Catalogue description DERBY GAS LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY

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Derby Gas Light and Coke Company

• Gas industry

At the instigation of the local authority, in response to public demand, the Derby Gas Light and Coke Co was formed and incorporated by AoP on 22.6.1820. The works were situated at Cavendish St. The 1841 Derby Gas Act extended the area of supply and in 1848, in response to the emergence of a rival company, the Derby GLCC underwent re-organisation and set up a central office on Victoria St. The area of supply was further extended to include Littleover, Chaddesden, Normanton and Peartree, by the Derby Gas Act 1852 and subsequently a new works was planned at Litchurch with access to the LMS railway c.1860. The new works were situated on land required by the LMS Railway Co. for the extension of their line to Ormanston from Derby. An agreement was reached and under the Midland Railway (Derby Gas) Act 1867 lands were exchanged allowing for the building of a much larger gas works. The Litchurch works were considerably larger than those at Cavendish St and became the company's principal site. In 1915 a new 'B' works was built on the same site across the canal to meet an increase in demand due to the war.

In 1902, the company acquired the Duffield, Quordon and Allestree Gas Co. The Derby gas Act 1903 expanded the supply limits to include Chellaston, Elvaston and Aston-on-Trent. The Derby Gas Act 1906 allowed for the acquisition of the Spondon, Oakbrook and Borrowash Gas Co and the Mickleover and Etwall Gas Co. To these were added the Belper Gas Co and the small Milford Gasworks in 1908. All the works except Belper were closed down and by 1932 the Litchurch works was used to supply peak loads only as Derby was now fed off a new grid mains system from Blackwell and Clay Cross. In 1934, Langley Mill and Heanor Gas Co was acquired. During WWII the Litchurch works was brought back into production to meet increased demand and plans to extend the works were followed through after Nationalisation.

In 1949 the company became part of the Derby sub-division of the Notts and Derby division of the EMGB.

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