When Jim Lewis met the directors of the RSA Trust, the
charity responsible for the concept and the running of Enfield Island Village,
in January 2015, it was to discuss the commissioning of a book that would tell
the story of the former government controlled Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF)
after privatisation and closure in 1987. However, during discussions it soon
became clear, with the impending two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the
Enfield Lock armoury, that a unique opportunity existed to link the story of
the RSAF site with the founding of the RSA Trust. And as one Trust director put
it, this is the classic story of "from swords into ploughshares". Surprising as
it may seem, the story of the birth of the Enfield Lock armoury in 1816 and the
methods of manufacture that then existed within the British small arms industry
has never been completely told.
At the time of writing this
book the author wanted, in the two-hundredth anniversary year of the founding
of the RSAF, to commemorate the contribution made to our armed forces by the
former workforce which, by their skills and dedication, helped keep Britain
safe during times of world instability. Also I wanted to acknowledge the
contribution made to our community by the four founding fathers of the RSA
Trust that has benefited so many worthwhile good causes.
In a world full of
increasingly depressing news it is uplifting to have the opportunity to write
about a group of four local businessmen who had the vision, courage and
tenacity to take on the mammoth task of rescuing a Grade II listed building
that no sane entrepreneur would have contemplated taking on and turn it into a
vibrant sustainable business for the benefit of the local community. The model
created pays a service charge into a limited liability company, RSA IV, which
in turn transfers the surplus to the not-for-profit RSA Trust which is then
able to fund many community good causes.
- ISBN13 9780995483446
- Publish Date 14 December 2018
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Libri Publishing
- Imprint Redshank Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 160
- Language English