This week in Down Memory Lane we are still focusing on industry as we travel to Kynochs who purchased Borley House and Shellhaven Farms in 1896.
The first picture shows the original buildings, which were on 750 acres and had the necessary government licence for 200 acres to be used as an explosives factory.
The Thames marshes were a ideal site thanks to the remoteness from the population and easy access to shipping.
The next photo shows the gun cotton dipping house this was the first stage in cordite manufacture, where dry gun cotton was placed in pans of nitroglycerine and mixed by hand until a paste was formed.
The next step involved adding mineral jelly and acetone which took several hours.
The next stage was pressing the extrusion cylinders and filling them with the cordite dough. This was very dangerous work before it was taken to drying stoves.
It was then packed in boxes for the final stage, filling of cartridges at Woolwich.
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