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Hornsey Gas Works

From London's Ghost Acres

Revision as of 11:00, 18 January 2016 by EliseLehmann (Talk | contribs)



Operation

1861 to 1957


Location

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Located in

London


Produced

Gas, Tar, Coke, Ammonia, Sulphur


Used Raw Materials

Coal


|1861 |1939 |Hornsey Gas Company |-


|1939 |1957 |South Eastern Gas Corporation |-


|1861 |1957 |Coal Gas Industry |-

Description

"Gas manufacture at the company's works on Clarendon Road, did not commence until 1861 and the works were operated on a commission basis until the company bought them back in 1865.The works continued to operate until 1957 when they were closed and the site became a holder station." (The National Archives)

Gas works were used to produce and store flammable coal gas. Coal was mined in Britain and then shipped on a barge up rivers or on trains to the gas works. There it was burned to create the gas, which was then purified and put into the gas holders until needed for consumer use to light streets and buildings. The process also created coke, tar, ammonia, and sulphur as by-products.


http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/ea1108be-29e8-438e-8c03-309b1e67890b