List of pre-nationalisation UK electric power companies

The electrical power industry in the United Kingdom was nationalised by the Electricity Act 1947, when over six hundred electric power companies were merged into twelve area boards.

List of companies

Companies merged into East Midlands Electricity Board (EMEB)
Further information: East Midlands Electricity

The board's area was defined as: Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland and parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
  • Boston and District Electric Supply Company (records from 1923)
  • Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Electric Power Company (records from 1901)
  • Leicestershire and Warwickshire Electric Power Company (records from 1904)
  • Melton Mowbray Electric Light Company (records from 1899)
  • Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited (formed c.1881)
  • Mid Lincolnshire Electric Supply Company Limited (records from 1936)
  • Northampton Electric Light & Power Co Ltd (records from 1936)
  • Oakham Gas and Electricity Company Limited (records from 1917)
  • Rushden and District Electric Supply Company Limited (records from 1945)
  • Tamworth District Electric Supply Company (records from 1930)
  • Urban Electric Supply Company
  • Wellingborough Electric Supply Company Limited (records from 1900)
  • W.J. Furse and Company Limited (records from 1912)[lower-alpha 1]

Companies merged into Eastern Electricity Board (EEB)
Further information: Eastern Electricity

The board's area was defined as: Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, the Isle of Ely, Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Middlesex, Oxfordshire and the Soke of Peterborough.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
The Northmet Power and Light building in Wood Green, north London
  • Aldeburgh Electric Supply Company
  • Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire Electricity Company
  • Brentwood District Electric Company
  • Bungay Gas and Electricity Co Ltd (formed 1926)
  • Cambridge Electric Supply Company
  • Chesham Electric Light and Power Company
  • Colne Valley Electric Supply Company
  • East Anglian Electric Supply Company (incorporating Bury St Edmunds Corporation)
  • East Suffolk Electricity Distribution Company
  • Frinton-on-Sea & District Electric Light and Power Company
  • Letchworth Electricity Limited
  • Newmarket Electric Light Company
  • North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Company ("Northmet") – based in Wood Green, N22
  • Northwood Electric Light and Power Company
  • Welwyn Garden City Electricity Supply Company
  • Wickford and District Electricity Supply Company
  • Wisbech Electric Light and Power Company

Companies merged into London Electricity Board (LEB)
Further information: London Electricity Board

The board's area was defined as: The administrative County of London and parts of Essex, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey.

Local authority undertakings

Joint electricity authority

Created under the provisions of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919

  • London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority – established in 1925. Upon nationalisation its assets were split between the South Eastern Electricity Board, the Eastern Electricity Board and the London Electricity Board.

Private companies
  • Brompton and Kensington Electricity Supply Company – formed January 1889 as the House to House Electric Supply Company, changed its name August 1890, generating station at Richmond Road Brompton,[1] part of the London Power Company[2]
  • Central Electric Supply Company, part of the London Power Company, wound up on 25 October 1932[2]
  • Central London Electricity Limited (formerly Charing Cross Company)
  • Charing Cross Electricity Supply Company – originated from a company called the Electric Supply Corporation Limited formed in 1889 with a capital of £100,000, this changed its name to the Charing Cross and Strand Electricity Supply Corporation, generating stations at Maiden Lane, Commercial Road Lambeth, Bow station,[1] part of the London Power Company[2]
  • Chelsea Electricity Supply Company – formed 1886; generating station at Draycott Place / Cadogan Gardens and Flood Street; took over the Cadogan Electric Lighting Company (formed in March 1887 with a capital of £30,000, generating station at Manor Street near the Albert Bridge, went into liquidation in February 1891), Cadogan Company taken over by the New Cadogan and Belgravia Electric Supply Company (registered 30 June 1890), the latter company changed its name to St Luke's Chelsea Electric Lighting Company on 6 July 1892, in December 1892 the St Luke's Company purchased the assets of the Cadogan Company for £4,250 in cash and £4,500 in shares, assets transferred to the Chelsea Electric Supply Company for £10,250 on 5 April 1893,[3] part of the London Power Company,[2] taken over by Charing Cross Co 1937
  • Chislehurst Electric Supply Company
  • City of London Electric Lighting Company – formed July 1891 from the Pioneer company, generating stations at Bankside and Wool Quay[1] Member of the No. 1 group of undertakings.
  • County of London Electric Supply Company – formed June 1891 with a capital of £100,000, generating stations at City Road Basin Regent's Canal, and Wandsworth; renamed the County of London and Brush Provincial Electric Lighting Company in 1894[4] Member of the No. 1 group of undertakings.
  • Foots Cray Electricity Supply Company
  • Hampstead Electric Supply Company Ltd (records from 1898)[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]
  • Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company – formed March 1888 with a capital of £250,000, took over the Kensington Court Electric Light Company (itself formed 1886 with capital of £10,000), generating stations at High Street Kensington and Cheval Place, Wood Lane Shepherds Bush (joint enterprise with Notting Hill Electric Lighting Company),[1] part of the London Power Company[2]
  • London Associated Electricity Undertakings Limited formed in 1935 to acquire, combine and coordinate the electricity distribution interests of six west London electricity companies.
  • London Electric Supply Corporation (LESCo) – formed in 1887 out of Grosvenor Gallery Electric Supply Corporation, London's first commercial electric power supplier, part of the London Power Company
  • London Power Company
  • Metropolitan Electric Supply Company – formed as South Metropolitan Electric Supply Company in November 1887 with capital of £250,000, 'South' dropped from title in July 1888, generating stations at Whitehall Court, Rathbone Place, Sardinia Street, Manchester Square, Amberley Road, Acton Lane Willesden,[1] part of the London Power Company January 1927[2]
  • Notting Hill Electric Lighting Company – formed February 1888 with a capital of £100,000, generating station at Bulmer Place and Wood Lane Shepherds Bush (joint venture with Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company),[1] part of the London Power Company[2]
  • St James' and Pall Mall Electric Lighting Company – formed March 1888, began supplies April 1889 from a generating station in Mason's Yard Duke Street, this later converted to a sub-station for bulk supplies from Grove Road,[1] part of the London Power Company[2]
  • South London Electric Supply Corporation – formed in December 1896 with a capital of £325,000, to supply the Borough of Lambeth. A generating station was built at Loughborough Junction, decommissioned in 1929 after which the Corporation took bulk supplies from other members of the No.1 group.
  • South Metropolitan Electric Light and Power Company – established in 1904 upon the amalgamation of the Crystal Palace District Electric Supply Company and the Blackheath and Greenwich District Electric Light Company. Built Blackwall Point power station. Member of the No. 1 group of undertakings.
  • Westminster Electric Supply Corporation – formed June 1888 with a capital of £100,000, generating stations at Dacre Street Victoria, St John's Wharf Millbank, Eccleston Place and Davies Street, took over supply of Westminster Electrical Syndicate,[1] part of the London Power Company[2]

Companies merged into Merseyside & North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB)
Further information: SP Manweb

The board's area was defined as: Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Merionethshire, Montgomeryshire and parts of Cardiganshire, Cheshire, Lancashire (including Liverpool) and Shropshire.

Local authority undertakings

Joint electricity authority

Created under the provisions of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919

  • North Wales & South Cheshire Joint Electricity Authority (records from 1923).

Private companies
  • Borth and Ynyslas Electric Supply Company
  • Electricity Distribution of North Wales and District Limited
  • Machynlleth Electric Supply Company
  • Mersey Power Company
  • Mid-Cheshire Electricity Supply Company
  • North Wales Power Company
  • Towyn, Aberdovey and District Electricity Company
  • Yale Electric Power Company

Companies merged into Midlands Electricity Board (MEB)
Further information: Midlands Electricity

The board's area was defined as: Herefordshire, Worcestershire and parts of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire (including Birmingham).

Local authority undertakings

Joint electricity authorities

Created under the provisions of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919

  • North West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority – created 1928.
  • West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority – created 1925.

Private companies

Companies merged into North Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB)
Further information: North Eastern Electricity Board

The board's area was defined as: Durham, Northumberland, the North Riding of Yorkshire and parts of the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire (including York).

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
Carliol House, former headquarters of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Company

Companies merged into North Western Electricity Board (NORWEB)
Further information: NORWEB

The board's area was defined as: Cumberland, Westmorland and parts of Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire (including Manchester) and of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
  • Altrincham Electric Supply Limited
  • Cark and District Electricity Company (1918)
  • Keswick Electric Light Company (1890)
  • Lancashire Electric Power Company
  • Mid-Cumberland Electricity Company (1932)
  • Ormskirk Electric Supply Company
  • Penrith Electricity Supply Company (1909)
  • Sedbergh Electricity Supply Company (originally J.J. Martin & Co.) (1922)
  • Settle and District Electricity Company
  • South Cumberland Electricity Supply Company (originally Cumberland Waste Heat Owners Co. Ltd) (1924)
  • Trent Valley and High Peak Electricity Company
  • Westmorland and District Electricity Supply Company (1933)
  • Windermere and District Electricity Supply Company (originally R.H. Fell & Son Ltd.) (1893)

Companies merged into South East Scotland Electricity Board
Further information: South of Scotland Electricity Board

The board's area was defined as: Berwickshire, Clackmannanshire, Fife, Lothians (East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian), Peebles, Selkirkshire, and parts of Dunbartonshire, Roxburghshire and Stirlingshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies

Companies merged into South Eastern Electricity Board (SEEBOARD)
Further information: SEEBOARD

The board's area was defined as: Parts of Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex.

Local authority undertakings

Joint electricity authority

Created under the provisions of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919

  • London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority

Private companies
  • Burgess Hill Electricity Limited
  • Central Sussex Electricity Limited
  • Folkestone Electricity Supply Company
  • Guildford Gas Light and Coke Company
  • Herne Bay and District Electricity Supply Company
  • Horley and District Electricity Supply Company
  • Kent Electric Power Company
  • Lewes and District Electric Supply Company
  • Peacehaven Electric Light and Power Company
  • Ramsgate and District Electric Supply Company
  • Richmond (Surrey) Electric Light and Power Company
  • Ringmer and District Electricity Company
  • Seaford and Newhaven Electricity Limited
  • Sevenoaks and District Electricity Company
  • Sheerness and District Electric Supply Company
  • Shoreham and District Electric Lighting and Power Company
  • South-East Kent Electric Power Company
  • Steyning Electricity Limited
  • Sussex Electricity Supply Company
  • Uckfield Gas and Electricity Company
  • Weald Electricity Supply Company
  • West Kent Electric Company
  • Whistable Electric Company
  • Woking Electric Supply Company

Companies merged into South Wales Electricity Board (SWALEB)
Further information: SWALEC

The board's area was defined as: Brecknockshire, Carmarthenshire, Glamorganshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Radnorshire and part of Cardiganshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
  • Aberayron and District Electricity Supply and Power Company
  • Carmarthen Electric Supply Company
  • Chepstow Electric Lighting and Power Company
  • Gorseinon Electric Light Company
  • Llanelly and District Electric Supply Company[lower-alpha 5]
  • Merthyr Electric Traction and Lighting Company
  • Monmouth Electricity Company
  • Pontypool Electric Light and Power Company
  • Porthcawl Electricity Company
  • South Wales Electric Power Company
  • South Wales Power Station Company Limited
  • West Cambrian Power Company

Companies merged into South West Scotland Electricity Board
Further information: South West Scotland Electricity Board

The board's area was defined as: Ayrshire, Dumfries-shire, Glasgow, Kirkcudbrightshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Wigtownshire and parts of Dunbartonshire, Roxburghshire and Stirlingshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
  • Clyde Valley Electrical Power Company
  • Electric Supply Corporation Limited
  • Galloway Water Power Company
  • Lanarkshire Hydro Electric Power Company
  • Skelmorlie Electric Supply Company
  • Strathclyde Electricity Supply Company
  • Wigtownshire Electricity Company

Companies merged into South Western Electricity Board (SWEB)
Further information: SWEB Energy

The board's area was defined as: Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Devonshire and parts of Dorsetshire, Gloucestershire (including Bristol) and Somersetshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
  • Bideford and District Electricity Supply Company
  • Bridgwater and District Electric Supply & Traction Company
  • Brixham Gas and Electricity Company
  • Bude Electric Supply Company
  • Burnham and District Electric Supply Company
  • Chudleigh Electric Light and Power Company
  • Cornwall Electric Power Company
  • Culm Valley Electric Supply Company
  • Dawlish Electric Light and Power Company
  • East Devon Electricity Company
  • Exe Valley Electricity Company
  • Holsworthy Electric Supply Company
  • Ilfracombe Electric Light and Power Company
  • Lynton and Lynmouth Electric Light Company
  • Mid-Somerset Electric Supply Company
  • Minehead Electric Supply Company
  • North Somerset Electric Supply Company
  • Paignton Electric Light and Power Company
  • St Austell and District Electric Lighting and Power Company
  • Salcombe Gas and Electricity Company
  • Seaton and District Electric Light Company
  • South Somerset and District Electricity Company
  • Teignmouth Electric Lighting Company
  • Wellington District Electricity Company
  • West Devon Electric Supply Company
  • West of England Electric Investments Limited
  • Weston-super-Mare and District Electric Supply Company

Companies merged into Southern Electricity Board (SEB)
Further information: Southern Electric

The board's area was defined as: Berkshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Wiltshire and parts of Buckinghamshire, Dorsetshire, Gloucestershire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Somersetshire, Surrey and Sussex.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies
  • Alton District Electricity Company
  • Ascot District Gas and Electricity Company[lower-alpha 6]
  • Blandford Forum and District Electric Supply Company
  • Bognor and District Gas & Electricity Company[lower-alpha 7]
  • Bournemouth and Poole Electricity Supply Company
  • Brentford Electric Supply Company
  • Burford Electric Light and Power Company
  • Egham and Staines Electricity Company
  • Farnham Gas and Electricity Company[lower-alpha 7]
  • Isle of Wight Electric Light and Power Company
  • Metropolitan Electric Supply Company
  • Mid Southern Utility Company[lower-alpha 7]
  • Milford-on-Sea Electric Supply Company
  • Milton and Barton-on-Sea (Hants) Electricity Supply Company
  • Petersfield Electric Light and Power Company
  • Ringwood Electric Supply Company
  • Salisbury Electric Light and Supply Company
  • Slough & Datchet Electric Supply Company
  • Uxbridge & District Electric Supply Company
  • Wessex Electricity Company
  • West Hampshire Electricity Company
  • Whitchurch (Hants) Gas and Electricity Company[lower-alpha 6]
  • Wilton Electricity Supply Company
  • Windsor Electrical Installation Company
  • Woodstock and District Electrical Distribution Company
  • Yorktown (Camberley) and District Gas and Electricity Company[lower-alpha 7]

Companies merged into Yorkshire Electricity Board (YEB)
Further information: Yorkshire Electricity

The board's area was defined as: Parts of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and of the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire.

Local authority undertakings

Private companies

Other companies

The following companies had interests in multiple locations.

  • British Power & Light Corporation(1929) Limited[5] – founded 1929 acquired a controlling interest in undertakings in North Wales; East Suffolk; South Somerset; Trent Valley; West Hampshire; and Ringwood[6]
  • Christy Bros. and Company Limited[5] – founded 1883 as electrical contractors, applied for or acquired electricity undertakings: Crediton,  Holsworthy, Aldeburgh, Pateley Bridge, Portishead, Mid-Somerset, North Somerset, West Devon, Street.[7]
  • Edmundsons Electricity Corporation Limited – founded in 1897 built generating stations and electricity supply systems (electricity undertakings) in Folkestone; Winchester; Salisbury; Ventnor; and Shrewsbury; and acquired further electricity company franchises
  • Electrical Finance and Securities Company Limited[5] – incorporated in June 1914 to finance and control undertakings. In 1927 had interests in Colne Valley; Northwood; Foots Cray; Lothians; and Boston[8]
  • Midland Counties Electric Supply Company Limited[5] – originally formed in 1912 as Tramways Light and Power Company Limited, owned (in 1921) the Leicestershire and Warwickshire Electric Power Company; Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited; Cheltenham and District Light Railway Company; Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Electric Power Company; Leamington and Warwick Electrical Company Limited; Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company.[9]

Footnotes
  1. Not listed in the Electricity (Allocation of Undertakings to Area Boards) Order 1948, presumably had ceased before this date.
  2. The Hampstead vestry (predecessor to the borough council) established an electricity supply business in 1894, and this company may have been acquired by them, or never have become active.
  3. Only the electricity supply business was transferred, the SHMD board continued to operate public transport services.
  4. Musselburgh and District's trams were taken over by Edinburgh Corporation in 1928, although the company's name was not changed to reflect this.
  5. Llanelly and District's trolleybus operation was sold to British Electric Traction in 1952.
  6. Gas operations passed to North Thames Gas Board
  7. Gas operations passed to Southern Gas Board

References
  1. Parsons, R. H. (1939). The Early Days of the Power Station Industry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 71–120.
  2. London County Council (1934). London Statistics 1932-33 (Vol.37). London: London County Council. pp. 331–37.
  3. Parsons, R.H. (1939). The Early Days of the Power Station Industry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 56–65.
  4. "County of London Electric Lighting Co – Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  5. "Electricity Act 1947". The Times. 10 March 1948. p. 23.
  6. "British Power & Light Corporation(1929) Limited". The Times. 13 May 1929. p. 26.
  7. "Grace's guide to British Industrial History Christy Brothers". Grace's guide. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  8. "Electrical Finance and Securities Company Limited". The Times. 9 May 1927. p. 23.
  9. "Midland Counties Electric Supply Company". The Times. 29 November 1921. p. 16.

See also
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