Homepage
RefNoKCB/4/7/6
AltRefNoCB/4/7/6
TitleThe Cambridge Town and University Gas Act, 1867
DescriptionThis series consists of material relating to the passage of the 1867 Cambridge Gas Act through parliament. The act was promoted by the Cambridge Gas Light Company to rename their company the Cambridge University and Town Gas Company to give them further powers to construct works and raise finance. The Improvement Commissioners opposed the progress of the act due to the effect it would have on their eligibility to the company's surplus profits as laid out in the existing 1834 Gas Act. As a result of the dispute over unpaid surplus profits with the old gas company, the Commissioners granted a contract to supply gas lighting to the town to a new gas company, the Cambridge Consumers Gas Company. The contract was signed in 21 January 1868 to begin 1 June 1868. The new gas company needed to build gas works and lay 20 miles of pipes to be in a position to start providing gas to the town on the 1 June 1868. As the new gas company had no act of parliament granting them rights to break up the streets for the purpose of laying pipe work the Cambridge University and Town Gas Company took action against the them and the Improvement Commissioners in Chancery to try to restrain them from proceeding with laying gas works. Although the vice chancellor found in favour of the new company at the hearing in Jul 1868 had conditions remained the same as when presented in the original information, the case was heard after the date on which the new contract was supposed to commence and as insufficient pipe work had been laid the new company was in breach of the conditions of its contract, so its claim was no longer supported by the Information Commissioners. Negotiations between the Commissioners and the old company had taken place and a new contract between them was signed on the 25 Jun 1868 for the provision of the town with gas. The Cambridge Consumers Gas Company then promoted a gas bill in 1869, opposed by the Improvement Commissioners and the Corporation, to allow them to construct gas works and allow further provision for gas for the town. Before this bill was successfully promoted the Cambridge University and Town Gas Company negotiated with and successfully absorbed the Cambridge Gas Consumers Company.

The series consists of cases for the opinion of counsel on gas contracts from 1835-1867, copies of a bill to change the name of the Cambridge Gas and Light Co and the Cambridge Gas bill, 1869; observations on these bills by the Commissioners and the Corporation; petitions against the bills by the Corporation, Improvement Commissioners and the University; statements of accounts and auditors reports; correspondence regarding the Gas Light Company's liability to pay the improvement rate and parish rates; reports on the quality of gas and inspections of gas works; extracts from newspapers; and chancery proceedings brought by the Cambridge University and Town Gas Company against the Cambridge Consumers Gas Company and seven commissioners acting in execution of the Cambridge Improvement Acts.
Date1845-1868
CreatorNameCambridge Improvement Commissioners
RepositoryCambridgeshire Archives
Add to My Items
    Skip to main content
    Photograph of an unidentified woman, Papworth, 1930s

    Photograph of an unidentified woman, Papworth, 1930s

    Useful Links

    Showcase items

    A list of our latest and most exciting new items.

    Elevation of a gateway at Kimbolton Castle, by Robert Adam, 1764
    Elevation of a gateway at Kimbolton Castle, by Robert Adam, 1764
    West Wickham parish inclosure map, 1812
    West Wickham parish inclosure map, 1812
    Men with chickens at Papworth
    Men with chickens at Papworth
    Photograph of an unidentified woman, Papworth, 1930s
    Photograph of an unidentified woman, Papworth, 1930s
    Explore Showcase