1849 The Great Central Gas Consumers' Company was formed by Deed of Settlement, backed by the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London following petitions against high gas prices.
It was proposed that the company would build a works to provide gas at 4 shillings per unit when the other companies charged 7 shillings.
1850 The works at Bow Common were engineered by Mr Croll who was also contractor. A noticeable feature was the process, devised by Croll, of employing waste heat from one set of retorts to fire another.
1851 the company gained statutory powers via the The Great Central Gas Consumers Act 1851.
1857 Alexander Wright was appointed consulting engineer
Although successful in reducing the price of gas, the Great Central suffered because of it - Bow Common works fell into disrepair.
1862 Gasworks at Bow Common[1] but were only allowed to supply the City of London; the area around their works was served by the Commercial Gas Co
1860s One of 13 gas companies supplying gas in London[2]
An act of embezzlement by an employee finally compelled the company to sell to the Gas Light and Coke Co.
1870 After the passing of the City Gas Act, the Gas Light and Coke Co amalgamated with the Great Central Gas Consumers Co[3]
1926 The works were almost entirely rebuilt.
1954 the works were used in a large-scale trial of accelerated carbonisation, and were still in operation three years later.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Engineer 1862/03/21
- ↑ The Engineer 1870/02/04
- ↑ The Times, Apr 29, 1873
- [1] National Archives