North Walsham Gas Works, Mundesley Road. Gale damage to the Gasometer in March 1895. Photo by Maclean - North Walsham Photograph

North Walsham Gas Works, Mundesley Road. Gale damage to the Gasometer in March 1895. Photo by Maclean

(24 Mar 1895 / North Walsham, Norfolk)

The North Walsham Gas Works was situated just off Nelson Street on the land that is now the Mundesley Road Car Park and this photograph taken by Maclean, shows damage done to the gas-holder by a gale which struck on Sunday, March 24th 1895.
The Gas Works was erected by James Malem in 1838 and later sold to a company of share holders who made considerable extensions and improvements.
In 1927 the shares were sold to the British Gas-Light Company which had its Registered Office at No. 2 The Abbey Gardens, Westminster.
In the 20's the Gas Works manager was a Mr George Robinson and he was succeeded by his son, Walter, assisted by a second son, George who was the stoker.
Walter continued as manager until his death in September 1952.
A piece of excitement occurred during the Second World War when a bomb fell near the Gas Works and the gas holder was punctured by a piece of shrapnel.
As gas was then supplied with the help of a 'penny-in-the-slot-meter', Walter's children, Betty and George, were given a pile of pennies and asked to get round as many people as possible to ask them to use some gas.....so that the gas holder would go down and bring the puncture under the water level and thus stop the gas leaking.
The Works continued to produce 'Town Gas' from coal and to sell its by-product, coke, until the late 1960's when the system was converted to the new 'Natural Gas' from the Bacton Gas site.

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