Trystan Casey
The history of electricity in London dates back to the early 19th century when inventors like Humphry Davy and M. Le Mott pioneered electric lighting. However, it wasn't until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that electricity became more common in London. The Electric Lighting Acts from 1882 to 1909 enabled local authorities and companies to obtain licences for electricity supply, and the first public electricity generator in Britain was installed in 1881. The world's first coal-fired power station, the Edison Electric Light Station, was built in London in 1882, bringing light and warmth to homes. The 20th century saw continued advancements, with the first national grid opening in 1935, connecting London to cheaper and more stable energy supplies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date when electricity became common in London | 1878 (when Embankment and Holborn Viaduct were illuminated with arc lamps) |
| First public electricity generator in Britain | Installed in Godalming, Surrey in 1881 |
| First public measure dealing with electricity supply | The Electric Light Act passed in 1882 |
| First coal-fired power station | Edison Electric Light Station, built in London in 1882 |
| First integrated national grid | Opened in 1935 |
| London Electricity Board | One of the twelve local electricity boards that bought electricity from the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) |
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What You'll Learn
Humphry Davy invented the electric light in 1806
The road to common electrification in London was a long one, with several key figures contributing to advancements in lighting and energy. One of the earliest pioneers in the field was Humphry Davy, who played a critical role in the development of electric lighting. In 1802, at the age of 23, Davy had the most powerful electrical battery in the world at the Royal Institution. With this battery, he created the first incandescent light by passing an electric current through a thin strip of platinum. Although this early experiment was neither bright enough nor long-lasting, it demonstrated the potential of electric lighting.
Davy continued his experiments, and by 1806, he had developed a much more powerful form of electric lighting. He presented this early form of arc light to the Royal Society in London. Davy's arc lamp consisted of two charcoal rods that produced illumination from an electric arc created between them. While this lamp was also not practical for everyday use, it served as a significant step forward in the development of electric lighting. The principles behind Davy's arc light influenced the creation of many other electric lamps and bulbs throughout the 1800s.
Humphry Davy's contributions to the field of electrochemistry and lighting were significant. He is also known for his discovery of clathrate hydrates and his experiments with nitrous oxide, which he nicknamed "laughing gas". Davy's work in isolating new metals, such as barium, calcium, strontium, and magnesium, was also groundbreaking. His 1806 Bakerian Lecture, "On Some Chemical Agencies of Electricity," was praised as a valuable contribution to the theory of chemistry.
Following Humphry Davy's pioneering work, London continued to make strides in energy and lighting. By 1827, London's network provided gas to almost 70,000 streetlights. The Victorian period witnessed even more significant advancements, with the establishment of the world's first coal-fired power station in London in 1882. The Electric Lighting Acts of 1882 to 1909 further enabled local authorities and companies to obtain licenses and supply electricity. The opening of the world's first integrated national grid in 1935 brought cheaper and more stable energy supplies to London and other cities across the UK.
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The Electric Lighting Acts (1882-1909)
The Electric Lighting Acts of 1882 to 1909 were a series of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that facilitated and regulated the country's early electricity industry. These acts allowed local authorities, companies, and individuals to apply for licences and provisional orders from the Board of Trade to supply electricity. This marked a significant shift from the previous gas-powered lighting that had illuminated London's streets since 1812.
The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 was the first of these measures. It empowered the Board of Trade to authorise electricity supply in any area and allowed suppliers to avoid the costly and time-consuming process of promoting private parliamentary bills to legalise their electricity supply operations. This act also permitted the construction of power stations, but it lacked provisions to address potential nuisances like noise, vibration, smoke, dust, and flame.
The Electric Lighting Act was amended in 1888, extending the local authority reversion period from 21 to 42 years. Further amendments were made in 1899 with the Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act, which established common principles for all provisional orders and incorporated clauses from the previous acts.
The Electric Lighting Act of 1909 reflected the need to reorganise electricity supply to accommodate technical developments. Following this, subsequent Electricity Acts continued to amend the Electric Lighting Acts until 1989, when the whole series was repealed by the Electricity Act, which privatised the UK electricity industry.
The Electric Lighting Acts played a crucial role in the history of energy in the UK. They paved the way for the world's first integrated national grid, which launched in 1935, and contributed to the advancement of electrical ingenuity in the 20th century, such as the first public demonstration of television in 1926 and the establishment of the BBC in 1927.
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The Electric Light Act (1882)
The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 was the first public measure to facilitate and regulate the early electricity industry in the United Kingdom. The Act enabled the Board of Trade to authorise the supply of electricity in any area by a local authority, company, or person. This meant that electricity suppliers no longer had to go through the effort and expense of promoting private parliamentary bills to regularise their legal powers to supply electricity.
The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 was one of several Electric Lighting Acts passed between 1882 and 1909. These Acts permitted local authorities and companies to apply to the Board of Trade for provisional orders and licences to supply electricity. The orders were then confirmed by local Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation Acts. Local authorities and companies could also obtain local acts for electricity supply.
The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 was amended by the Electric Lighting Act of 1888, which extended the local authority reversion period from 21 to 42 years. This Act also required the consent of the local authority prior to the granting of provisional orders, whereas under the 1882 Act, local authorities only needed to be informed. The Electric Lighting Act of 1888 was comprised of five sections, the provisions of which are summarised as follows:
- Section 1 provided that no provisional order shall be granted except with the consent of the local authority.
- Section 2 repealed Section 27 of the 1882 Act, made provision for undertakings to sell their interests to the local authority after a period of 42 years, and ensured the plant was valued as ready for immediate working.
- Section 3 empowered the Board of Trade to vary the terms of sale in Section 2.
The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 was a significant step in the history of energy in the United Kingdom. By the end of the 19th century, London's network provided gas to almost 70,000 streetlights. The world's first coal-fired power station, the Edison Electric Light Station, was built in London in 1882, with the promise of supplying light and warmth to London homes. However, it was not until the 20th century that electricity became more widely available in London and the rest of the United Kingdom. The world's first integrated national grid opened in 1935, and by 1960, 90% of all power was still coal-powered.
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The first public electricity generator (1881)
The road to common electrification in London was a long one, with many breakthroughs and experiments along the way. One of the earliest steps towards public electricity in London was the installation of electric arc lamps over the Holborn Viaduct in 1878. However, this experiment was short-lived, and the bridge returned to gas lighting within six months.
The first public electricity generator in London was established in 1881, two years before the Holborn Viaduct power station began running in January 1882. This earlier generator was a small-scale hydroelectric project in Godalming, Surrey. It was powered by a water wheel and had a 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) generator that ran 4 arc lamps and 27 incandescent lamps. This project lacked the legal precedent to lay underground cables, so Edison's associate, Edward Hibberd Johnson, discovered that culverts on the Holborn Viaduct could be used to lay electrical cables.
The Holborn Viaduct power station, also known as the Edison Electric Light Station, was built by Thomas Edison's company and became the world's first coal-fired power station generating electricity for public use. It initially illuminated 968 16-candle incandescent lamps for street lighting, which was later expanded to 3,000 lamps. This station also provided electricity to private residences in the area.
The Electric Lighting Acts from 1882 to 1909 allowed local authorities and companies to obtain licences to supply electricity. This led to further expansion of electricity in London and across the UK. The invention of the steam engine and the use of coal as a power source also played crucial roles in the industrialization and electrification of the country.
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The National Grid (1935)
The discovery of electricity is generally credited to Benjamin Franklin in 1752. In the UK, coal was used to power tools and machines from 1750, and in 1769, James Watt patented the world's first coal-powered steam engine. The UK's gas industry was established in 1812, and by 1827, London's gas network provided power to almost 70,000 streetlights.
The Victorian era saw significant advancements in energy, with the world's first hydroelectric plant opening in Cragside, UK, in 1878, and the first coal-fired power station, the Edison Electric Light Station, built in London in 1882. The Electric Lighting Acts of 1882 to 1909 allowed local authorities and companies to obtain licences to supply electricity.
In the 20th century, there was a surge of electrical innovation. John Logie Baird gave the first public demonstration of television in 1926, and the BBC was founded the following year. The Central Electricity Board (CEB) was created in 1926 to concentrate electricity generation in a limited number of power stations, which were to be interconnected by a national grid.
The National Grid, which opened in 1935, was the world's first integrated national grid. It covered the UK with just seven grid areas located in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol, London, and Glasgow. The National Grid made energy supplies more stable and affordable. The electricity was fed to twelve local electricity boards, such as the London Electricity Board, which then sold it to consumers within their areas. The Electricity (Supply) Act 1935 authorised the Central Electricity Board to make arrangements with the owners of generating stations and supply electricity directly to railway companies. This Act received royal assent on 12 February 1935 and amended the Electricity (Supply) Acts 1882 to 1933.
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Frequently asked questions
The first public electricity generator in Britain was installed in Godalming, Surrey, in 1881. The Electric Light Act was passed the following year, which was the first public measure dealing with electricity supply.
The Electric Lighting Acts 1882 to 1909 allowed local authorities and companies to apply for provisional orders and licences to supply electricity. The world's first coal-fired power station, the Edison Electric Light Station, was built in London in 1882, with the promise of supplying light and warmth to London homes.
The date usually given for the first appearance of electric streetlights in London is 1878, when Embankment and Holborn Viaduct were lit up by arc lamps. However, the history of electric streetlights in London goes back further. Humphry Davy invented the electric light in London and gave the first demonstrations in 1806.
London's first electric light festival took place in 1848. A French inventor called M. Le Mott demonstrated his new system for lighting steam trains at Paddington Station.
