They had a number of retail stores throughout the UK selling and renting camping equipment, climbing and mountaineering supplies.
Then in 1967, it bought Benjamin Edgington Ltd, a long established independent tent, flag and marquee maker, creating a new southern base with another manufacturing facility and offices from where it ran its sales and Marketing team led by John Jackson.
A deal never materialised, and the stores faced closure when Sandcity, the company who held the licence to sell and distribute O'Neill in the UK, was put into administration.
[5] The wholesale licence of O'Neill in the UK was handed back to Logo Group International, based in the Netherlands at the same time.
In October 2009, 89 stores where closed as part of a restructuring, after the company went through a CVA which was supported by a huge majority of creditors.
[6] After a costing an estimated £3m and branded "the first of many to open in the UK", the store was in operation for less than 12 months, and closed as part of a CVA.
It was at this time that Blacks sold off its Mambo boardwear arm for an estimated £800,000 to New Zealand born Andrew Gerrie (CEO of Lush cosmetics).
Private equity funds, including the owner of rival Cotswold Outdoor, circled Blacks after it confirmed early talks on a possible offer in late October 2010.
Later, went to Spanish Guinea in West Africa as an agent for the London firm of Laughland & Brown, trading Calico and other goods for ivory.
Thomas Black had a son, also named Thomas, who started his working life with his father, but seeing no future in the sail-making business, due to the decline in sailing ships brought about by the rise in steam engines, left with his wife and young family to join relatives ranching in California.
1914–18 During the First World War, manufactured large hospital marquees, army bell tents, ambulance covers and other canvas goods.
1921 Black's Travel Agency started at 18 Nicholson Street, Greenock, to meet the demand for emigrant passages to North America and Australasia.
Soon larger premises and offices were required in London, and a move was made to 22, Gray's Inn Road in the early thirties.
1933 Lightweight camping gear supplied to Jock Scott, an ex soldier who walked from Greenock to Cape Town.
With another set of equipment by Blacks, Jock Scott then walked across North America from San Francisco to New York.
An additional 10,000 square feet manufacturing extension opened at Port Glasgow to cater for the growing demand for tents and sleeping bags.
The recent acquisition of Players Sports Ltd., late of Newman Street, also moved to these extensive new premises, where the largest display of camping equipment was on show spread over three floors.
Player Sports had an agreement with British Rail, which saw the provision of stocks of camping equipment established at the Channel Ports of Dover and Newhaven in conjunction with the Big Fleet Car Ferry Service.
Following many years of negotiation, acquired by mutual agreement the old established firm of John Edgington & Co. Ltd., of 108, Old Kent Road, London – tent makers and hirers, and suppliers of fine camping equipment par excellence since its inception in 1805.
1980 By this year, of the long established tents, only the Good Companions Standard, Major, and the Arctic Guinea, were available.
With decline due to recession obvious, it was all a far cry from the catalogue product list of twenty years ago.
1982 There were many problems affecting the camping and outdoor leisure industry in the seventies, some of them were 'home grown' through government legislation, while others were of an international nature.
With demand greatly diminished, the result for the Black & Edgington Group was that the factories at Bristol, Sidcup and Greenock had to be closed.
It was in the middle of all these problems with closures that the Board had to contend with a predator situation with regard to a small amount of equity.
The initial reaction was to reject any bid, but financial advisers made it clear, that in the light of the continuing poor performance and the time it might take to restore profits, a 'defence' was impractical, and it was in the best interests of shareholders to 'surrender'.
The purchaser had made it clear throughout negotiations that he only wanted the Travel Division, and was prepared to sell off what remained to the highest bidder.
As it happened, each division was sold off to its own management, with the exception of Blacks Camping and Leisure Shops, which went to others outside the group.
With a London base at Stratford for a few years, the head office was at Needingworth Road, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire.
[citation needed] On 30 April 2013, Blacks Outdoor were announced as the new shirt sponsor for professional football team Oldham Athletic for the 2013/14 season.
[16] On 25 June 2013, Blacks Outdoor were announced as the new shirt sponsor for Morecambe Football Club for the 2013/14 season.