Contents

PREFACE

PART 1 – INTRODUCTION

1. COAL TAR BEFORE THE INVENTION OF COAL GAS

2. COAL GAS AND THE GAS LIGHT & COKE COMPANY 

3. THE FIRST BY-PRODUCTS FROM GAS MANUFACTURE

4. THE GAS LIGHT & COKE CO AND ITS CHEMICAL BY-PRODUCTS

PART 2 – BECKTON PRODUCTS WORKS 1879 - 1970

5. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WORKS

6. THE FORMATIVE YEARS

7. THOMAS WILTON AND THE BECKTON RANGERS

8. THE FIRST WORLD WAR

9. BETWEEN THE WARS – EXPANSION AND MODERNISATION

10. THE SECOND WORLD WAR

11. THE POST WAR YEARS – REGENERATION AND NATIONALISATION

12. DECLINE AND CLOSURE

PART 3 – ANCILLARY MATTERS

13. TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

14. EMPLOYMENT, WELFARE AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES

15. PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES

APPENDIX I EAST LONDON TAR DISTILLERS

APPENDIX II PURCHASERS OF GAS LIQUOR AND AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS FROM THE GLCC

APPENDIX III EAST LONDON SULPHURIC ACID MANUFACTURERS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

TABLES 1&2 PRODUCTION STATISTICS

WORKS PLANS

CHART PRODUCTS OBTAINABLE FROM COAL