youth club, community hall, nursery, gym and library. There are a number of retail shops including a Tesco Express, and many small businesses are based in the Island Centre. |
