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ROYAL NAVY ESTABLISHMENTS
POWDER MAGAZINE
This Powder Magazine was situated at Keyham.
It had been built around 1784, when Keyham was open
countryside and a safe place for the storage of explosives. [1]
The earliest description of it dates from 1812
[2]:
'The Powder Magazine, which lies
on the same side with the dock-yard, but much higher up the
river, insulated from all other buildings; it consists of
several detached stone buildings, erected with every
precaution, to prevent accidents by fire or lightning.
This establishment consists of the
Storekeeper, W Lawrence; Clerk of the Cheque, Peter Glinn;
Clerk, John Clover, who have excellent houses, very
pleasantly situated, for their residence.'
By 1815 the need for gunpowder and shot had outgrown
the facilities at Keyham and five old hulks had been fitted out for storage
purposes and moored in the Hamoaze. Needless to say, this was highly
dangerous as they were now closer to the men-of-war. [1] A later description dates from 1823 [3]:
'At Higher Keyham Point, a short
distance from Morice-town, on the same side of the harbour,
is the depot for gunpowder, for the supply of the
government establishments at this port. It is
completely insulated from all other buildings, and consists
of several detached edifices, which are constructed of stone,
and otherwise erected with every precaution against
accidents by lightning or fire. These, we trust, will be found effectual, as the consequences of an explosion of
the vast quantity of gunpowder which is here deposited, must
be productive of the most terrifying consequences to the
neighbourhood. The
whole of the depot covers a space of not less than five
acres. There is a neat row of houses at the back,
which are occupied by the workmen, having been built
especially for them'.
When the Government decided to construct a steam yard at
Devonport it was found that the Keyham Powder Magazine stood in the way of
expansion northwards and had to be moved. One of the possible
alternative sites was the old war prison at Millbay but, unsurprisingly,
both Plymouth and Stonehouse did not want explosives that close to their
communities. So another area at Bull Point was purchased by the
Government in 1845 and became the
Royal Naval
Ordnance Depot, Bull Point. [1]
Sources:
[1]
Avery, David J, "Bull Point - A
Mini History", Royal Naval Supply & Transport Service (RNSTS)
Journal, No. 44, Spring 1982.
[2] "The Picture of
Plymouth", Messrs Rees and Curtis, Plymouth, 1812.
[3] "The Tourist's Companion
Being a Guide to the Towns of Plymouth, Plymouth-Dock, Stonehouse, Morice-Town, Stoke, and their Vicinities",
Messrs Longman, Hurst, Beer, Orme & Brown, London, 1823.
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