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substance from which gas for illumination Portable Gas Company was established provide light. They manufactured gas at
can be easily and cheaply prepared. The in 1819 and manufactured gas but a small gasworks located in Clerkenwell,
apparatus for the purpose is much smaller, delivered it to customers in cylinders. London. Filled vessels were dispatched
much simpler, and yet equally effectual The method of compressing and storing daily to the customer and empty
with the best coal gas apparatus. The the gas was devised and patented in cylinders returned to be recharged with
retort is a bent cast iron tube, which is 1819 by David Gordon and Edward gas. It provided those wealthy enough
heated red by a small convenient furnace, Heard, the latter a former assistant to to afford gas – but not within reach of
and into which oil is allowed to drop by the German gas impresario Frederick a gas main – the opportunity to light
a very ingenious apparatus; the oil is Winsor, who was mentioned in the their house by gas. It may not surprise
immediately volatilised, and the vapour previous instalment. readers to know that one of the four
in traversing the tube becomes perfectly subscribers to the London Portable Gas
decomposed; a mixture of inflammable Company was John Taylor, of Taylor and
gases which contains a great proportion They manufactured gas at Martineau, who manufactured the oil
of defiant gas passes off; it is washed by a small gasworks located in gas-making plants.
being passed through a vessel of water Clerkenwell, London. Filled The Royal Institution in London was
(which dissolves a little sebacic acid, and first lit by gas provided by the London
which seldom requires changing), and is vessels were dispatched daily Portable Gas Company between 1828
then conducted into the gasometer. to the customer and empty and 1834. It was while working at the
“The facility and cleanliness with cylinders returned to be Royal Institution that Michael Faraday
which gas is prepared from oil in the recharged with gas. It provided investigated the composition of the
above manner may be conceived from the liquid residue deposited in these
description of the process. A small furnace those wealthy enough to afford cylinders, discovering benzene in 1825.
is lighted, and a sufficient quantity of the gas – but not within reach of a Returning to the story in Norwich,
commonest oil is put into a small iron gas main – the opportunity to the first iron gas pipes were laid in
vessel; a cock is turned, and the gas, after light their house by gas the Market Place, on 31 January 1820.
passing through water in the washing On 10 May 1820, the street lamps and
vessel, goes into the gasholder. The burners in several shops were lit with
operation may be stopped by shutting off The cylinders were manufactured gas for the first time.
the oil, or to a certain extent hastened by from copper and were spherical, or A contemporary account from the
letting it move freely on; the small quantity cylindrical with hemispherical ends. time described it thusly: “In the Market
of charcoal deposited in the retort is drawn They were fitted with special regulating Place, it produced a strong and steady
out by a small rake, and the water in the valves that allowed the gas to be released light as far as it extended, and before
washer is very rarely changed.” at a constant rate, when required. Messr Bignold’s house and office in
The oil gas produced by the Norwich The gas was stored at a pressure of 30 Surrey Street, where there were three
Gas Light Company was distributed atmospheres and was designed to supply lamps, the effect was brilliant.”
through the same types of gas pipe a Gordon patent lamp, also supplied by
networks as employed by coal gas the company. This lamp was attached In next month’s instalment, Professor
companies. This was not the case with to the storage vessel and could be Thomas will describe how the public gas
all oil gas companies; the London moved around the house as required to industry developed in Norwich.

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