Thanet photographer Mike Nichols has dusted off these brilliant photos of inside Ramsgate’s gasworks before it ceased manufaturing in 1958.
The pictures are part of the former Kent Regional News photographer’s archives.
The gasworks were built in 1824 and had six gasholders. Originally it was on the other side of Boundary Road, where Aldi now is, then operated on both sides before being completely moved to the site were the red brick office and clock still stands.
It was taken on by the Local Board in 1877.The local Board and later Ramsgate Corporation ran the site until 1949.
On nationalisation in 1949 the undertaking became part of the Thanet Group of the Kent County Division of SEGB. Gas manufacture ceased at Ramsgate works in 1958 and the site became a holder station.
The offices, railed area, depot, adjoining walls and gate for the gasworks in Boundary Road are grade II listed.
During World War One, in November 1917, two bombs hit the gas works, falling between the gas holders and the rear of the office.
The site was bombed again during World War Two, in August 1940, when eight members of staff were lucky enough to survive after taking refuge in an Anderson shelter at the rear of the offices.
In 2007 and application was made to create 96 homes on the site. Some decontamination work took place but then stopped.
Demolition and remediation works then took place in 2010 but the site remains undeveloped and there are concerns over contamination of the ground.
It is listed in Thanet’s Draft Local Plan – outlining development plans up until 2031 -for the 96 homes.
The council has scheduled these to be built between 2021 and 2026.
Should have sited the new fire station on this site instead of Newington Road, especially as the Warre Rec was given to the people of Ramsgate for leisure purposes only, not to finance a shortfall of Thanet council who have pocketed (so I was told) a six figure sum from it’s sale.
That would of been a much better site for the firer station sadly still contaruination !