In 1888 the 'Smokeless Powder Company', owned by James Dalziel Dougall Junior, the son of the famous glaswegian gunsmith -J D Dougall, took a 99-year lease for 126 arces around 'The Outpost', from the Youngsbury Estate.
[1] The 'factory hamlet' was designed and superintend by the company's engineer Ernest Spon A.I.C.E.
Mr Ernest Spon was well known for his civil engineering books, such as 'Workshop Receipts' and 'The Present Practice of Sinking and Boring Wells...' The Smokeless Powder Company (S.P.C.)
manufactured various high explosive powders for use in torpedoes, artillery shells, small arms ammunition (for the military and sporting) and mine blasting.
As a result, company employees Mr A Aylott & Mr A Ginn both died in this incident[4] The accident was thoroughly investigated by H.M. Chief Inspector of Explosives - Colonel V.D.Majendie C.B; on 20 June 1893.