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the rise and fall of oil gas

the relationship between the company
and its customers. Leakages from the
gas plant, gasholders and the gas mains,
which could be substantial, could also
erode the finances of the company.
In March 1825, the directors of the
British Gas Light Company authorised
one of them to travel to Norwich to
agree to purchase all the shares held by
the proprietors of the NGLC.
They were also authorised to offer an
additional £600 to be paid to the proprietors
“for the stocks in hand when the works
were handed over”. The agreement was
finalised on 25 March 1825.
The directors of the British Gas Light
Company then approached the Norwich
Paving Commissioners to apply for
a Parliamentary bill to enlarge and
amend the Act for Lighting with Gas
the City of Norwich and to allow for an
extension of the capital of the British
Gas Light Company to pay for the
necessary improvement.
The commissioners consented to this MAP OF NORWICH FROM THE NATIONAL GRID GAS ARCHIVE
on 13 of September 1826 and Royal Assent
was given to the Act in May that year. of the Bishop Bridge gasworks was Formerly, the length of the gas mains
Despite the additional investment, delayed owing to defects in the had only been four miles in total,
in March 1830, when the oil gas works gasholder tanks, but on 22 November however by 1831, a further 12 miles had
had been operating for five years, it was 1830, coal gas was supplied for public been added giving a total of 16 miles
decided that it would be converted to a lighting and to consumers on the of gas mains. By 1834, there were 423
coal gasworks and that the company would principal streets. public gas lamps in Norwich, costing
then supply coal gas throughout Norwich. The Bishop Bridge Gasworks was upwards of £2,000 per year. By 1836, the
not officially completed until 13 of mains had extended to 18 miles.
A new gasworks for Norwich December 1830. The company must William Tadman was the gasworks
The Norwich Paving Act Commissioners have been gratified to find an article in engineer in 1836 and was recorded as
were approached again by agents The Norfolk Chronicle a few days later Clerk of the gasworks as early as 1828,
working on behalf of the Norwich Gas that referenced the general satisfaction when he appeared in the census for St
Light Company, with plans to extend with the new lighting. Stephen’s Parish, where the original
their gasworks and gas pipe network The importance of the Norwich gasworks had been located.
through the principal streets of the city. station was recognised by the chairman In 1828, he had two sons on the parish
The proposals would replace 900 of the BGLC, who stated to his births register, one of whom was recorded
old oil lamps with gas lamps at an shareholders in 1831 that the Norwich as Chandler Tadman born 1828, a name
increased annual charge of £500. works had become the most valuable which many years later appeared as the
The scheme was adopted on 13 April and important of the company’s engineer to the gas company.
1830, and tenders were invited for stations, the capital expended on it In 1836, the gas company reduced
undertaking the works. amounting to about £30,000. the price for consumers receiving a
In May 1830, the Norwich Gas Light A record of company property metered gas supply from 13s to 10s per
Company purchased five acres of land in Norwich in 1831 described it as 1,000 cubic feet, which the company
near the city’s Bishop Bridge on which consisting of the original gasworks, believed would be some of the lowest
to construct a gasworks. This land which were located on “the back of St prices outside of London.
included an old quarry, which was at the Stephen’s”, which were no longer in use, The gas mains and manufacturing
time described as being at the foot of and a new gasworks which were being plant were enlarged and extended and,
St Michael’s Mount (after the former St constructed on a larger scale at the foot of in 1839, a new gasholder was erected.
Michael’s chapel which stood on the hill) St Michael’s Mount, near Bishop Bridge. The company now approached the civic
or St Leonard’s Hill (after St Leonard’s Both sites were shown on the 1831 authorities for lighting the suburbs of
Priory, which also stood on the hill). Millard and Manning map of Norwich, Norwich, in addition to the city centre.
This site was particularly well-suited to and were shown on a map included in At first, a few lights were introduced
building a gasworks as it was low lying, the previous instalment of this history into the Bishop’s palace, the company
away from the most populated parts in February’s Gi. anticipating that this would attract
of the city and near to water. The new The Bishop Bridge gasworks comprised further private customers to adopt gas
gasworks was built to replace the original 40 retorts and two gasholders estimated lighting in their houses.
gasworks at St Stephens, which was had to contain 69,000 cubic feet of gas.
none of these desirable characteristics. There were 420 public lamps and Next month, Professor Thomas will
The St Stephens gasworks was closed both private houses and shops were continue the journey of how the public
and the land sold. The construction supplied from these gasworks. gas industry developed in Norwich

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