Electricity

 

As far as the country is concerned, Godalming was the first town in Britain to be lit by electricity, i.e. from 1st October, 1881 (but, initially, just for three years due to some difficulties and to the fact that the contract with the suppliers ran out.) Taken from: “Surrey’s Industrial Past”, edited by Glenys Crocker, Surrey Industrial History Group, pages 113/114).

In the Lingfield area, in the “settlement known as “Bellagio”,  now Dormans Park, an “electric light station” existed. (A History of Dormans Park & some of its early residents, by Commander Geoffrey Lowis, A.F.C., R.N.)

A similar article is included in “A History of Lingfield” published 1933, edited by B. Hayward and Stanley Hazel:

“…”Bellagio” was started in the 1880s by Mr. Arthur Burr of Kent Coal fame who built a house for himself there.  The settlement at first consisted of a club house and about 40 bungalow residences, electric light station, …..”

It is possible that some large properties in our area used generators to provide electricity rather than to use gas for lighting, etc. (“Standen” near East Grinstead, for example).

It seems that electric lighting was not generally used in the Lingfield and RH7 area till well after 1900.  Francis Napier, in his “History of Lingfield” writes: ( in Mr. Batchelor’s  grocer’s shop – now the Cage Public House…) …”on the counter are lighted candles and two paraffin lamps – very poor lighting”…The date was 1906/07.

In the Minutes of the Parish Meeting of 1st February, 1898 is the following entry:
“… for the purpose of considering the question of adopting all, or any part, of the Lighting Act for the Parish (or part of the Parish) and, in the event of such adoption, to fix the amount of money to be raised under such Act, for the year ending March 25th, 1898.
57 voted for the adoption of the Watching and Lighting Act, 22 against.  The Chairman stated that the Act would be adopted subject to the poll being demanded.

A later entry reads: “Minutes of the Parish Meeting held at the Lingfield School Room this day 7th October, 1908:  …to consider the question of adopting all or any part of the Lighting and Watching Act for the Parish or part of the Parish and, in the event of such adoption, to fix the amount of money to be raised under such Act for the period ending March 31st, 1909”.

It is not clear from these two entries whether they refer to gas or electric lighting, maybe both.  It is assumed that they refer to public lighting and that at least gas but possibly also electricity was available to some private properties.

 

 

 

Barbara Chappell
May 2004