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in 1824, when a bill was put before
Parliament to establish the London and
Westminster Oil Gas Company which,
with a proposed capital of £900,000, was
intended to be a substantial undertaking.
The existing coal gas companies
fought hard and at great expense to
oppose its formation.
The inquiry, which lasted most of
1824, pitted supporters of oil gas like
Humphrey Davy, Michael Faraday and
Sir William Congreve, the government’s
inspector of gasworks, against lesser
known supporters of coal gas, such as
John Dalton of Manchester, Professor
Leslie of Edinburgh, Dr Fyffe of
Edinburgh, Adam Anderson of Perth THE HISTORIC ST ANDREW’S HALL IN NORWICH
and George Lowe of the GLCC.
A newspaper at the time reported taking out another patent for oil gas initial interest focused on the South
that “the use of coal gas was rapidly manufacture from various substances West of England.
diminishing, and that of oil gas in 1824. The Taylor and Martineau Although there was interest in
increasing. We doubt not that in coal Company failed in 1828 and Philip Barnstaple, it did not progress any
countries gas from that material will Taylor left for France, where he further. However, the company found
be the most generally adopted; and continued his engineering career. greater success in Trowbridge, Wiltshire,
perhaps for street lamps, in most cases, The London Portable Gas Company and by April 1824 had agreed to construct
will become general; but we entertain survived until 1834, due to its unique a gasworks in the town, although this was
as little doubt that oil gas will, from its offering. However, the fatal blow which not completed until 1826.
peculiar cleanliness, superior beauty, and sealed its demise occurred when Within a year of its formation, the
nearly total freedom from noxious fluvia the price of coal gas per fell from 28 British Gas Light Company’s activities had
supersede it in almost every other case.” shillings per 1,000 cubic feet to 21 come to be inextricably linked with the
The inquiry was well documented. shillings, a price with which oil gas life of two provincial centres, the ancient
Eventually, despite strong support for could not compete. cathedral city of Norwich and the equally
oil gas in some circles, the bill was ancient river port of Hull. Both cities had
defeated and, with it, the demise of oil While attempts to light already established oil gas companies
gas. Coal gas gradually reestablished its London and Westminster providing limited gas lighting.
dominant position. In December 1824, the directors of
Despite the proposed advantages, with oil gas had failed, Taylor the British Gas Light Company first
the key factor in deciding the success did at least enjoy seeing his considered acquiring the existing
of oil gas was the price. In 1832, it own home city lit with gas Norwich Gas Light Company (NGLC),
was reported that the price of coal produced by his method which operated the oil gasworks in the
gas manufactured in London was parish of Saint Stephen.
10s, selling for between 14s 6d and Although the NGLC had been well
15s for 1,000 cubic feet. Oil gas, by The fledgling gas industry in established by 1824, the purchase
comparison, cost between 26s and 28s Norwich continued to develop and, of this gas undertaking was a risky
to manufacture and sold for 50s for on 11 September 1824, St Andrew’s investment. Many of the oil gas
1,000 cubic feet. Hall was lit for the first time by gas in companies were struggling financially
While attempts to light London and preparation for a musical festival. and the NGLC was no exception. It had
Westminster with oil gas had failed, Taylor The Norwich Chronicle described it not paid any dividends for the first
did at least enjoy seeing his own home city thusly: “The pure bright flame that five years and, unlike other oil gas
lit with gas produced by his method. issued from the numerous gas burners companies, it had not adopted the use
It was a brief success, though. The communicated a lustre to every part of of gas meters to measure the amount of
high cost of oil gas relative to coal gas the edifice more evident, perhaps, than gas customers were using.
ultimately disadvantaged the oil gas what it receives from the light of day.” The company instead had relied on
industry in Britain. Within a few years, consumers to not use more than their
oil gas companies had died out or The arrival of the British Gas Light Company fair share of gas. There were serious
converted to coal gas manufacture, as In 1824, a new gas company was repercussions to those consumers who
was the case in Norwich. established in London under the title did; a warning was issued that “if any
Companies that had been established of the British Gas Light Company. It person shall be found consuming the
in whaling ports such as Dublin survived had identified that some major British Company’s gas within the hours of
longer. Oil gas did have some success towns and cities did not have gas sunrise and sunset or beyond the hours
abroad, where it faced more limited lighting and its aim was “to contract agreed for, the supply of gas will be
competition from piped coal gas and the with and supply light to towns or places immediately cut off.”
cost of importing coal was higher. that may require gas”. The first activity However, it was only possible
John Taylor left the partnership of the company was to contact civic to enforce this through spying on
in 1822, returning to his mining authorities across the country with the customers, a very heavy-handed
interests. His brother Phillip continued, aim of establishing new gasworks; its approach that could have done little for

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