Royal Ordnance Story

Royal Ordnance had its origins in the Royal Powder Mill at Waltham Abbey in 1560. Since then, under various names, it has played a crucial part in the defence of Britain.

Its weapons were tried and tested against the Spanish Armada, during the Napoleonic Wars and in the Crimean War. Its design and manufacturing capability grew to meet the demands of Britain's Royal Navy, Army and RAF during the Great War, World War II and Korea. More recently Royal Ordnance Equipment played a decisive role in the Falklands and Gulf Campaigns.

In 1985 the Government, having already sold ROF Leeds to Vickers of Newcastle, privitised the remaining Royal Ordnance Factories to become 'Royal Ordnance Plc', and in April 1987 Royal Ordnance was sold to British Aerospace who consolidated the number of sites. The most significant of these for Notingham was the closure of the Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) Enfield site and the amalgamation of the manufacturing capabilities with the Nottingham site with the generation of the Nottingham Small Arms Facility (NSAF).

In 1993 British Aerospace purchased the British Manufacture & Research Company, known as BMaRCo, based at Grantham & Faldingworth and moved the ammunition and medium calibre cannon manufacturing to the Nottingham site, along with many BMarCo employees.

In 1999 'British Aerospace - Royal Ordnance' and GEC - Land & Naval Systems' merged, and the new combined company name becomes "BAE SYSTEMS, RO Defence". During the rationalisation that took place following the merger, the Nottingham site was set for closure in 2001 and the capabilities were to be transferred elsewhere.

The Nottingham site was built by Cammel Laird & Co Ltd in 1915-16 and managed them as a National Projectile Factory producing heavy shell, it was reorganised in 1917 for the manufacture of 18 pounder and 6 inch Field Service Guns and thus became a National Ordnance Factory. After the First World War Cammel Laird used the factory for the manufacture of railway carriages but it was later closed down.

In 1936 the factory was purchased by the Government, who renovated and re-equipped it. A foundry, forge and heat treatment shop were added followed by a drop-stamp, light machine shop, welding shop and finally, around 1950, by a heavy erection shop. From its reopening in 1936 until 1946 it produced 2 pounder to 5.5 inch, together with mountings and ancillary equipment.

After the second World War, the factory engaged in civil work, producing machines for hosiery, woodworking, paper working and mining, until armaments were again needed for the Services re-equipment programme. New production included guns from 40mm Bofors up to 165mm demolition guns, components for tanks and reworking of same.

Later products include the world famous 105mm Light Gun and the 120 tank guns for the Chieftain and Challenger Main Battle Tanks.

Site Titles through the years

July 1915 : Site Proposed

• 1915 : National Projectile Factory, Nottingham
• October 1917 : National Ordnance Factory, Nottingham
• 1923 : Cammell, Laird & Co Ltd, Nottingham
• 1930 : Metropolitan Cammell Carriage, Wagon & Finance Company, Nottingham
• 1935 : Metro-Cammell Carriage & Wagon Company, Nottingham
• 1936 : War Office; Royal Ordnance Factory; Nottingham
• 1970's : M.O.D.; Procurement Executive (PE); Royal Ordnance Factory; Nottingham

• March 1984 : Royal Ordnance Factory; Weapons & Fighting Vehicles Division; Nottingham

January 1985 :

• January 1985 : Royal Ordnance; Weapons & Fighting Vehicles Division; Nottingham
• October 1986 : Royal Ordnance; Naval, Air and Engineering Division, Nottingham

April 1987 :

• April 1987 : British Aerospace, Royal Ordnance, Nottingham
• December 1987 : British Aerospace - Royal Ordnance, Guns & Vehicles Division, Nottingham
• January 1992 : British Aerospace Defence - Royal Ordnance; Guns & Vehicles Division, Nottingham
• November 1997 : British Aerospace - Royal Ordnance, Guns & Vehicles Division, Nottingham

January 1999 :

• August 2000 : BAE Systems, RO Defence, Weapons & Munitions Division, Nottingham

2002 : Site Closed and it's clearance and redevelopment started

Finale - The end of the Story

September 2004 : BAE SYSTEMS merged with AVL, themselves a merger of the UK armored vehicle manufacturing capabilites of Alvis, GKN and Vickers Defence, to form the 'BAE SYSTEMS - Land Systems' organisation comprising two Divisions of 'Weapons & Vehicles' and 'Munitions & Ordnance'.

With this final re-organisation the Ordnance name no longer featured as part of the company's title, not even within the initials.