A Secret Garden In Bromley-by-Bow Gas Works
Standing proud (if a little unloved) in Bromley-by-Bow are seven gasometers of the former Gas Works.
You can see them from a good distance away, but I recently stumbled across a nearby secret garden; far less conspicuous, but an absolute delight!
Staying Local
During the national lockdown I’ve been enjoying exploring my local area, venturing off the beaten track in the hope of finding some historic gems.
On nice days a walk along Bow Creek and the Lea Valley is lovely, but last week I decided to have a closer look at the gas holders.
Bromley Gas Works
Built between 1870-73, the Imperial Gas Light and Coke Company occupied a huge area of land on Bow Creek.
All that’s left now are seven gasometers (of the original eight) but from the maps below you can see the scale of their site, previously 65 hectares.
Section of the Charles Booth Poverty Map (1886-1903) from layersoflondon.org. You can see the circles of the gasometers and then the expanse of the plant below.
And the site today, home to a business park.
Current satellite view from Google Maps. You can still see the circular gas holders and the green space where the garden can be found is just below them. The rest of the area is now Prologis Business Park.
But back to the gas holders, the cast-iron framed gas holders were designed by Joseph Clark and engineered by Thomas Kirkham.
A few years later these works were bought by the (confusingly similarly named) Gas Light and Coke Company who absorbed many smaller ones and are the descendants of today’s British Gas.
Gas continued to be produced here until the 1960s and today the gasometers still store natural gas.
The Memorial Garden
Beyond the gasometers is a small section of woodland and if you do go along a short path you’re in for a surprise.
A recreational garden opened in 1897 for the staff of the gas works but in the mid-20th century a memorial garden was erected to remember the workers who had died in two World Wars.
There’s an attractive little columned rotunda with lovely details.
In the centre it contains a stone-backed memorial names of employees who died during The First and Second World War.
Beside it there’s a further memorial listing the “comrades in these works who during the great war laid down their lives”. I thought this might refer to employees who were killed while at work.
Although this memorial refers to the First World War, the gasometers were a key target for the Luftwaffe and suffered a hit on 15 September 1940 during the Second World War. One gas holder was completely destroyed.
On the far right is a large gas lamp. It’s continuously burning which I found quite poignant.
There’s also a statue of Sir Corbet Woodhall (1841-1916). He was an engineer and Governor of the Gas Light and Coke Company. The statue was previously at the Beckton Gasworks and moved here when they closed.
According to Pevsner in London 5: East there were planned improvements in 2004 for Eger Architects with Ove Arup to design a ‘daring’ Woodlands Community Resource Centre. Nothing seems to have happened.
The only other historic reminders can be found a short walk away, one brick building rubbing shoulders with the fulfilment centres and depots.
From the map below it looks like the building reached by paths below;
Section of the OS Map (1893-96) from layersoflondon.org
A helpful Facebook user informed me this was the former control office and used to house the London Gas Museum. The museum closed in the late 1990s, merging its collection with the Leicester Gas Museum.
The building is currently for sale as an office with accommodation above – and a roof terrace! Find out more here.
Outside on the floor is what I assumed to be the Company’s initials, but I may be wrong, any guesses?
Today this little garden can very easily be overlooked. It just goes to show there’s history to be found everywhere, even in the most desolute-looking industrial estates!
John
I eagerly await your blog each week. It’s excellent for this one-time Londoner (b. Acton 1936). Could have done with more pics of the steel of the gas holders. You should get yourself a drone, Katie. It’s a fascinating addition for a keen photographer.
Katie Wignall
Thank you John. Ooh that’s a good shout on the drone, perhaps when I’m doing tours again I might invest! I actually do have more pictures of the gasholders but thought too many pictures might be overkill, I might add a few more in!
Jean Lumb
Thank you for enlightening us about this structure Katie. We often pondered about it on our way past on our narrowboat. Always intrigued by the hidden gardens and history you unveil of this fabulous city.
Katie Wignall
You’re welcome Jean, by river/canal/ is always such a lovely way to see the City! Thank you for your kind donations too, it’s such a help at the moment. All the best, Katie
Rob Welsford
Loving these Katie! Helps with the pining-for-London pangs I’m constantly getting. Waaah! 😩
Keep yourself safe M’Dear
Katie Wignall
Thanks Rob, you too!
chris savory
i was born in devons rd- never knew this existed.
katie you might want to examine’barmy park’ off fairfied rd bow-fascinating pice of victorian history.
Katie Wignall
Hi Chris, glad I could share something new.
I know about Bethnal Green’s ‘Barmy Park’ and its old hospital which is now a library but not sure about the park off Fairfield Road? That road does have the fabulous old Bryant and May Factory though which is fascinating.
Hannah Jameison
Thank you so much foe this Katie! I’ve seen many pictures of the gasworks but this garden is remarkable! At that building in the middle of all the modern ones is delightful ! Keep Safe and thank you again x
Patricia Wilkey
Thank you Katie, I love these little surprise chunks of history.
Pat
Dawn charlton
Thank you Katie for once again giving us interesting information. Although I am in lockdown you bring these places to us. Keep up the good work
Wendy Johnson
I love this! I’m always looking for hidden/secret gardens and will definitely find this one sometime.
Adrian Butters
Yes, interesting about gasometers in London. Does anyone ( of a certain age 😌) remember the old gasometers just outside St Pancras station ? One of the first big structures visable when coming into London (apart from GPO tower)
Brenda Muston
Hi. Katie.
As a child I lived in Kensal Rise. There was a gas works in Kensal Green. This was next to the canal and next to that was the famous Kensal Green Cemetery. Also nearby was the railway line, which ran into Willesden Junction station
These were targets for the bombers during the war. If you go to the back wall of the cemetery, you will find a lot of damaged graves where bombs aiming for the works or the Juction hit the graves. My dad worked in the gasworks there during the war. They were never sure what they were going to find in the mornings after a raid. To put it neck it wasn’t very pleasant.
Georgia Coalso
This hidden gem is stunning. What a find and thank you for sharing. Makes me want to hop a plane!
Georgia
Phillip Hanton
Dear Katie
Thankyou fro sharing this with us I found it fascinating and hope to go and take a look sometime.
Philip
Patrick Keep
Yes. You can see them in one of the cop shows of the time too.
Stephen Barker
Fascinating blog. The gasholders look like they could do with a lick of paint. Saying that I did wonder whether they and the ironwork in the garden were originally multi-coloured rather than being painted one colour as they are now. On the OS map you reproduced to show the location of the brick building, I noticed nearby a long narrow building with cross hatching, do you happen to know if that was a greenhouse or frames for use by the gardeners of the staff garden.
Katie Wignall
Thanks Stephen, yes they are a bit shabby chic but I quite like that! I’m not sure what colour they were originally. Sorry i’m not sure I’ve spotted that narrow building, when I’m next there I’ll take a look but didn’t spot it originally.