Croydon Commercial Gas and Coke Company

In August 1846 the Croydon Commercial Gas and Coke Company was formed with a capital of £20,000. A rival company--The Croydon Gas & Coke Company--was also in existence and, in December 1846, the latter agreed to dispose of their rights to the Croydon Commercial Gas & Coke Company on condition they could retain the lands already purchased to build a gasworks.

In March 1847, Mr. Patton was appointed the first manager and by 1866 the Company had acquired further land at Waddon; a year later the company had completed the new works.

An Act of Parliament in 1904 authorised the undertaking to change its name to the Croydon Gas Company and, by 1906, the works occupied an area of about 31 acres.

In 1929 the company acquired further premises in Purley Way which were converted into stove repair shops, meter stores, a testing station, and a garage (the William Cash Workshops). A further gasholder station at Whyteleafe had also been added by 1935. The company absorbed a number of companies including:

• The Carshalton Gas Company in 1894
• The Caterham and District Gas Company in 1905
• The Oxted and Limpsfield Gas Company in 1931.
  

By 1936 it supplied an area of 73 square miles. On nationalisation in 1949, the undertaking became part of the East Surrey Division of SEGB.

By Paul Green