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Vauxhall Gardens Gas Works

From London's Ghost Acres

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The Vauxhall Garden Gas Works were opened in 1833. There is confusion surrounding the ownership of the two gas sites on either side of the Vauxhall Bridge. According to this map, http://www.motco.com/Map/81006/, the site on the north side of the bridge (split into two parts by the railway) was owned by the London Gas Light Company, while the site south of the bridge and the Kennington Oval gas holders were owned by the Phoenix Gas Company.

However, according to Pedroche, the works (I can’t tell which ones he is talking about, or if he means both or if he doesn’t realize that there were two works) were owned only by the London Gas Light Company. https://books.google.ca/books?id=xCxxAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT154&ots=3PCQr0QTXz&dq=nine%20elms%20gas%20works&pg=PT153#v=onepage&q&f=false

Then according to records from the National Archives, “The first works were built at Vauxhall Gardens on the east side of Vauxhall (Albert Embankment) in 1832. In 1833 a new 'Vauxhall' works was built on the west side of Vauxhall. The original works ceased production in 1834 but remained part of the new Vauxhall works until 1848 when the railway cut through it. With a new telescopic holder in 1834 the Vauxhall works continued until 1864, when the company transferred production to the Nine Elms site which had been built in 1857.” http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/06b40804-e433-4b61-bddd-02ebabaf8721

In 1865 the Vauxhall Gardens Gas Works were unable to expand due to the railway, they were closed and the London Gas Light Company opened new works at Nine Elms Gas Works.

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.

See also: Phoenix Gas Company's and Vauxhall Gas Works


Operation

1833 to 1865


Location

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Located in

London


Produced

Gas, Tar, Coke, Ammonia, Sulphur


Used Raw Materials

Coal


Ownership

From To Owner
1833 1883 London Gas Light Company
1883 1883 Gas Light & Coke Company


Industry

From To Industry
1833 1865 Coal Gas Industry