South Metropolitan Gas Company

The South Metropolitan Gas Company was a British gas company founded in 1829.

It selected a site on the eastern side of the Old Kent Road, adjacent to the Grand Surrey Canal for its works, which were completed in 1833. Offices for the company were added in 1834.

Thomas Livesey was appointed chief officer of the company in 1839.

The company was incorporated by an act of Parliament in 1842, the South Metropolitan Gas Light and Coke Company Act 1842 (5 & 6 Vict. c. lxxix).

Thomas's son, George Livesey, joined the company in 1848, as his father's assistance, becoming general manager in 1857 and chief engineer in 1862. In 1871, following the death of Thomas Livesey, George became company secretary, a position he held until 1885 when he became chairman.

In 1880, the South Metropolitan Gas Company acquired the Phoenix Gas Light and Coke Company, bringing additional gasworks in Rotherhithe Street, Vauxhall, Bankside, and Thames Street in Greenwich.

In 1885, the company acquired two Woolwich gas companies, the Equitable Gas Company and the Consumers Gas Company.

The company was nationalised by the Gas Act 1948 in 1949, and became part of the Metropolitan Division of the South Eastern Gas Board.

Old Kent Road Gas Works
51.48306°N, -0.05861°W

East Greenwich Gas Works
51.49972°N, 0.00472°W

In 1881 a new site in East Greenwich, opposite Blackwall, was acquired, and the gasworks opened on 30 July 1887.

Part of the site is now covered by The O2 Arena.

Phoenix Gas Works, Bankside
51.5075°N, -0.10056°W

A gas works was built at Bankside in 1814. In 1821 it was sold to the South London Gas Company, which later became the Phoenix Gas Light and Coke Company.

The site was sold in 1938, with the land being used to expand Bankside Power Station.

Vauxhall Gas Works
51.48611°N, -0.12528°W

The Phoenix Gas Company purchased the Vauxhall site, a redundant water treatment works, in 1847 from the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company in 1847. The works were located south of Vauxhall Bridge, and north of the River Effra.

Thames Street Gas Works
51.48278°N, -0.01722°W

Also known as West Greenwich Gas Works.