Site Record

The gas company in Barry was formed by a Special Act in 1886. The gas company was known as the Barry Gas and Water Company in 1893, as reported in the Barry Dock News of that year. The gasworks constructed were described in the Barry Dock News of the 6th of December 1889 as “The directors have had to face the difficulty of a low authorised capital, and the works have been carried out with a rigid adherence to economy in construction, at the same time offering every facility for rapid extension. With what degree this end has been attained may be realised from the fact that the production of gas could be readily increased to double, treble, or even quadruple that provided for by the carbonizing section. The buildings at present consist of a retort house, about 100 feet in length by 73 in width (this for the time serving as retort house and coal stores combined), engine, exhauster, boiler houses, workshops, stores, photometer, and testing room, and meter, and governor house. There are other buildings to be erected, but these with the exception of the offices and show rooms for fittings, gas stoves, etc. are not absolutely necessary for the present. As the offices will serve for the joint Gas and Water undertakings”. The Barry and Cadoxton Local Board (Gas and Water) Bill went through parliament in 1894 for the compulsory purchase of the Barry Gas and Water Company (Barry Dock News 1894). In 1896 the annual gas production was 28m cu.ft. from 2,800 tons of coal. 530 consumers. Mr F. M. Harris was Engineer, Manager & Secretary. In 1900 the annual gas production was 76.6m cu.ft. from 7,303 tons of coal, the illuminating power was 16cp. There were 3,178 consumers of whom 2,244 had slot meters. 686 public lamps. Mr. F. M. Harris, Engineer & Manager. In 1914 annual gas production was 194m cu.ft. coal gas plus 11m cu.ft. of water gas from 18,200 tons of coal. 1,402 ordinary meters, 5,100 slots, 5,937 stoves and 978 public lamps, of which 229 were incandescent. 35 miles of mains. Two holders, total capacity 900,000 cu.ft.. Thomas E. Franklin, Engineer, Manager & Secretary. In 1938 Barry UDC Gas, Water and Electricity Department. R. L. Aspinal, Engineer & Manager, G. E. Childs, Asst E&M. Annual gas production of gas 374m cu.ft.. 2,512 ordinary consumers, 7,652 slot meters, total 10,164 plus 1,297 public lamps. In 1947 the annual gas production was 493m cu.ft. of which 324m cu.ft. was water gas, Coal carbonised 15,211 tons. Oil consumed by CWG plant 516,748 gallons. In 1949 the annual gas production was 485m cu.ft. of 430cv gas. Inclined retorts and CWG. S. D. Coole. Engineer & Manager. The works appears to have taken a bulk supply of gas from Cardiff, ceasing production not long before nationalisation. Cardiff had gained a major supply of unpurified Coke Oven Gas from the new Guest Iron & Steel Works. Vested in the Wales Gas Board from the Barry Corporation. 1951 An aerial photograph suggests the works may have closed. Spacious and orderly layout. Tall retort house next to the railway boundary inclines. Very tall cast-iron tower scrubber. One column guided and one (larger) spiral. In 1952 the “Gas World Year Book”, showed that Barry was purchasing 450m cu.ft. of gas from other works and was no longer manufacturing gas. It was retained for gas storage. S.D. Coole was the engineer and manager. The undertakings records are held at the Glamorgan Archives. The gasworks were visible on the 1898 to 1972 OS maps.