The East Greenwich gas holder is being demolished. It was the largest holder in the world when it was built with revolutionary engineering. It remains a dramatic feature in the landscape and an icon for the area. But despite great public support to keep it or adapt it to another use -it’s going. Like all the other holders where local people asked for demolition to be halted as another solution found the procedure remorseless and unforgiving. they are all going
The East Greenwich holder is the second in the series which Malcolm Tucker has described as the Livesey holders’. It was built for the South Metropolitan Gas Company as part of their new modern gasworks on the Greenwich Peninsula in the 1880s. South Metropolitan had originally been based in the Old Kent Road as a relatively small company dating from the late 1820s. in 1839 Thomas Livesey had been appointed as manager and he was determined to make the Then insignificant South Metropolitan Company ‘take the lead’ in the London gas industry. he died in 1871 and was replaced by his eldest son. George Livesey, clever And unconventional, was to become the dominant figure in the late 19th century gas industry with an involvement in almost every possible issue, Often against the wishes of his Board. This included changing the basis of profit and price management in the industry as well as labour relations and much technology. he was also national figure in the temperance movement.
George Livesey had been responsible for a series of gas holders at the Old Kent Road from 1865, each one embodying new ideas. it is also worth noting that there was considerable interest in the trade press and among other engineers on the development of gas holder design in this period. In 1881 gasholder No13 was put into use. this had been designed by Livesey on what Malcolm Tucker has described as the ‘revolutionary cylindrical shell principle’. It was of an unprecedented 5.5m cu ft in capacity with three lifts making it 160 foot high? It is also very plain with no applied decoration and. Playing this was the result of recommendations made to Livesey by the American major dresser that structures should represent what they were and not that’s foreshadowing ideas for industrial buildings in the modern movement thank you thus described, by Malcolm, as a ‘new benchmark for gas holder design’. Its construction costs were extraordinarily low at £8.10s per 1000 cu.ft. it is was also built in the knowledge that gas consumption was increasing by about 10% a year thus providing the necessary storage. This holder is now listed and will be preserved in situ in the Old Kent Road.
From the 1870s governments were keen to see small inner-city gas works replaced by a large efficient out of town works. In this period Livesey had negotiated takeovers of most other SouthLondon gas companies and it was then decided to build a large modern works on what is now known as Greenwich Peninsula, then Greenwich Marsh. The Marsh had been rapidly industrialising since around 1800, mainly on Riverside sites concentrated on the West Bank. South Met acquired roughly the northernmost third of the peninsula an area then known as Blackwall Point. it was originally planned to have five holders in the sSouth eEast corner of the site but initially construction began on one to be a copy of No.13 Old Kent Road with the majority of work on it to be done by George’s younger brother, Frank. Early on problems were enccounteredas water from the Marsh flooded in fruingexcaxations for the tank Freddie ‘causing widespread mischief all around’. as a result the holder was built slightly raised with steps going up to a small. Mound. The tank being 4 m above ground levelit it was described as an ‘iron Mountain against the sky’.
Was then the largest gas holder in the world
A Second holder larger was built adjacent to it itself with more revolutionary structure which caused great excitement in the professional press of the day. it’s suffered a major accident in the Silvertown explosion in 1917 and was eventually demolished in the 1989s to little publicity or impact interest of anyone except myself. Together the two holders have been described as constituting the largest concentration of gas storage ever or Katze
The original number one holder remained on site increasingly isolated as industry around it closed the gasworks itself closed in. The holder is said to have it damaged both in the 1917 explosion and again in the Second World War but most particularly in 1979 when an IRA bomb it was exploded alongside it it was considerably damaged on its western side but this was repaired and colder remind in use. The associated gasworks had by 1976 stop making gas but activity cannot connected with the associated chemical another works continued for some years the gas hold it self appears to have been eventually decommissioned
There had been at least one attempt to get the holder listed in the 1990s and this are the process surrounding this and other data applications have been explored through freedom of information methods by members of the campaign group. In 2000 Malcolm Tucker was commissioned by what was there an English heritage to do a study plan of gas holders in London is spinach was not one included in his sample survey.p are there so there is a short chapter about it. This study has in many ways provides a benchmark for holders in the London area
Use began to spread of holders worldwide which rather than big demolished were given other uses some extremely imaginative a conference was held in London in 2014 where guess holder that’s were discussed and it became clear that demolitions without receipt relatively quickly off gem had provided money and instruction that all gas holders except there is listed where to begin withAt work again setting up progress of demolition by site owners and Greenwich a small group was formed to try and do what we could do either get listing for the holder to in someway ensure that it could be used in some of the many ways in which old holders were being used Greenwich council appeared neutral on the subject and the lobbying again the council had issued planning brief for the side of the holder and its immediate surroundings which included other important buildings the eventual brief Smith about the retention of days and will be greatly heartened by this
We then learnt that the owners had applied for them unity to listings order that this was granted this bed essentially that the council could not refuse planning consent the demolition of the holder but could only comment on the management of such demolition there was also before the council The council was also required to move the hazardous substances order the first application for management of demolition was submitted in Christmas week in 2016 was it and refused the second application was submitted shortly before the 2016 2016 elections in a put a period when councillors are not allowed to take decisions and it was then agreed on officers action
The campaign group at set up a petition online which quickly achieved have a mini cinctures it go a poo associated pay petition also save many signatures and is appeared that go from door to door most residents were eager to sign to keep for the holder to be kept as a local feature.Clearly the urban explorers have been to the top to hold their website contains such a Matic for years
The holder received a great deal of attention with Alex calls in local papers and in blocks add a great deal of support from other people it is however inevitable that hold it was going to get come down six list it was impossible we have since learnt following a number of meetings were going to founders I’m with southern gas networks we have had to visit the site and extensive photographs survey in addition to the professional survey carried out by a A OC archaeology record SGN have agreed to commission an artwork associated with a holder and it is also possible that booklet will accompany it
Must put in the Silvertown tunnel
This in the context of other local holders we are aware of campaigns north the weather all of which accept that this unsuccessful except the possibility that the Bethnal green holder which is apparently now in other ownership in south London are there are snake is the belfry holders well ugly listed by Lewisham Council but that does not prevent it there demolition which is now on going holder in Bromley has gone and we understand St Mary‘s cry also follow I’m both of these sites they have been strong local objections
Very to go through the various steps of the campaign and petition. SG him have been on the whole helpful we’ve had to visit the site and ace artwork is planned we are aware of the many many other campaign switcher am going on to try and save holders most which fits me held a great estate by the local populations in around them I nearest notice at Belgrade in Sidnam persuade the National Council to locally list that you hold is there to know avail definition is now proceeding on them as well we understand that Henderson are soon to go there have been made to cappings Horningsea added dated some of the Tower Hamlets holders it does seem likely that the very good looking automatically cited Bethnal green holder built by the parent gas company will remain in that is that no longer in the air gas company ownership and a simple I developer who is that excluded from the off came rolling
Is finish definition the east Greenwich were sent me this whole and welcome I suspect is news to the many thousands of passage every day on the Lapwater approach it will be interesting to see if there is more comments then Islington I think Newcomen members may well be interested in what Malcolm Tucker is continuing to find as the holders demolished.
Certificate immunity is August 2017 or September
A detailed photographic record was carried out by a OC archaeology group and it is understood that they return as demolition continues
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