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Issue 112NEWSLETTER OF THE HISTORY PANELSeptember 2022THE INSTITUTION OF GAS ENGINEERS & MANAGERSISSN 1475-617XREGISTERED CHARITY No. 287678TheHistoric Gas TimesWorks have been undertaken recently to restore the former gasholder in Lavenham, which is located on the site of the former gasworks on Water Street. The three-month project undertaken by National Grid has seen a range of works, including vegetation clearance, minor repairs, cleaning, re-painting, new fencing and the installation of the information panel.National Grid has gifted the Lavenham Gasworks site to Lavenham Parish Council who have used the wider site to create a new car park for the village, complete with electric charging points. The car park works were made possible via Community Infrastructure Levy funding from Babergh District Council and volunteer project management was provided by local residents.%u201cThe gasworks are an important part of Lavenham%u2019s heritage and we%u2019re delighted that we have been able to undertake these restoration works. Local people and visitors to the village can now come along and appreciate the history of the site and the gasholder.%u201dAll that remains of the gasworks is the gasholder, which is believed to date from 1862. It was protected in June 1980 when it became a Scheduled Monument, so all the work has been done under consent from Historic England.Lavenham Gasworks was built on Water Street in 1863 by the then lessee of the Sudbury Gasworks Alexander Roger Stark, with the village first lit by gas on 14th October that year. This was a significant milestone for the village, with a celebratory dinner held at the nearby Swan Hotel.This project has secured an important part of Lavenham%u2019s industrial history, whilst providing much needed additional parking. National Grid has also produced a free booklet on the history of the gasworks which will be available on the Parish Council website and at the Village Information Point. We will provide a precis of this document in a later edition of HGT. RTRESTORED LAVENHAM GASHOLDER UNVEILEDThe Lavenham Gasholder gifted to Lavenham Parish Council by National Grid. The tank is made of flanged cast iron plates, bolted together.