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Birmingham Gas Deparment Gas Board

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wendy
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Wendy

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Here is another snippet from The Birmingham Weekly Post of 1952. The subject was a hundred years ago.
Unfortunately the article has been lost, but other information on the thread is useful
 
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I think this is about that change from naked flame gas lights to ones using a 'mantle' which glowed from the heat of the flame. About 700 cp is right for a good gas mantle light.
 
Thanks Lloyd I did wonder what it meant. I can remember the first caravan we had had gas lights with mantles. I thought they were lovely. I remember we had a storm lamp which we had to buy mantles for as well.:)
 
A very interesting article, thanks for sharing it.

I remember in 1950 when my parents moved into the two up two down terraced house in Rocky Lane Nechells it still had the gas mantles on the walls in all the rooms (which were proberably all disconnected, but we never tried them!) We did have electricity in all the rooms too.

As a child I remember the large gas pipe in the cellar which ran under the floors of the rooms from the front to back of the house. The coal (bought from the Coop for the Xmas dividend) was stored in the cellar as well as the gas meter which I think either took a penny or a shilling, I cant remember now.

I just know we had a constant battle with mice and it was my job as the eldest child to go down the cellar with only the light from the cellar grid in the day or the half light from the street lamps at night, or a candle to put money in the gas meter or to get a bucket of coal and I hated it especially if the candle went out.

When the gas meter was emptied every quarter we usually got some money back which we put towards the electric bill which was about £5 in the 50's.

Louisa
 
From the cutting, Lichfield lost its last working gas mantle in 1971
Mike

last_gas_mantle_lichfield.jpg
 
What are the names of the pub and street Lyn? I don't have a big collection (yet) but can always keep my eyes open
 
thanks aidan...the pub was the globe inn corner of hospital st/william st north...dad was born there in 1929..it was bombed out during the war killing the gaffer and a couple of customers..the street is paddington street...if you look on the aerial map of newtown i have just posted it stood on the large piece of waste ground you can see...

thank for looking for me...another pair of eyes is always useful..

lyn
 
I worked on the 'sample census' in 1966 (a census where only one household in 10 were obliged to submit details - don't think it's been done again).

I visited on old lady living in Muntz St who still used gas lighting. I wonder if she was the last and only one?
 
Hi Seabird,

The old chap who lived next door to me in the 1950s in
Stechford had never had electricity installed, and still used
his gas lighting. He used to make a weekly trip down to
Albany Garage in Albert Road to have the accumulator
charged for his radio.
We had gas lighting which still worked, but we never used it.

Kind regards

Dave
 
Hi Dave - yes now I think about it, I remember when I was a small child in the 1950s, the gas mantles were still in situ in our house in Mansel Rd, although I don't know if they were still connected. I guess they were taken down as each room got decorated - which wasn't as often as folk do nowadays, in the post war austerity!
 
Extracted from a Name This Building

.... I require the location and what the building is. or should I say was. It should then be no problem telling me what replaced it.

Phil
 

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..... a little printing did go on here on the top floor I think, but not for any journalistic or literary reasons and it wasn't much to do with the main purpose of the building.

Phil
 
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A little clue, this building was originally used by a private company that was bought out by Birmingham Council and they continued in use for the same purpose until it was moved to the locality of the Council House. Then they were first rented and then purchased outright by the concern that I am after and used for an entirely different purpose.

Phil
 
Jayel

You are on the right trail what was the most well known building on Old Square at the time of this photo prior to the one you mention?

Phil
 
Was it Berlin House, Old Square? Although I'm not sure what the connection with Birmingham Council would be. A firm called Jevons & Mellor, Wool Importers and Merchants ran their business from there at one time

Judy
 
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Right the previous use was by a gas company, which was bought out by the Council and became Birmingham Gas Board. They later moved to what is now The Gas House and is part of The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. What I am after is the use at the time of this photo and what it became later after it was rebuilt and then what replaced that.

Phil
 
My grandfather, wounded in WW1 was unable to do a normal job because his hand was crippled, worked for a few years for what was then known as the 'Gas Department'. I think this photo was on the front of one of their booklets which gave a precis of the history of Birmingham. I had this book when I was about seven, but don't know what happened to it. I did not think for one minute that I was right, it was just a stab in the air, but I am pleased.
 
Right we have decided that it was situated in Old Square and we have deduced that it was the original headquarters of the Birmingham Gas board before it moved to the Gas House. We still need the history of this building after that move.

Phil
 
Charlie

And what would it have been before it was Lewis's ?


Mike

I know you have got this photo and information on one of your CD books.


Phil
 
Yes Thats the one Newbury Department store, which was as we all know replaced by Lewis's. So well done Jayell give yourself a pat on the back as can everybody else that took part.

Phil
 
Apparently in 1955 the Public Works Committee decided to abandon its high pressure gas lighting system in the city centre which had been is operation since November, 1934. As no agreement regarding payment could be reached the decision to convert to electricity was taken.
 
my grandad and nan had only gas lighting. up to the 70s.in derby, there was a light in the living room turned on and off by pulling a chain. no lights upstairs it was candles.it fascinated me,i love staying with them
 
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