CROYDON GAS COMPANY

This collection includes reports and accounts, correspondence, miscellaneous files, stocks and shares, Acts of Parliament, building records, estate drawings and photographs, plant records, technical drawings, production records, rule books, photographs and minute books.

• <corpname>Croydon Commercial Gas and Coke Company</corpname>
• <corpname>Croydon Gas Company</corpname>

In August 1846 the Croydon Commercial Gas and Coke Company was formed with a capital of £20,000. A rival company - The Croydon Gas & Coke Company was also in existence and in December 1846 the latter agreed to dispose of their rights to the Croydon Commercial Gas & Coke Company on condition they could retain the lands already purchased to build a gasworks.

In March 1847 Mr Patton was appointed the first manager and by 1866 the Company had acquired further land at Waddon and completed the new works in 1867. An AoP in 1904 authorised the undertaking to change its name to the Croydon Gas Company. By 1906 the works occupied about 31 acres. The offices and the main showroom were in Katherine St, about one and a half miles from the works. In 1929 the company acquired further premises in Purley Way which were converted into stove repair shops, meter stores, a testing station and a garage (the William Cash Workshops). A further gasholder station at Whyteleafe had also been added by 1935. The company absorbed the Carshalton Gas Company in 1894 and the Caterham and District Gas Company in 1905. It then took over the Oxted and Limpsfield Gas Company in 1931. By 1936 it supplied an area of 73 square miles. On nationalisation in 1949 the undertaking became part of the East Surrey Division of SEGB.