Page 29 - Gi_April2020

as lighting had been first used
to light a substantial interior
space when, in 1815, the Prince
Regent installed gas lighting
G in his ballroom at Brighton’s
Royal Pavilion.
Two years later, gas was used to
light the Lyceum and Drury Lane
theatres in London.
Apart from the greater brightness,
the big advantage of lighting over
candles and oil lamps was the ability
to increase and reduce the intensity of
the light by controlling the amount of
gas fed to the burners.
It took slightly longer for gas to
reach the provincial theatres. On 1
August 1836, Norwich’s Theatre Royal
re-opened after extensive renovation A WALL PAINTED WITH COAL TAR
works, including the installation of gas
lighting for the first time. During this journey, Mr Green new blaze of light.” (Mackie, 1901)
It was described as “one of the released a basket from the balloon Whether due to the watchful eye of
handsomest, most comfortable, and over the village of Catton. The basket the civic authorities, or fear of the new
best-lighted of the minor theatres in was fitted with a parachute and competition, the gas company, which
this kingdom.” contained a cat, which, like the earlier was a monopoly, continued to keep its
Four years later, the Amphitheatre monkey, landed safely. prices low.
and Royal Albert Saloon in Ranelagh In 1840, gas lighting was extended It decreased the price to 9s per thousand
Gardens, Norwich, were opened. These beyond the walls on the south side of cubic feet in January 1843 and made
were lit by a chandelier consisting of 20 the city. By 1854, there were 105 retorts continued cuts until the price had reached
gas burners, suspended from the centre installed at the Bishop Bridge gasworks 5s per thousand cubic feet in 1851.
of the cone, which was glazed from the and three gasholders capable of holding Every few years, the gas company
top downwards – about 15ft. 140,000 cubic feet of gas. The price of would have to tender to provide street
The Italian-style Agricultural Hall, on gas at this point had dropped to 5s per lighting and the civic authorities were
Prince of Wales Road, was also lit by six thousand cubic feet. always looking for price reductions
brass gasoliers, according to the 1883 The gas industry had its first glimpse where possible. Gas companies were
Kelly’s Directory. of future competition in Norwich on 24 not typically expected to make any
Ballooning had been closely July 1840, when Professor Isham Baggs, significant profit on street lighting.
associated with gas manufacture. of the Polytechnic Institution of London, However, on the back of the gas
Many of the early scientists who were gave a lecture on the ‘The economy and networks built for street lighting,
interested in gas manufacture, such as philosophy of the electric light, and its they could then provide profitable
the Dutchman Jan Pieter Mincklers, had gas supplies to private customers and
been investigating its use in balloons. public buildings.
It was hydrogen gas which was the Mr Green released a basket from In 1851, the gasworks were included in
important element, as it was much the balloon over the village of a review of the Report to the General Board
lighter than air and gave the balloon Catton. The basket was fitted of Health on the conditions in which the
great buoyancy. inhabitants of Norwich had to live.
The balloons were manufactured with a parachute and contained The manager, William Tadman, was
from an airtight silk and would be filled a cat, which, like the earlier interviewed and commented on various
with gas at gasworks. monkey, landed safely aspects of the gasworks. Mr Tadman
One such notable event occurred in noted the gasworks were almost
Norwich at 4.30pm on 25 of September entirely run from London with no local
1839, when Mr Hampton made a present and prospective bearing on the committees controlling decisions.
balloon ascent from the gasworks at vested interests of gas companies’. The storage of gas was provided
Bishop Bridge. While electric lighting would not by two gasholders, with a capacity of
They released a monkey attached to a provide effective competition for at 33,238 cubic feet each, and another
parachute while travelling over Mousehold least another 50 years, it certainly with a capacity of 65,616 cubic feet, all
Heath, but unfortunately they landed caught the imagination of those who providing good pressure to the gas mains.
prematurely in a field at Rackheath. watched the display, being described Both D and oval-shaped horizontal
Further attempts by Mr Hampton as “a light of dazzling lustre and retorts were in use at the gasworks and
were made over the following months. surpassing brilliancy, on which no eye dry lime was used to purify the gas.
This attracted the attention of the can steadily gaze. By 1851, the gas company had
celebrated ballooning enthusiast Mr “The figures on the various paintings in universally adopted gas meters, except
Charles Green, who ascended in his the hall appeared to start from the canvas, for the public streetlights. There were
‘Coronation Balloon’ from the gasworks, and every living face displayed an almost 449 street lights in the city and 167 in
flying for 25 minutes before landing supernatural brilliancy and expression. the surrounding hamlets, all of which
near the village of Trunch. The gas seemed extinguished amid the were the property of the gas company.

29

12/03/2020 14:01
HistoryOfGas.indd 2
HistoryOfGas.indd 2 12/03/2020 14:01