London is supplied with gas by fourteen companies, having twenty gas-making
establishments in different parts of the town and its suburbs.
The Chartered Gas Company, already alluded to, have three stations:
the principal one in the Horseferry Road, Westminster; another in Brick Lane,
Finsbury; and a third in Curtain Road, Shoreditch.
The City Gas Company was established in 1817; their works are situate
in Dorset Street, Blackfriars Bridge.
The Imperial Gas Company was established in 1821. They have three
stations; one near Battle Bridge, King's Cross; one at Fulham; and one in the
Hackney Road.
The Ratcliff Gas Company, established in 1823, have works at New
Crane, Wapping.
The British Gas Company, established in 1824, have works in Broad
Street, Ratcliff Highway.
The Phoenix Gas Company was established in 1824, and supply the south
side of London only. They have thhree gas-making stations; one in Bankside,
Southwark; one at Greenwich; and one at Vauxhall. They have also two separate
gas-holder stations, one in Wellington Street, Blackfriars, and one at
Kennington.
The Independent Gas Company was established in 1825, and their works
are at Haggerstone.
The Equitable Gas Company, established in 1830, have works at Thames
Bank, Pimlico.
The London Gas Company was established in 1833. Their works are in
Lambeth, near Vauxhall Bridge, but their mans cross the bridge, and extend a
considerable disgrace on thge north side of the Thames.
The South Metropolitan Gas Company was established in 1834, and have
works in the Old Kent Road.
The Deptford Gas Company, established in 1836, have works at Deptford
Creek.
The Commercial Gas Company, established in 1840, have works at
Stepney.
The Western Gas Company establised in 1849, a station at Kensall
[sic] Green, for the purpose of supplying the north-western part of London with
gas, made form a peculiar kind of coal (Cannel Coal), and of a superior
illuminating power to that supplied by the other companies. The price charge is
higher than for the ordinary gas; but a smaller quantity suffices to produce an
equal light.
The Great Central Gas Consumers' Company was founded in 1850, in
consequence of an agitation promoted in the city, for obtaining gas at a cheaper
rate of cost than it had hithero been afforded by the gas companies. Their works
are at Bow Common.
The united investment of the companies is nearly 4,000,000l and the
average dividend paid has been between five and six per cent. The amount
recieved for the sale of gas in 1848 was upwards of 700,000l.
'London Exhibited in 1852', 1852
see also W.J.Gordon on 'The Lighting of London' - click here