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Summary:

The Gas Company Office 1845-c.1978, then retail.

Photo Gallery:

20151112 img_5660
20151112 img_5660

32-36 Charnham Street, Nov 2015.

charnham st 121 gas works c1905
charnham st 121 gas works c1905

Workers and their family, at the gas works, c1905.

charnham_10
charnham_10

The Gas Company office c1920

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img_4966

32 Charnham Street, Jun 2010

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img_3689

"An Officer and a Gentleman", 32 Charnham Street, Jul 2013

32 charnham 20130816
32 charnham 20130816

"An Officer and a Gentleman", 32 Charnham Street, Aug 2013

19120000ca David Cookson
19120000ca David Cookson

David Cookson, Manager of Gas Works 1911-1917. Photo c1912.

19800000ca 32 Charnham Street
19800000ca 32 Charnham Street

"Shop Too" - Collector's and Antiques, c1980. (Moya Dixon collection)

- "An Officer and a Gentleman", 32 Charnham Street, August 2013.

- The Gas Company office c.1920.

- "Shop Too" - Collector's and Antiques, c.1980. (Moya Dixon collection).

- 32 Charnham Street, June 2010.

- "An Officer and a Gentleman", 32 Charnham Street, July 2013.

Caveat:

The history of ownership and occupation of the properties in this part of Charnham Street is very speculative. Records are sketchy, and confusing. This page is the current "best attempt" to clarify the history of these properties, but much further work still needs to be done. It is possible that the historic boundaries do not match the modern ones.

Timeline:

1794 Francis Map: No building appears in this position.

1819 Enclosure Award map: Building appears in this position.

1841 Census:
     The Sun (36 Charnham Street) - Richard Hobbs
     Ann Dismore (55), independent, 5 others.
     Ann Simpson (60), independent.
     Henry Nobes (25), tailor, wife Mary (35), 1 daughter.
     Priscilla Munday (50), 1 son, 1 daughter.
     Jane Marshall (55), independent, 2 others. (?32 Charnham Street).

Hungerford Gas Company, 1845-1950:

1845 The Hungerford Gas Company was registered on 18th October 1845. This building, the manager's residence and office, would have been built shortly after. The Reading Mercury on 24th December 1847 records that "the lighting of Hungerford with gas is proceeding very rapidly and numerous workmen are busily engaged in laying down the pipes."

For more about the Gas Company, see Gas Works.

1851 Census: #77: John Barrett (25), manager of the gas house, wife Ann (25), 1 daughter.
1854 Billings Dir: John Barrett, engineer, manager of gas works.

1861 Census: George Nalder (35), gas works manager, wife Emily (23), 2 daughters.
1869 PO Dir: Hungerford Gas & Coke Company Ltd (Thomas Wooldridge, sec), Charnham STreet.
1871 Census: #72: George Nalder (44), gas manager, wife Emily (36), 4 daughters.
1881 Census: #70: George Nalder (54), gas fitter, 4 daughters.
1891 Census: #68: George Nalder (64), Manager, Gas Works, 2 daughters.

1891 Kelly Dir: Hungerford Gas & Coke Co. Limited (John Holmes Wooldridge, sec), Charnham Street.
1895 Kelly Dir: Hungerford Gas & Coke Co Limited (John Holmes Wooldridge, sec), Charnham Street

1901 Census: "Gas Works": George Watson (50), wife Mary (58), 3 sons.

1903 Kelly: Hungerford Gas & Coke Ltd, Frank Box, Manager.

1906 Cosburn's Dir: H J Worthington, gas manager, Charnham Street.

1911 Census: David Cookson (39), gas works manager, wife Mary (42), 1 son, 1 daughter, 1 nephew, 1 niece, 1 border, 6 rooms.
1916 Cosburn's Dir: D Cookson, gas manager, Charnham Street
1917 (Paul Cookson): Last year David Cookson was manager.

1920 Kelly Dir: The Hungerford Gas Co Ltd (Maurice Henry Millett, manager), Charnham Street.

1924 OS Map shows 2 gasometers.

1939 Blacket's Dir: Hungerford Gas Company (FR Warren, manager)
1940 Blacket's Dir: Hungerford Gas Company (F R Warren, Manager)

1950 Hungerford Gas Works ceased production of gas at the Charnham Street works, exactly 100 years after it started production. After this gas was piped from Swindon. The remaining gasometer was demolished c1985-1990.

1950 (Robert James) The last manager was Bibby Wilcox. His wife Vyvienne was a gentleman's tailor.

After 1950:

c1978 "Circa 1820" (Antiques)

1979 (Robert James) Raymond Holland moved here from Hopgrass Farm (when it was sold by Sir Seton Wills), and ran an antiques shop.

c1980s "Shop Too" - Collector's and Antiques.

By 2001 shop empty.

Jul 2013 "An Officer and a Gentleman" (George Cazenove). Gentlemen's Vintage Clothier, Sporting Vintage Memorabilia. (Closed 2014, reverted to residential use).

See also:

- Gas Works