Catalogue description LIVERPOOL GAS COMPANY

This record is held by National Gas Archive

Details of NW:LIG
Reference: NW:LIG
Title: LIVERPOOL GAS COMPANY
Description:

Administration, finance, legal, estate & property, technical, personnel, marketing, retail and miscellaneous papers
Date: 1845 - 1956
Held by: National Gas Archive, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Liverpool United Gas Company, 1848-1914

Liverpool Gas Company, 1914-1949
Physical description: 9 SERIES
Subjects:
  • Gas industry
Administrative / biographical background:

The Liverpool Gas Light Company was created in 1816 by Jonathan Varty, a coach builder, and the engineer John Hargreaves. It obtained a Charter of Incorporation by A.o.P in 1818. The company whose first works was on Dale St was responsible for lightening up the Town Hall. In 1823 the rival Oil Gas Company was created by an A.o.P to produce gas from oil only. It was assigned different areas of supply from Liverpool Gas Light Company including Everton, Kirkdale and West Derby. In 1834 the restriction on the Oil Gas Company was repealed and it was allowed to make gas from coal. Its name also changed to Liverpool New Gas and Coke Company. For 25 years rivalry between the two companies was bitter and in 1840 the Liverpool Guardian Society for the Protection of Trade launched a campaign to lower gas prices deemed to be excessive. The movement eventually led to the amalgamation by A.o.P of Liverpool Gas Light Company and the New Gas and Coke Company to form the Liverpool United Gas Company in 1848. Areas of supply included Liverpool city and Toxteth Park, West Derby, Everton, Kirkdale, Walton-on-the-Hill, Bootle, Linacre, Litherland, Great Crosby, Wavertree, Allerton and Garston.

 

In 1876 the Liverpool Gas Fitting Company was created to deal with supply, fitting and meter fixing.

 

Further A.o.Ps in 1880, 1882, 1886, 1892 and 1910 extended the Liverpool United Gas Company's area of supply. In 1899 a Superannuation scheme was set up on a 7 1/2 % of salary basis and increased in 1920. In 1914 the Company's name changed to the Liverpool Gas Company and its area of supply was further extended. By 1935 the Company had absorbed: Chidwall Gas Company (1914), Fazakerley (a Liverpool Corporation, 1915), Hightown Gas Company (1925), Woolton Gas Company (1926), Huyton and Roby Gas Company (1933), Formby Gas Company (1935).

 

On Nationalisation in 1949 Liverpool Gas Company vested in NWGB.

Have you found an error with this catalogue description?

Help with your research