488 Scientific Industries. 



THE GAS LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY, BECKTON. 



Land to the north-east of North Woolwich being cheap in 1868, 

 the Gas Light and Coke Company, the oldest, largest, and most 

 scientific gas company in the world, bought 500 acres, on which they 

 erected works. Houses were soon built around the works for the 

 accommodation of the employees, and the district assumed the 

 name of Beckton, after Mr. S. A. Beck, the chairman of the company 

 when the land was purchased. A church, chapel, institute, canteen, 

 and recreation ground were added. The company had been 

 formed in 1809, obtaining a charter the year following to supply 

 " the cities of London and Westminster " with gas. Pall Mall 

 was the first street lighted by them, and in spite of opposition and 

 ridicule the new illuminant steadily supplanted other and cruder 

 forms of lighting or want of lighting. The object of erecting gas 

 works at Beckton for a gas supply to the West End of London, 

 involving the running of two supply mains each four feet in diameter 

 to Kensal Green, at very considerable cost, was to take advantage 

 of the cheaper transport of seaborne coal, compared to rail transport, 

 and the improved appliances for rapidly and cheaply discharging 

 the coal at their wharves which they laid down. The company 

 has two wharves, with berths for six steam colliers of 2,000 tons, 

 and thirty locomotives are in use to take the coal to the retorts. 

 These works can supply more than half the maximum output of 

 the other nine works belonging to the company. Further inland 

 are the tar products works, under quite separate management, and 

 there prussian blue, other cyanides, and sulphuric acid, besides the 

 ordinary tar products, are made. A sulphur recovery process is 

 also carried on. The company has a private road and railway to 

 Canning Town, each about three miles long. 



HILLS & SONS, DEPTFORD. 



This firm was founded in 1822 by the late Mr. John Hills, and 

 they are manufacturers of soap chiefly, though Kent composite 

 candles are also made by them. Mr. Hills was a churchwarden 

 of St. Paul's for many years. 



KNIGHT & SONS, LTD., SILVERTOWN. 



Soapmaking is one of the industries of importance in the district, 

 and the " Primrose " and other brands made by this company are 

 well-known and household words. But soapmaking, to be com- 

 mercially successful, cannot stand alone, and bye-products must 

 be utilised. The stearine, or solid residue remaining in the hydraulic 

 presses after expression of the oil from the fats used, is made into 

 candles. What oil is not required for the best soaps is sent abroad 

 to be manufactured into margarine. Egyptian cotton seed is 



