Amble gas works
 

My mother's family have lived in Amble since the late 1800s after losing their farm at Stannington. They used to live at the gas works at the bottom of the Wynd and I am trying to find out some information on the gas works so if anyone knows of anywhere I can get this I would be grateful. I also noticed that the family aren't on the electoral register - they were the Straker family.

Maggie Nicholls:rolleyes:

Hi Maggie, welcome to the forum. I think we might have a page missing from the 1926 register; the last page, which will be the Wynd 'even numbers' by the look of it.. Hopefully I (or someone) will be able to collect the missing data from the Woodhorn Archives at some point and update it.

Hi Maggie and welcome to the site. Having worked in the gas industry and written a history of pensions in that business I do know that there is a national gas museum in Leicester which holds a lot of the old records.
There could well be some stuff there probably deposited by the old Northern Gas Board.
You can find it by googling.

Amble gas works
 

Many thanks to you for the information - brilliant. I will have a look at the archives at the National Gas Museum. I noticed the gas works are on the ordnance survey map of Amble that I have from 1860 but I think my family moved in there shortly afterwards.

Maggie

If you look on the sister site, the section dealing with the history of Amble, you will see a "Who was who of old Amble". Read about John Henderson who erected the gas works.
According to McAndrews the first gas company was formed in 1848. Morrison and Rylance suggest that the works were originally at Henderson Street before the move to the Wynd. The 1860 map of Amble shows the works at the bottom of the Wynd.

I think Hendersons gas works were in Henderson street in the patch of land we knew as "Luckhirts Garden" when we were kids. This venture gave way to the one at the bottom of the Wynd.
I remember the house down there and that the Strakers were involved, Alwyn Straker worked on the team which did installations etc. The family were well established in Amble and still are, they also migrated to Shilbottle and Alnwick too.

Was Always Lock Horses gardens , when we were kids a "Bastardisation Of Luckhirts?? never heard it called that though . Who was Luckhirts any idea

Did the gasworks produce gas or was it merely a gasometer for storage?

It was originally a gas manufactory and supplied Amble and Warkworth with town gas.

On the 1926 Electoral roll there is a Luckhirst family living at 2 Henderson Street.

Right next door to the "Garden"

When did it stop production! I have
a vague memory of a gasometer and some kind of works there in early fifties ?

Our house was built 1886 and still has the old lead gas pipes in the walls and in some places under the floors. In the living room two pipes run up the walls and are plastered in to about head height, either side of the fireplace. They are also in the main bedroom. Supplied from the Wynd I assume.

John Henderson 1819-1875
Ship Owner and Gas Manufacturer.

Born in Morpeth in 1819.


1841 census – Plumber, lodging in Warkworth;

1851 census – Plumber and Gas Manufacturer, living on the Wynd;

1861 census – Gas Manufacturer, living in Greenfield Terrace;

1871 census – Shipowner, living at the Gas Works.


1 July 1875- death, buried on 5 July at Warkworth

18 December 1875 - His probate gives his occupation as ship owner and gas manufacturer.

Builder of Henderson’s Buildings and later Henderson Street. Auction of properties in 1894, relate to dwelling houses and building plots in Henderson Street.

Obituary Alnwick Mercury 24 July 1875:

“We regret to record the death of the above gentleman, which took place suddenly at his residence. Mr Henderson was a native of Morpeth, and was the eldest son of the late John Marshall Henderson, plumber, who was well known as one of the leading tradesmen in Morpeth some 30 years ago. Mr Henderson served his apprenticeship with his father, and subsequently commenced business in Warkworth, about 30 years ago; and, as Amble at that time began to rise in commercial importance, Mr Henderson removed there from Warkworth. He here erected gas works on his own account, lighting both the villages of Amble and Warkworth. Mr Henderson was also well known in Blyth, where on the commencement of the Blyth Water Works, he was engaged by Sir M W Ridley to lay the water mains from Newsham which now supply the town with water. He was the first gas fitter known in Blyth, and was for a few years a partner in the firm of Henderson and Thompson, (now Thompson and Grantham) plumbers, in Blyth. In conclusion, we may say that the deceased gentleman will long be remembered as a tradesman and ship owner, and was remarkable for his unostentatious manner and untiring industry.”

Note: Only son, John Marshall Henderson, married Jane Scott in 1869. She was the daughter of Adam Scott, manufacturer of Acklington Park.
In 1871 they were living in Kilnbank House, on the Wynd. John was a salt manufacturer.
In 1879 he was declared bankrupt with liabilities of £9000 but apparently holding assets in excess of that sum.
In 1881 he is living on the Isle of Wight and is consul for the German Empire.
In 1891 he is living on his own means in Poole, Dorset.
13 February 1898, dies in Amble. Probate gives his address as Poole and his occupation, oyster grower.

Here's the equipment basics for the Victorian town gas plant.

From right to left it is:

Gas Retorts, Furnace and Hydraulic Main, Coolers, Coke Condenser, Lime Purifier, Gasholder.




http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag..._equipment.jpg

This is the front of the furnace:

Fire behind door 'E', heating coal in the chambers or retorts 'A' ('C' on the other diagram) and the gas taken off by pipes 'H' into 'G' That last bit is not clear, but I have another picture!

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...equipment2.jpg

end result:

:)


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...equipment4.jpg

Somewhere on the forum, Coquet put up an image from the "Britain From Above" archive and on the image you can see the gasometer in the top left and that was taken in 1932.

As an aside, there is a new image on that site showing the harbour in 1947. It shows the Raf base and also a building near Cliff House which I dont have clue about. Looks a bit like a coast guard or look out post??

Just found an image for Coquet Island too. You can see Hauxley and Newborough pits in the background too.

Yes there was a coastguard lookout by Cliff house and a flagstaff .My grans house still had gas lighting (23 church street)up to about 1948,I remember her proudly showing me the switchs for the electric lights!!!