I t L- 2JD-- \SS \ I' Edward Higginbotham I M.A. Cambridge I CONSULTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL I SERVICES I www.higginbotham.com.au I Dr. Edward Higginbotham. Edward Higginbotham & Associates Pty Ltd. Phone: +61297165154. I Fax: +612 9716 8547. I I ______~ ,I --- I- I GASWORKS SITE, I LITTLE MANLY POINT, I MANLY, N.S.W. REPORT ON I ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF, , I. 1990. I I E Higginbotham I' Consultant Archaeological Services 87 Renwick Street, LEICHHARDT, NSW 2040. I (02) 560-5062. Postal address: I PO Box 97 HABERFIELD, NSW 2045. I (02) 797-8209. 'I For The Department of Planning, N.S.Woo I March 1991 ' , I www.higginbotham.com.au Dr. Edward Higginbotham. I Edward Higginbotham & Associates Pty Ltd. Phone: +612 9716 5154. I Fax: +61297168547. I I I -~~------I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I CONTENTS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii I 1. INTRODUCTION .. 1 I 2. HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 4 I 3. SITE SURVEY. 7 I 4. WATCHING BRIEF. 11 I 5. RECOMMENDATIONS. 13 APPENDIX 1. HISTORICAL RESEARCH. 14 I APPENDIX 2. LIST OF SITES FROM PRELIMINARY REPORT. 83 I APPENDIX 3. OTHER HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS. 85 I APPENDIX 4. RECORDS OF THE WATCHING BRIEF. 99 I I I I· 1 I I I I ii I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. The author would like to credit the following fo~ their role in the archaeological t excavation: I Project Management. Susie Hoppe and Robert Waldron, Department of Planning. I Site Survey. Brett Noble. Historical Research. Rosemary Broomham. I I I, I' I' I I' I I I I I I I ill I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I 1. INTRODUCTION. This report was commissioned by the Department of Planning on 7 November 1989. I Its purpose was to complete the recommendations for further research and site survey, made in a preliminary report on the archaeological remains of the Gasworks at Little -I Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W.1 I The preliminary report had recommended the following: 1. the site should not be disturbed without prior detailed historical I research to locate sub-surface features not shown on the 1942 and 1960 I' plans, and to assess the gas production technology used on the site. 2. the site should not be disturbed without prior detailed recording ofthe surviving archaeological remains, in order to elucidate their relative 'I chronology, and their role in gas production I 3. prior to any work which may disturb archaeological features, the site should be subject to archaeological investigation. * I 4. every attempt should be made to conserve structural remains in situ, . unless there are overriding reasons not to do so. * * It is envisaged that any decontamination process may be carried out in tandem with archaeological excavation by mechanical excavator, the extent of archaeological excavation being limited to that required by de contamination. Should this approach be followed, then the mechanical excavator should be under the direction of the archaeologist, who shall I follow the advice of the de-oontamination .contractor as to the extent to which deposits need to be removed. Adequate time should be set aside I for the archaeological recording of the evidence so exposed.2 Recommendations 1 and 2 were completed by December 1989 in advance of the I decontamination of the site. Historical research was undertaken by Rosemary I 1 E Higginbotham, Gasworks Site~ Little Manly Point~ Manl~ N.S. W. Plan of Management. Historical archaeology overview, Land Systems, Pty Ltd, 1989. 2 E Higginbotham, Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point~ Manly, N.S. W. Plan of Management. Historical archaeology overview, Land Systems, Pty Ltd, 1989, p.9. I 1 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I Broomham, and her report is included in Appendix 1, although it was initially I presented as a separate document in November 1989. 3 This historical research fulfilled recommendation 1 and also part of recommendation 2, since the chronology and role of the archaeological remains in the production of gas was described. Concurrently a I programme of site survey was completed, to record the concrete typology on the site. It had been earlier recognised that a long chronological sequence of concrete types was recognisable from the variation in aggregates. This report demonstrates how the I concrete typology was used to date the archaeological remains. A summary of the historical research and site survey was presented in the form of a I progress report on 5 December 1989. The decontamination of the site was delayed until late 1990. The presence of the I archaeologist was requested during October 1990, the first site visit being arranged on 31 October 1990. Subsequent. to this ·date, arrangements were made for the I archaeologist to be in attendance when requested by the Department of Planning or I Dames and Moore, the decontamination contractor. I I I I I' I I 3 R Broomham, Little Manly Point Gasworks. Historical Investigation. Consultant I Archaeological Services. 1989. I 2 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I Blut! Fish Pt.. I I I I I I I PACIFIC I South Head OCEAN I ? Homby Lighthouse I I I I I Figure 1.1. Location map ofthe Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, ManJy_ I 3 I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I 2. HISTORICAL OUTLINE. I The historical research for this was undertaken by Rosemary Broomham. Her report is I in~luded in Appendix 1, although it was initially presented as a separate document in November 1989.1 I In summary, The Gasworks at Little Manly Point was established in 1883 - 4 by the Manly Gas Light and Coke Company Ltd, later called the Manly Gas Company Ltd. In I 1938 this company was taken over by the North Shore Gas Company Ltd who continued to manufacture town gas at Little Manly Point until 1964. The works was I subsequently demolished. I The historical research indicated that: 1. In addition to the visible remains on site,there was an earlier sequence I of gas manufacturing technology. The earlier technology was restricted to the area of the Point from the end of Carey Street, bounded on the I north by the retaining walls of the Gasholder no 1 and the coal storage area. I 2. The site is representative of-the poorly funded gasworks, which were usual in NSW country towns. The only unusual technology on the site I was an example of Wood's Complete Gasification Plant, erected in 1922. Other sites of this kind do not appear to survive. On this basis the I site may be considered to have regional to statewide significance. I I, I I I I 1 R Broomham, Little Manly Point Gasworks. Historical Investigation. I 4 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I ~b I '-----.... a 18 I 21 1 ",. <1) : :;; J:' ~ r.; N C, - 6 I ~1 22 ~ 12 "'''' "')\00 I 13 5 I I I I I Figure 2.1. Plan of the Gasworks, 1960 (DP528565). Sheet 2 of 3. This figure I together with figure 2.1 indicates the location ofall the sites listed in appendix 2. I 5 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I 37 I I I I I 15 , " I Spri..n.g I I I I Figure 2.2. Plan of the Gasworks, 1960 (DP528565). Sheet 3 of 3. This figure I together with figure 2.1 indicates the location ofall the sites listed in appendix 2. I 6 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I 3. SITE SURVEY. I The site survey was carried out in November 1989, specifically to record the concrete typology on the site. It had been earlier recognised that a chronological sequence of I concrete types was recognisable from the variation in aggregates. With the comparison provided by the historical documentation, it was possible to date the archaeological I remains of the gasworks. I The site survey was principally concerned with the recording of detail additional to the inventory included in the preliminary report.! It has enabled the formulation of a I typology of concrete and its aggregates. Its principal rmding is as follows: 1. A preliminary sequence of concrete types was recognised I commencing with ash and sandstone aggregates, and ending with blue I metal aggregates (Table 3.1). The combination of the historical research and the field survey leads to some important I conclusions: I 1. The visible archaeological remains predominantly date from the 1920s and 1930s, although some of the earliest visible structures may I date from 1905-6. I 2.The earliest visible archaeological sites include the following: Inventory no Description I 2 the engineer's-cottage (1910) 3 the booster house (1928) I 6 the tar plant (1916 +) 11 gasholder no 2 14 the coal storage and conveyor system (1928-34) I 15 the coal wharf (1928) 23 gasholder no 1 (1909) I 26 the sea walls I 28 part of the retort house (1928) 1 E Higginbotham, Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S. W Plan of I Management. Historical archaeology overview, Land Systems, Pty Ltd, 1989. I 7 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I 30 the boiler house, scrubbers, exhausters, and I purifiers (from c 1916 to 1937) 31 the earlier water gas plant (1921) I 36 the meter house (1905-6) 37 the western extension (1923) 37 purifiers (1929-38) I 37 tar tanks (1926)2 I 3. The archaeological remains of the works, dating from 1880s to 1900s, are no longer visible, but may survive underground. I I I I I I I I I I Table 3.1,' following pages. List ofconcrete types found on the Gasworks Site at Little I Manly Point. The dates given in brackets are those provided by historical documentation, while the date range is based on the historical availability ofparticular I aggregates. I 2 A list of the inventory items from the preliminary report is contained in Appendix 2. I 8 I "I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, ~.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I Concrete type Inventory no Date range Aggregate Dating I 1 37 (1926) Late 1920s + Blue metal I 2 2 (1935) Late 1920s + Blue metal 16 (1928) I 3 28 (1928) Late 1920s + Blue metal 4 28 (1935-7) 1930s + Blue metal I 5 13,18,20,29,33, 1930s + Blue metal 38 (1930s) I 6 8,9,28,33,39 1930s + Blue metal (1930s) 7 31 (1921) Late 1920s None I 34 (1937?) sand only. 8 15 (1928) 1928 Sandstone I 9 2 (1910) To 1930s Ash 2 (1935) I 7 (1909) 15 (1928) I 16 (1928) 35 (1905-6) 35 (1908) I etc 10 37 (1923-29) Late 1920s + Blue metal I sandstone 11 3 (1928) c1905-1928 Brick I 7 (1909) 14 (1928) I 36 (1905-6) 12 37 (1923-6) 1920s Sandstone 13 Pebbles I 14 14 (1928) To 1920s Sandstone 17 (1928) I 34 (1909) I I' 9 11 I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I Concrete type Inventory no Date range Aggregate Dating I 15 37 (1923-29) To 1920s Sandstone I 16 14 (1928) Late 1920s + Blue metal sandstone I 17 30 1930s Blue metal stone I 18 Ash 19 6(1916+) Ash I 20 Ash 21 14 (1928) To 1920s Ash 22 39 (1910) Ash I 23 28 (1928) Late 1920s + Blue metal 24 32 (1937) 1930s + Blue metal I 25 34 (19317) 1930s + Blue metal I I I I I I I I / I I 10 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I 4. WATCHING BRIEF. I - The progress report, submitted in December 1989, contained the f l.the principal area of the early development of the site should be left I undisturbed. This area includes inventory items 14, 17, and 25 to 36. The option of sealing any contamination in situ should be seriously I considered. I 2. where possible structural remains should not be removed. I 3. when the decontamination process requires the use of heavy machinery, the work should be undertaken in a way to allow for the recording of archaeological remains. For example, the use of a I mechanical excavator is preferred to a bulldozer. I The decontamination of the site was delayed until late 1990. The presence of the archaeologist was requested during October 1990, the first site visit being arranged on I 31 October 1990. Subsequent to this date, arrangements were made for the archaeologist to be in attendance when requested by the Department of Planning or I Dames and Moore, the decontamination contractor. The decontamination of the site involved the extensive removal of deposits with high I levels of poisonous chemicals. The majority of the upper part of the site was disturbed for this purpose, and archaeological features were necessarily removed (Figure 2.1). I The archaeologist was able to observe and :record parts of the following items during I this process (Figures 2.1 and 2.2): Name. Inventory no. I Concrete retaining walls. 5 Tar Plant. 7 I Gasholder No. 1 23 I The decontamination of the lower part of the site could be restricted mainly to the I Western Reclamation, but also included the working coal store. The construction of a I 11 I I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S. W. Watching Brief, 1990. stonn water drain along the eastern side of the site, adjacent to the Eastern Reclamation, I also disturbed archaeological features in this area. The following items were recorded during this process (Figures 2.1 and 2.2): I Name. Inventory no. I Working Coal Store. 14 Southern half of gasworks. 26 I Water Gas Plant. 31 Western Reclamation. 37 I Water Gas Holder. 38 I Descriptions and photographs of the above items may be found in Appendix 4. 'I' During the watching brief, the archaeologist was requested to attend some of the weekly site meetings, chaired by Dames and Moore. At several of these meetings, the archaeologist recommended the conservation of the core area of gas manufacturing, as I in recommendation 1 above, but necessarily modified by the need to decontaminate the site. The following five items were considered essential for conservation, in order .that I they might be included in, any interpretive display of the site: I Name. Inventory no. Working Coal Store. 14 I Vertical Retort House. 28 Water Gas Plant. 29 I Water Gas Plant. 31 I Water Gas Holder. 38 The Tar Tank and Revivification Tank on the Western Reclamation were emptied of I contaminants during the watching brief, but could otherwise be retained in situ. It is understood that they will be refilled. I I I I 12 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I 5. RECOMMENDATIONS. I As a result of the watching brief, the following recommendations are appropriate for the I conservation, display and interpretation of the site. 1- It is recommended that: 1. the following items are conserved and displayed for the purpose of interpreting the I site, the history of the gasworks and gas production: I Name. Inventory no. Working Coal Store. 14 I Vertical Retort House. 28 Water Gas Plant. 29 I Water Gas Plant. 31 I Water Gas Holder. 38 2. the historical research, forming part of this report, is fully exploited in an interpretive I programme. I 3. an archaeologist be retained to advise on the interpretation of the site. I I I I I I I I 13 I ------I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I APPENDIX 1. HISTORICAL RESEARCH. I R Broomham, Little Manly Point Gasworks. Historical Investigation. Consultant I Archaeological Services. 1989. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 14 I ~~ I I I I I I ROSEMARY BROOMHAM I CONSULT ANT HISTORIAN ARCHAEOLOGIST I 21 NOVEMBER 1989 I I I I I~~- I I I I I Head O/fice. 3 Sydney Road,. lv1aJliy. built ;17 1923. I I I I I LITTLE MANLY' POINT GASWOR~: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rose mary Broomham I CONTENTS I I Introduction I 1.0 History of the Manly Gas Company I 2.0 Sequence of Land Acquisition I 3.0 Gasworks Development at Little Manly Point 3.1 The Original Works 3.2 Development 1884 to 1902 I 3.3 Development 1903 to 1908 3.4 Development 1909 to 1913 I 3.S Development 1913 to 1925' 3.6 Manly Gasworks 1925 to 1927 3.7 1928 to 1937. a Decade of Change I 3.8 Manly Gasworks 1942 to 1964 I 4.0 The Industrial Processes used.in Gasmaking 4.1 The Basic Plant at Little Manly Point 4.2 Regenerative Retort Settings and'; Ancillary .. Plant 1911 I 4.3 Carburetted Water Gas Plant 1921 4.4 Wood's Complete Gasification Plant 1922 :~ I 4.5 Automatic Carburetted Water Gas Plant 19.'36 4.6 Glover West Continuous Vertical Retorts 1928. 1933 I S.O Comparison to Other New South Wales Gasworks I I 6.0 AppendiIes I 7.0 References I I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I INTRODUCTION I Preamble I The Gasworks at Little Manly Point was established in 1883 - 4 by the Manly Gas Light and Coke Company Ltd, later called the Manly Gas Company Ltd. In 1938 this company was taken over by the North Shore I Gas Company Ltd who continued to manufacture town gas at Little Manly Point until 1964. The works was subsequently demolished and the site I has since been awaiting redevelopment. 'I Background This report was requested by Archaeologist, Edward Higginbotham for the Department of Planning. The letter of commission to consultant I historian. Rosemary Broomham, dated 27 October 1989. required the following components: history of the company; identification and analysis of technology and development; an explanation of the industrial I processes; and an analysis of the site in relation to other New South Wales gasworks. I Source Limitations I Even before the takeover, the Manly Gas Company did not exhibit a great interest in recording its own history, the lack of works photographs being very apparent. One possible reason for this was the Company's tendency, I in the early years at least, to rely on consulting engineers from AGL and North Shore rather than appoint a highly qualified man themselves. That the works was run as a business which owed its allegiance to I shareholders is apparent in the economical use of basic rather than innovative equipment until 1925. The renewal of the entire works in the I 1930s can be attributed almost entirely to the enthusia·sm and skill of A.J. Ambrose, the first well-trained expert given substantial responsibility over what happened at the works. No early plans of the I works or plant survive. Apart from photographs dating from the time of Ambrose's arrival, a small Ju/ulee History published to celebrate the fiftieth year of operation, and the Directors' Minutes which survive from I 1903, there is little extant documentary evidence. Evidence at the site I itself has also been razed to ground leve1. I I 1 I I I. LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rose mary Broomham I 1.0 HISTORY OF THE MANLY GAS COMPANY I The Manly Gas Company was formed as a result of a meeting of nine interested persons held on 17 May 1883. In the beginning, fourteen I shareholders provided the Company's original £ 1 0,000 ($20,000) capital They included John Woods, chairman from 1883 to 1904, W. M Coward, and Thomas Bush, Chief Engineer for the Australian Gas Light Company. 'I Registered on 28 August 1883 as the Manly Gas Light and Coke Company, the enterprise received its statutory powers in a private Act gazetted on 20 June the following year. t In 1908 the Company simplified its name to I The Manly Gas Company Limited. I Manly had been a Municipality since 10 January 1877 but the as the directors admitted in their Jubilee SOlJvenir of 1933, it remained very much a suburban outpost until relaxation of the 'very strict regulation' I' curtailing sea bathing allowed development of 'the romance of surf bathing' from 1902. I /.I/n that year a band 0/' enthusiasts foug.bt for and obtained t.be rig.bt to public bat.bing, and since t.ben Manly .bas never I' looked back. T.be table ofgas sales. .. s.bows clearly .bow great the development .bas been since the year when surf bathing I: was i:reely allowed]. Since the Company's district of supply was limited to land within five miles of the Manly Post! Office, it,.was conceived as a modest enterprise I designed on a scale· similar to many small country gas concerns. Accommodated on less' than one!' acre on Little Manly Point purchased from John Woods on 30 May 1883, the works was basic. Plant to the I value of £5,750 Was purchased from William Coward and Sons London, whose Australian representative was a major shareholder and director. 1- Another major shareholder, Thomas Bush, acted as Consulting Engineer to supervise its erection. ! I I Although the contract: stipulated' that the town of Manly should be lighted nine months aflter acceptance of the tender on 7 June 1883, gas I, did not go out until 1 AUgust 1884: At that time public lighting consisted of 28 ordinary lamps and three 's'pecials' at a cost to Manly Council of £8. 15 shillings and £ 1O. 15 shillings respectively. Using. about three fifths of '1 the gas sent out in the first. year' of lighting, private lamps were slightly 1 The Manly Gas Company Umited, Jubilee Souveni.r ISS3 -1933. The Manly Daily I Ltd, Manly 1934, pp.3 - 9 2 Ibid, p. 13 I 2 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: IIISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I more nu merous. Thirty-nine years later when the gas street lighting I' gave way to electricity. the Company's district had been extended to cover the developing Warringah Shire. but public lighting had not greatly increased. In 1923 Manly's streets boasted 325 ordinary lamps and 4 t specials. while the parts of Warringah accessible to the Company had only 61 ordinary lamps.3 The Manly Gas Company district was extended on 2 July 1926 to cover the whole peninsula. allowing gas mains to be I taken into the developing suburbs of Collaroy and Narrabeen. In addition to the limIt placed on the Manly Gas Company by the I' restricted area of supply. their development was slowed first by the 1890s depression. and then by the advent of war. That the latter event 'I had a direct effect on the Company can be seen by the directors' decision to postpone the installation of vertical retorts when the Great War began. A less productive Complete Gasification Plant was erected instead. but I' even this was not finished until 1922. At the same time. the Company relocated the gasholder from AGL's Works at Kent Street. Sydney to a newly purchased holding station away from the works on Balgowlah I Road. Vertical retorts were built in 1928. and distribution improved with the Hortonsphere. a spherical gasholder constructed at Balgowlah in I 1932. It would seem that these items had both been 'ordered before the worst of the 1930s depression. I Office accomodation remained modest during this time. The Company had no premises outside the works until 1905. a letter box on Manly Wharf offering the only convenient place for consumers to pay accounts I or lodge complaints. After that. office space was rented at the corner of Fountain Street (now Sydney Road) and Norton Street. Purchased in I 1910 this property was remodelled in 1917 at which time a hall was added for demonstrating appliances and free lessons in gas cooking. A I new. larger office was built on the same site in 1923. Since the Manly Gas Company went into liqUidation' and:' was' subsequently taken over by the North Shore Gas Company in 1;1938. 'I Manly's Jubilee Souvenir published in 1934 to celebrate fifty yeiars of successful operation. is the last and only attempt to record: that Company's history. North Shore's operations were on a larger scale so the I distribution systems were linked by mains across the Spit Bridge. and the manufacturing plants were gradually combined. It was not economic to I: greatly modernise the Manly works and the limited space made extention impossible. Nevertheless the plant did continue to produce gas I until 1964 when it was closed and dismantled. 3 Ibid, pp. 11,23 I 3 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I I 2.0 SEQUENCE OF LAND ACQUISITION The first land sold to the Manly Gas Light and Coke Company, on 15 April 1883, comprising Lots 10 and 19 of the East Brighton Estate Subdivision I was a small section right at the extremity of Little Manly Point measuring 1 rood and 26 perches. Since gas was first sent out on 1 August 1884, the whole of the original works was limited to this site. I (Fig 1) I By the time the Company purchased land for extensions, James Tedd had resubdivided the portion of the East Brighton Estate bounded by Spring Cove, the Gasworks, Carey and Stuart Streets. Lots 15 and 16 (adjoining I the works north east boundary) were acquired from Tedd's Subdivision on 18 August 1886. (Fig 2) I' In two seperate transactions dated 2 September 1892 and 30 January 1893, the Company first leased, and then bought the ten foot reserve I bounding the shoreline of the original works site.4 On 4 July 1894 they also registered ownership of a tiny reclamation on the Little Manly Cove I side at the end of the Point.5 This is shown in Fig 4. It is clear from the 'Diagram shewing Lots 12 -13 & 14- Tedd's Subdivision' that the Company was planning further extension of the I works property as early as 1896 but this purchase was not completed until 6 November 1902.6 The original plan has been overlaid to show the 'I final boundary of the Manly Gas Company land (excluding reclamations). [Fig 31 On;' 8 December 1911 they purchased the ten foot reserve between'Spring Cove and Lots 14, 13 and part of 12. By this time the I law concerning foreshores had been changed to provide the larger public access indicated by the reserved section marked on the same diagram. I Most of the remainder of the final works site came from Lots 2 to 10 of Tedd's Subdivision sold to the Company on 15 April 1909 for £ 1,000 (S2~000). Lot; 1, on the corner of Carey and Stuart Streets was acquired I on 16 June 1909. In this way, the Manly Gas Company, as it was now called, had taken up the whole of the land on Little Manly Point as far as I Stuart Street except for one allotment, number 11. Known as Skinner's freehold, this portion had been sold to a fisherman, G. W. Skinner before 1896. [Fig 21 The Company had to wait until his death before they I could complete the acquisition of the whole of the Point. The sale went 4 Old Title. Book 498 No 917; Book 509 No 808 I 5 er Vol1131 Fol179 1- 6 Old Title, Book 724 No 213 Vendor Port Jackson and Manly Steam Ship Co. Ltd 4 I I I LITTLS MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I through on 29 August 1929.7 As well as the payment of £300 ($600) I cash, Skinner's widow was to be paid an annuity of £65 ($130) until 28 February 1940. I In the relatively small collection of extant Manly Gas Company plans are several proposed rec1amations of the foreshores of both Spring Cove and Little Manly Cove. A Plan of the Works Area 'plotted from certified I documents 22 April 1940' shows two extensive reciamations, on the eastern and western sides of the site and there records of leases dating I from 1910. [Pig 4) Since the Primary Application for the later purchase of these areas has been lost, it is not possible to accurately date their acquisition. The North Shore Gas Company was able to register their title I on 29 August 1941.8 I I I I I I I I I I I , Ibid. Book 1597 No 42 8 CT Vol 5259 Fol235 I 5 I' I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I Fill Part of the East Brighton Subdivision Plan, n.d., Land Titles Office, FP 97504904 lITTLE /' MA N L Y CCJYE ,"• * \ "" '.' I 6 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWOR~: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I Fia Z Real Estate Plan Tedd's Subdivison, n.d .. Land TiUes Office. FP 975198 I ViA i~ E.J~SJ LJ) i£ / i" ,., ¥.,. T ~ 1 Y Y ~----,'" '~,,!.!:..' I BUILDINt; SITES I .-.-- FP I I To be Sold on Ihe. CroJ'jJ)d Sa/if!' 19./~ JulyA . I }£] I g'1~- i~CuD I I I I li ~ Ij ~ (.~-!t"" 1 "-"to " c'. ',,: ~, ~ ,. ;1 / ,,\ I il ~ ~ 1\\ NI! Coombe. : ;. \] I ; ~'" .... I ~. 11 ~ ~ Cl!:- ~ ~ ~ .'; ,\\ ...... :: 1 I I ~ ~ .~ \~, c::::,--- tI ~ I ~ \ ~ I .,.~ 1 lIo;;;.. ~ I \loll>- \ ...a ... " ~. '"'"~ I 't-~ \ -~ \ -oll>' I I 1, 7 I I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I Fi" 3 Diagram sheving Lots 12-13 & 1-4- Tedd's Subdivision. Manly I 3 November 18% AGL Archives I -Dl1l(j~M - - 5bel1li&}8 - I -LOTS 12-1:J114 -1tdd.S .5uOdill/jIOil - = ~J~lf!l iL, Y. = I I I I '; I I I I I I I I I I I I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I Fig of The North Shore Gas Company Ltd. Works Area at Carey Street Manly I 22 April 1940 AGL Archives ~~--;;;-7~~/ ,/~ ~'.y/ 7#£ Y'1ZA'!'.~&g~f li.I.rfb. I J11;,f'-y£ AREAJ -!,r (4"",C) ;; #A/YLY ~... ' ~" APT TO k.AL E '~ ~ hA" d'ijR//yd.r J" k£ £?"-#w!.NE.:f'~/#o /,,"7 I "~ iOTf / Tu/t; 7j.!llJf .!V80/y/f/O/y ?ART Q"c"_ r! £~-f!t[#.TP/Y pr,uE., -t).. , ~ ~;~. - ii~i' ! \ I ~~.-. ! \ -' ~ I - Ii ~! \J ~\ I~:' .1'1 ~ ~\ ~, "-' , " -.\ I·''1\1 ~\ -\ ~\,;',.f"E" J~'" \ -.l\ ~ ," "...,'(.·... "",·v·, ~ l~3 p'" " :~ \ \ I \ \ UT) ~'( )'fOb./' /;,IL)/"-/J"/Q/Y I I L'P?'f /01 .'f' $<,/(,; I ,j'-#J;'7}".(J4~iEYEf?' I :~. t 't:' ...... ", /P ;:""Ai'o" "·.f'(/v""'~ \ ~, /17A'F.rkU"'E I \ ~\ (;,,,, t/A'.hY?' \ YPJ: //.1/ 0. ,'7J' I ,.(id'Nil'h'J 4RE,I/ d/ UA"FY /r l I t!:t"rr~,p /.If'4/N' (;'#"'///£.0_ ~.oIt"V_"'N'.r Q:-;"'/ •.,.y. ..._~~ I S;'R':1 hP ~"'-i[' I I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I I 3.0 GASWORKS DEVELOPMENT AT LITTLE MANLY POINT Since documentation of this works is very sparse the stages of development have been pieced together from comments made in the I Jubilee History. reclamation plans, and incomplete Directors' Minutes. Much of it remains a mystery, the earliest thorough documentation being a series of family photographs c. 1925. a measured works plan for the I same year. Being about three metres long. this plan has been presented in three sections which roughly follow the sequence of land acquisition. I Together with the only remaining full report from Manly's engineer. dated 1927. these provide a full picture of the works about palf way through its technological development. Works plans dated 1935. 1937. I 1942 and 1962 indicate that the entire plant was changed during the 1930s after the appointmant of Manly's first fully qualified full time engineer. The work done at this time meant that use of the site had I been almost totally maximised by 1938 when the Manly Gas Company amalgamated with North Shore. I I I I I I I I I I I 10 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I I 3.1 The Original Works 1884 When the works was first built in 1884 the Company's land comprising Lots 10 and 19 (original) of the Bassett-Darley Estate (Section 13) was I less than an acre in area. Plans of Spring Cove 1909 and a coloured plan of the 'Proposed Reclamation' undated but probably drawn 1894-5 both record buildings within the boundaries of the original site. (Figs 5 & 6) I These were a corrugated iron retort house, a smaller brick or stone structure in line with the retort house north eastern wall. a still smaller I- iron structure (possibly a purifier) almost in line with the opposite retort h(;>use wall, a gasholder, a long narrow building (brick and timber from its colouring) in line with, and encroaching on, the intended path of I Carey Street, and a timber jetty on piles extending into Spring Cove. Sketched, but not measured in the 1909 Plan (Fig 5) the retort house I appears to be about 60 feet long by 13 feet wide. In the the measured 192; plan the dimensions of what is almost certainly the same building I are recorded as 66 feet 3 inches by 40 feet 6 inches. [Fig 7) The other smaller buildings shown to the west of the retort house in 1909 had been removed by 1926 to make way for other -plant. Similarly, an estimate of I the site of the first gasholder. forty feet in diameter, was all. that remained of that structure in 1926. The only other installation shown that was certainly an original part of the works is the jetty, which by I 1909 stretched over a hundred feet into the deeper waters of Spring Cove. Part of the long building shown at the end of Carey Street I remained in 1926 but there is no way to ascertain whether this had been built by 1884. I I I I I I I 1 1 I I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I Fi85 Plan of Spring Cove Manly. 1) February 1909 AGL Archives U ,\J .1 T y j o r ..... / I i / . f " t .1 ). i' . To accomp"ny. my !sport of If/(! 12 I I LITTLH MANLY POINT QASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Proposed Reclamation by the Manly Gas Light and Coke Company, c 1895, AGL I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rose mary Broomham I 3.2 Development 1884 to 1902 Central to any gasworks was the carbonising plant where the coal was heated to release the gas. Initially, Manly produced coal gas in benches I of hand-charged direct-fired horizontal retorts. This most simple method of coal carbonisation was standard at the time that the Manly Works was built although larger enterprises like AGL had replaced the direct-fired I method of retort heating with regenerative furnaces which dispersed the heat more efficiently. Manly too, adopted regenerative furnaces in 1911- I 12 but continued to use both the original direct-furnace retorts, and the later regenerative settings unti11928.9 I No detailed plan remains of the first plant erected at Little Manly Point nor has any specific account of the plant survived. However, since no total modernisation was attempted until the vertical retorts were I installed in 1928, it is fairly safe to assume that at least some of the structures shown on the section of land first acquired represent the I works as it was first built. On the 'Plan of Works ... Surveyed and Drawn March 1925' are the jetty, retort house, condenser, purifiers, small gasholder, and part of the long office building shown on earlier plans. All I within the boundary of original Lots 10 and 19, these structures represent the minimum p:lant reqired to make and store gas. [Fig 71 It is unlikely that the workshops and mess rooms shown following the line I of the rock wall around the point were in the original works as their position depends on completion of time-consuming reclamation of the I grant dated 1894.. Moreover, mess rooms for stokers and yard staff were not even considered by most gas engineers until the 20th century. Of the workshops, a blacksmiths,.shop was essential, and usually the earliest to I be erected)O It is not known whether Manly installed earlier models of the washers, scrubbers and exhausters shown on the Spring Cove side of the first retort house immediately. It was possible to produce and 1- distribute gas of reasonable quality without this refinement. Certainly, J.W.Fell's notes on the subject of small works, dated 1876, do not specify I either washers or scrubbe'fs. [Append~x 2.11 All that. remains to describe details of the original plant are the following I sentences from :the Company's Jubilee History; I 9 Manly Gas Company Ltd, 'Engineer's Report on (a) capacity of plant now in use and (b) the question of extensions and replacements', unsigned typescript, 11 I February 1927, henceforth Ens Report 1927 10 Blacksmiths shops werethe first workshops to be built at AGL's Mortlake Works and North Shore's work~ at Neutral Bay. I 14 I I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham From 1884' to 1919 !.be gas-making plant at !.be Works I consisted of benc1Jes of .band-c.barged .borizontm retorts. T.be first settings were direct fired units but il1 later years I t.be retorts were of !.be regenerative furnace type.. :!' The first gasholder was erected in 1884, and .bad a capacity I of 4'{),000 cubic feet. T.be cost was £550. This unit was added to by !.be erection of ano!.ber .bolder of !.be same capacity. .. completed by April 1888, at an outlay of £1,000. I t.be second unit was purc.based from t.be A ustraiian Gas Lig.bt Co., in whose service it had been for a number of years, but it was nevertheless in splendid order and I condition when bought.''? I The second holder, (Fig 8) which came from AGL's outstation at Haymarket, was erected on tbe second portion of land, lots 15 and 16 of I Tedd's Subdivision, acquired by the Manly Company in 1886. (Fig 9) The provision of additional gasholdingcapacity suggests that the Company was sufficiently established by this time to need a higher I production rate than the initial plant allowed. It is more than likely that additional benches_ of retorts were installed at the same time. I I I I I I I I t t Julu1ee His/or}'"; op. cit., p. 18 I 12 Ibid. p. 15 15 I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION- I FiB 7 Plan of Works surveyed and drawn March 192), Pt 1 AGL Archives ~-...... -:a; ...... -.::pu ~.~;.,- -..:;.".r~- ~ -.~~~ ~·····'·-·r ,I 'L.:_.~~~~:._"'''~'' _. __:._J._ ...... '<;;.!'4?~ 11 . I ,-;-- ! ____ ,_ ... ' ... '''io...... t- .. • ...... / \ " - . tl / , " t,;.,... / "'~ ~ 1_ / " " ~'/ " ~. / " ~i·I·~L ,,- .!. '" ',,~ ~ ; '" " " " " s .. Cl) Cl) \. ~2. I l'. " \ ~. \ " .1 I '-\ --\ I .mIT11IllJL. I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORK.S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I Fig 8 No Z Gasholder erected 1888 JulHleeHisfgry; I Manly Gas Company, 193"1 I I I I I I I I I I I' I 17 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS; HISTORICAL INVBSTIOATION Plan of Works surveyed a.nd drawn Ma.rch 1925. pt 2 AGL Archives i 1 .i I ,I .... ,.,.j~ I I I '". ... "' ..... \: ~,," . .;;:.:" -'. I I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I 3.3 Development· 1903 - 1908 I New Gasholder. EItensions to Retort House and A uIiliary Plant I In its early years, the Manly Gas Company was administered by a Secretary-Manager, Hunt. References to Hunt's drawing up plans for I alterations and fitting up a new eIhauster in 1905 indicate that he must have had some knowledge of gas engineering, but all his actions in this field were supervised by a qualified professional. The exhauster for I example was checked by C.A.C. Colton, a Works engineer for AGL who was invited to act as consulting engineer to the Manly company on 2 May I 1905.1 3 In addition, the Manly Company had access to the skill and experience of the well known gas engineer William Wark, elected to the I Board the previous year. . In 1905-6 Colton supervised the erection of a new gasholder (third from the point on the 1925 Plan), but one of Manly's founding directors I and AGL's Engineer in Chief Thomas 'Bush drew' up the plans and 'specifications for the tank which would provide the water seal. 14 The Company accepted j. Bromley's tender for constructing the tank 15 I August 1904, and the new holder was evidently finished by the beginning of 1906 when the original forty foot holder was sold, together I with its meter and governor)5 Built on Lots 10, 11 and 12, this holder had a diameter of 80 feet 6 inches 1but with only one lift its capacity was I limited to 100,000' cubic feet. It ~emained in use until 1933. At the end of 1905 ,the Company's administrative functions were separated. Hunt continued as Secretary and j.A. McCauliffe, previously of I the Grafton Gas Company, became Manly's Engineer/Manager. These administrators continued to be closely directed by the Board, Wark and I Bush apparently taking I most responsibility for any extensions to plant. To improve the gas supply, and stem the numerous complaints from the I Manly consumers, new~iplant was: 'installed at the works in association with the new holder.;: This com.prised a new works meter and governor to m'easure' the holderl'g'intake and control its delivery to the I district; annular condensers, and a washer scrubber. It is possible I that the office and store depicted on the 1925 plan was built at this 13 Manly Gas Light and Coke Co .. Directors' Minutes. 27 July 1904 I 14 Ibid, 1 August, 1905 15 Ibid, 26 Apri11906 I 19 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham time. as this building was insured on the same date as the new meter and I governor houses. 16 Other refinements associated with these improvements, included the use I of rails on the wharf to assist the movement of hand operated skips, and the addition of a new purifier in 1908. Work proceeded on the sea I wall. 17 I I I I I I I I I I I I 'I 16 Ibid. Z, October, 1906 !I 17 Ibid. S November 1908 20 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham .1 3.4 Development 1909 - 1913 Gasholder. Retort House. Cottage and Workshops I From the frequent references to directors' attempts to purchase the land adjoining the works, it is clear that they wished to make more significant I extensions from about 1905. Evidently their customers and the Manly Council were exerting considerable pressure on them to improve their service. The Council had failed in its attempt to take over the company I in 1904, but there were still complaints about the poor light, particualrly to Manly's Victoria Hall. I On 8 October 1908, Wark told the directors that building a new retort house was an urgent necessity b ut although tenders were let on 11 I March 1909 for a new 3 lift holder and steel tank, construction of the retort house essential to produce its gas was continually delayed. The allotment immediately adjacent to the works belonged to George Skinner. I Approached several times, he refused to sell it to the Company and the directors had to be content with the purchase of land on the other side of Skinner's freehold. Lots 2 to 10 of Tedd's Subdivision were acquired in I· April and Lot 1 was purchased in May. However the second retort house was built closer to the point in line with the 1888 Gasholder on lots 15 and 16. Constructed of corrugated iron, it was 82 feet 4 inches I long and 57 feet wide. (refer to Fig 9) I' Built by Gibbons Brothers of Melbourne, the new retort settings were the regenerative type referred to in the Company's Jubilee History. From the scanty records that remain it seems they were constructed between 18 I' August 1910 and 23 March 1911.18 Other' improvements continued at a steady pace. The most important I addition was a ;large. spiral guided gasholder, of 73 feet diameter, capable. of storing 230,000 cubic feet of gas.t 9 (Fig 10) This was I' erected on the far side of Skinner's Freehold close to Carey Street, on Lots. 8, 9 and 10. Also in 1909, the Board approved purchase of a steam jet capable of passing 1S,OOO cf gas per hour.20 The following year, coal I storage was doubled by erection of a second corrugated iron building on lots 12, 13 and 14. In 1910 an engineer's cottage was commenced I 18 Ibid. tender accepted August 1910, payment requested 23 March, approved I 4 May 1911 19 Engineer's Report 1927 gives this holder's capacity as 226,000 I 20 Manly ~ CQDlpany Directors' Minutes, 3 June 1909 21 I 1 LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I above the works on the corner of Stuart and Carey Streets.21 (Fig 11) Further extension of the coal store was deferred in September 1911 but I the wall retaining the original works level was extended at that time. In 1912, work began on the row of workshops shown in the 1925 Plan. I Fig 10 Large Gasholder at Works. erected 1909. Company Jubilee HiskJry _ ,"~"N~~~"_~, ...... _~ •• _ .• I " "\"'-. I I I' I 1 I I I I I' I I I 21 Ibid. 7 July, 1 September 1910 I 22 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham Fig 11 Plan of Works surveyed and drawn March 19Z" pt 3 AGL Archives 1 I i ~ .s • , ,I 1 I 1 I ~ I.. ". !l i.., .~ I , ; I I I I I I I ~. . I I ;. I 23 I I, I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION ,I Rosemary Broomham I 3.5 Development 1913 - 1925 I1 The Company's business having increased steadily and at a high rate from 1905, in 1913 an important change was made to the executive controL An Extraordinary General Meeting passed resolutions allowing the appointment of a Managing Director who. cauld remain in affice far a I fixed term ar cantinuausly, withaut the customary retirement by ratatian. William Wark was elected the first to. hald this pawerful I positian at an annual fee of £250.22 Autharised to spend up to £250 on ,plant or machinery withaut reference to the Baard, Wark also. represented the Campany at the naw frequent wages canferences with 'I the Gas Emplayees Union. As a result he was responsible far settling with Manly Gas Company emplayees after the 1913 strike over the Industrial Arbitratian Act of 1912. On' the settlement which was I engineered by the NSW Premier, Wark's signature appeared with thase of his calleagues, T.O. Marland af the Narth Share Gas Campany, and R.]. I Lukey, Secretary to 'AGL. Despite the fact that industrial relations was the first matter to claim the I attentian af Manly's newly appainted Managing Directar, it appears that the past was created mainly to. hasten the Manly Company's technological advance. The Campany intended to. greatly increase their efficiency and I -gas making capabilities by installing the new. :Cantinuaus Vertical Retarts in a retart hause far taller, and mare intrusive than any building sa far I erected on the site. Appraval was given fn June far the new wharf needed to feed coal at a fast rate to the much.larger operatio.n anticipated and in Octaber, Wark and McAuliffe arranged to. inspect plant using the I new carbonising technique.23 ' Manly Gas Company's Jubilee His'tory impiiies that this extensian was I prevented by the autbreak af war,i!but even,~he non-committal Directars' Minutes suggest that this is nat the full explanation for the delay. While they were being pressed by the Manly and Warringah Councils to extend I street lighting to newly developing- areas like: Seaforth and Brookvale, the Company's finances seemed inad~quate for, the demands that these I extensions to distribution,' and the new carbonising plant would make. Suddenly, on 13 March 1914, Wark tende.r~d his resignation, leaving them without his knowledgeable leadership; - The subsequent ll1feeling I between Wark and the directars was exhibited by Wark's embarrassing questians at the AGM January 1915. Plans to. extend the mains to. new I 22 Ibid, Extraordinary General meeting, Special Bd Meeting, 17 February 1913 'I 23 Ibid. 5 June 1913. estimated cost with sae wall. £Z.OOO. 23 October 1913 , 24 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham areas were immediately postponed and renewed efforts were made to I collect outstanding accounts.24 Discussion of the extensions continued in the first part of 1914 when legal advice was sought on the 'possibility of building right next to Skinner's house when he once again refused to sell. I Then they lapsed until April 1915 when the Manager was required to obtain all necessary information for the installation of horizontal retorts. I' Quotes were sought from the Melbourne firm. Darley Firebrick Company and mouthpieces obtained from the Newcastle Gas Company.25 Thus additional benches of horizontal retorts were put in as a stop-gap I' measure while the major extension was deferred. In 1916 it was clear that the Company still intended to extend the works t as they moved to cancel the jetty lease and replace with a lease for the new wharf, further east. However, while a new boiler, rotary eIhauster and tar plant were approved, the directors hung back from I any larger commitment. Instead they improved the facade of the office in Manly and added a showroom for cookery demonstrations. The , existing wharf was repaired. No further changes were made to the works until 1918 when Engineer McAuliffe convinced the Board that boosting plant was 'absolutely necessary to ensure supply of gas to the outlying I district'.26 On the advice of AGL's Distribution Engineer, Waugh, two boosting engines were purchased together with a blower and a six inch I governor. Serious discussion of new carbonising plant. retort house. I gasholder and wharf commenced on 17 April 1919. Application was made to increase the works land with a reclamation of the western shore but the estimated cost of vertical retorts given by Glover West's ,I Australian representative on 8 May 1919 was £30,000. Once they understood the probable expense, the directors discussed alternative . schemes for another three years. In the mean time, distribution and I holding power were improved by the relocation of the large holder from AGL's resumed Kent Street Works on land newly purchased in I Balgowlah.27 Other gas making plant was purchased from the same I: I 24 Ibid, 7 May 1914 25 Ibid. 27 July 1916 26 Ibid, 16 July 1918 I 27 Presumably, this was the single lift column guided holder of 2~5,OOO cubic feet capacity referred to in the Engineer's report 1927, as by that time the 1888 works I holder had been removed to make room. for the vertical retorts. 25 I ,I I LITTLE MANLl" POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTI~ATION ,I Rosemary Broomham source at bargain prices.28 In 1921, gasmaking power was improved by I, the installation of a carburetted water gas plant.29 As a low cost alternative to vertical retorts, complete gasification t schemes were considered from April 1920. After enquiries in Britain, in May 1922 the engineer apprised the directors of a complete I gasification unit operating satisfactorily in Bathurst. (Fig 12] Designed and patented by AGL engineer, Herbert Wood, this was inexpensive and could be erected in about three months. After some ,I' trouble clearing the patent and obtaining a much larger overdraft, the carbonising committee (the engineer and two directors) accepted Wood's offer to supply drawings specification and supervision of his plant. The t total cost was estimated to be a modest £6,000. The contract was sealed in November 1922. At this time, Manly Gas Company's borrowed funds I already totalled £30,000. * From 5 December 1922 there is a ten year gap in the surviving I Directors' Minutes. I' ,I f I 'I I I I 'I 28 Manly Gas Company Directors' Minutes, 18 August 1921, station governor, exhauster, condenser, engine and coke breaker. 29 Ibid, 22 November 1922 I~ , 26 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rose mary Broomham I Fig 12 The original caption reads. 'Wood's Complete Gasification Plant being erected at Bathurst. There only ever Z such plants. 1 at Manly and 1 at I Bathurst'. Original photo Bruce Ambrose. (AGL). son of A.J, Ambrose I I I I I I I I I I I I -, , ---.-_-_-_-,-,_II!I!!I!,.!IJ!!!IL-_IIII!!-,""- ..... __-.II!!!! .. I p~ .,. 1£::.= I j ~ t.:,. ' .. " I , .. I 27 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I· 3.6 Manly Gasworks 1925 to 1927 An accurate description of plant in the late 1920s is contained in the I' 'Engineer's Report on (a) capacity of Plant now in use and (b) the question of estensions and replacements'. Dated 11 February 1927, the extant copy is unsigned but was probably drawn up by A.J. Ambrose, a I well qualified young gas engineer appointed in about 1925. ,I Ambrose pointed out that in 1927 the combined capacity of the plant was no more than 40.000 cubic feet per hour but that 'on exceptional days. such as Christmas Day and certain Sundays during the winter , months, this hourly rate [was1 greatly exceeded'. He advised that 'to provide the necessary margin for safety' a capacity of 1,000.000 cubic feet per day was necessary in practically every unit. In his opinion, the I capabilities of the carbonising plant left much to be desired. Tbere are tbree distinct metbods used by the Compmy in tbe I mll11ui'i.1cture ofgas:- I' (j) Horizontal Hmd CiJarged .Hetorts (a) .oirect Fired Benches a (b) .Hegenerative jettlOgS (2) Complete Gasiffcation Plmt I t:J) Water Gas Plll11t I Tbe Water Gas Plll11t is used simply as a stll11dby unit for dealing with exceptional deml111ds at irregular hours, I111d a.!so in tbe case ofbreakdown in the ot.her plll11ts. I '1 ;' In connection with the otber tbree units I may state tbat when tbese were working together, some three years .ago, the I complete gasiffcation plmt was being worked as a vertica.! retort, and the ma.rimum quantity ofgas that was made was in the vicinity of560,000 cubic feet per day. A c.bl111ge was I made in the method of working the GasilYClltion Plant, I111d an attempt to use it as a complete gasiffcation unit was made. In .1 VleW, bowever, of tbe necessity for preserving a proper beat or ca.!oriffc balmet!, it was found tbat the plmt could not be used to its full capacity, I111d a middle course was, tberefore, I decided on, t.he plant being worked on a semi-complete gasilYcation basis. It must be understood t.hat with the three I 28 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham plants making gases of different calorific values it is diff.icult I to maintain the heat balance already referred to, aod produce a standard gas under tbe requirements of the Act. Having regard to t1.zis dfffYculty and in the light of my experience in I working the plant. I may state that the maximum capacity of the combined units (excluding the Water Gas Plant) is I 75~OOO cubic feet per day.30 Since the Complete Gasification Unit had proved less effective than I expected, it was the central part of the works, the carbonising plant, which needed most revision. New equipment installed in 1924 had brought the condensers up to the required capacity, and the exhausters I put in sixteen years previously, could still produce the performance required. Similarly the washers, only two years old, and the scrubbers were still efficient to 1,000,000 per day capacity after twelve years use. I Once the planned new vertical retort house added its waste heat boilers to the works steam raising power, Ambrose considered that this would I meet his goal but he found the boosting plant inadequate. The Sturtevant boosters installed ten years previously were incapable of handling the I volu me of gas anticipated. Referring the holders, one, of which had recently been dismantled, (ie: the Holder installed in 1888) Ambrose was less sanguine. There were three I altogether; a spiral guided (single lift) with 100,000 cf capacity (1906); a spiral guided holder (3 lifts dated 1909) theoretically capable of storing I 226,000 which now operated at only 157\000;"and a (single lift) column guided holder which could store 225,000 cubic feet of gas. This last was presumably the old Kent Street holder relocated at B.algowlah. The I 482,000 feet total holding power was far below what Ambrose required. In informing the directors of the future expenditure required at the I Manly Works, Ambrose was eager to point :out that .his plans were formulated with fa definite programme in r,egard tm ,the maximum I quantity of gas that can ever be produced on the existing site'. Almost certainly, he was the first to take such a long view on:1 the Company's behalf, because of their previous policy of employing' 'engineers with I dubious qualifications and ,augmenting their!" opinions' 'with those of outsiders from larger companies. I The rest of this 1 927 Report makes it clear that the idecision had already been taken to instal the tong awaited vertical retorts, the necessity for I which 'had long been apparent'. Once these were operating all the old 30 Engineer's Report, op cit, 11 Februa.ry 1927 I 29 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWOR~: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I horizontal retorts would be demolished as the new plant would have I approximately double their capacity. The western reclamation was to be used for new purifiers, the first of which was already built. Ambrose signified his intention of moving the existing purifiers to this location I once the winter was over. He also intended to replace the unsuitable Sturtevant boosters with an entirely new plant of larger capacity. The next urgent requirement was a new gasholder of not less than 500,000 I cubic feet capacity. In the event, this holder was not built at Little Manly Point, but at the Balgowlah depot. A Hortonsphere, which resembled a I large golf ball, it was not completed until 1932. The plant described in the Engineer's Report of 1927 can be seen on the I 1925 plan. (Pigs 7. 9 and 11] It is also discernible in the earliest remaining official works photograph 1926. (Pig 131 This view shows the row of offices and workshops beginning at the end of Carey Street, I which is shown by the paling fence, and travelling around the end of the point above the first retaining wall. Work had commenced on the I Western Reclamation (foreground) and the 1906 gasholder was down for resheeting at the time this photo was taken. I Fi8 13 General View of Works, 1926, [from LiUle Manly Cove] Juhilee History I il 30 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWOR~S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham A series of views taken by the Ambrose family when they moved into I the engineer's cottage above the works in 1925 offers the most complete illustration of the site at that time. (Figs 14. 15. 16. 17 and 18] I I I I Fig 1-4 View down wey Street to the works on Little Manly Point. 1925. On the I back is written. 'Road (Carey St.) in front. of house leading down to the works on the point. The cross indicates Bob's office: AGL Archives I , .. ., '.. ~ ... 31 '1 I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham Fie 15 View form the back verandah of the engineer's cottage shows tar tanks I and part of the 1909 holder in the foreground and part of the Quarantine Station across the water. 192,. Later lattice was used to obscure the works. AGL Archives I I I I I I I I I 32 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham Fig 16 The works from a boat approaching Little Manly Point. 1925. The strange I shaped stack was part of Wood's Complete Gasification Plant. while the tall concrete building housed the Water Gas Plant. AGL Archives I I I ", I I I a----, '-. I I I I I I I 33 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORK.S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I Fig 17 Collier CaJdo.re discharging coal at the old jeUy in Spring Cove, c 1925 I I I I I I I I • I • :~~ I ~ I I I I I 34 I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORK.S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Fig 18 Manly Gasworks from the Quarantine Jetty across Spring Cove. 1925 AGL .. .,1, ".., .--... n'; ...... ~).. j - • ."'...... &""~---- ' . "-, " ' " 1 'J ,- '.' \. !. ~ i ~ 1 " , . :' /. J I;l' : I ;It'' i:\. I..' 1 , .~'" :~,, ', J!"lf/I!~~-LJI, jl,:"!;'~!'"f·Jf. \1. . "[" ' I .rI J Itt~ , ~ . \,', ", ~i I t I ;. :' ! • ',' "1 j \ ,,' ':, )" \ 1 j' ~. I . . • \ H" 'I •• I~ I i , ... I' " I , , i, , ~, ',. ' I I; ,., I .',' 'h I'l,· i I r "J:ff I,. A I • ' •• I :,,' ~rl",.'.,/HIJ;I.'J.,l,l~ (.I'll fr· 'I \ I I,. ~,r' 1.~Ir~''-'~'' , t , ':: , I'l' :1,:J ,I ij, IIII, t: ~f};7, r:! J ~ I. • " I 'J 1\',u. ,'", I ,~I~i';'r " I ',I, , I I t.'.,!!'II.''.1'~I.;r1"/ ,~lj".fit "1 I"~,./l1~1I . ,ftE ' " '" r' , : '\ ' "I ., ,.' ",.", ,I"., ..I."p,;", f.t'·.. "" ~." I • 'I .'1.:1\\, 'f' "f1' ,("i,"'!" . . i I' ... j \' 'I' ~I " t, " . 'I r • It' ,;\ \ " i' • ,I i\._1;''t~'lj*.l' ij" .. J .' ' , ; I It 'i-,',I ,.,., I'll J "f I.' .', 'Ill:.''( ,\.l' 't-I \ ; ','f \,., 1., :11'! , /!' .' 'I ., \ \ t f, 'I' ~. ,.. i - ,11: \ ; '';1 /~.\ \ \ (I'" , 1, I· , ~' I' 'I .. I " 1 ; ',' 1" I "I ."',: \ \ '1 "' 1 I i 1 ': ~.,/:\ I,' l~I~It 1"1 ,11.fl ~I't~ ~: • 1 I I " t', Il 'L ' I \ ri I. \ 1\ ! • ~1 \. ~' j! .' ~ ~ I I I,', '" n:; I' I 1~ h ) \ >i '\ ' , ,',','! I I 1 j' \' I ' 1 I, I t I I I J ' ,J t, d 1\, \ I , I ri"I I ~ '. , I' '. rill , • I' ~I It I ' I, I~. I " I, ,I ~" j' , t I "I ", tI'll. I I : : i~"It': \' ,,' lil:,:r"f I :1/;'JII ;\\.1' Ht I I,', {',iIf, ;J , I ,'j'[f I· , 'I' ,1 I 1H I ", /./' \ I' "If',I I,,'" " "I J'} 'I I I'j ':.1 Iq I.',11 I ,f,1 'l I I " 1 ~ r! , t 1 J l I j! 1 I" " '/1,I~'d I, "1~I;:1 ,H <) 'I I IJ I.- ; 11 rI ,I' ~ ~I"~ I I, "t , \'; lit lJ'II,l{'l tt" I 1,/ ;'1,~ I ~',IL lIJI'J'[I~l"i , I I ",~U .\~, , I - 'r ,) 1 \' t} I r" d , t I' 1/ • It' , ". , ,\' I I ~ , 1 ," ~r' i I j \ \1 t I~'f ,',rh I! I , ,I • \ : 'I '," I I .~';' ('; " r, , I'1 ) I .. '. ( '/1 "11\,,: ~'.t l\ \ ,I . I ,If (' . ," \. 't I f I J' , J ! I ! )'I ',.1 'I ': I '1 , \' , I J "'r!'if~' , , I I It "!" I" • t ~! ' , ,. 1 ,t 't"" "I I I· " 'Ic I" , '" 1 1I' I ,'tlL'! ,\: i ," I h.,.' \ ,',J'\I:' . ...1 I ! \ I \ I ~. t "' • , fI,' 11 I 1 I L.. J,'''' j.,.. I~~J' lilt '\1!' it . ,) I, '. '~i\'I, I jl, " :'Il'-\d. \ ~I '.' 1 J, "I ,", \ I ',t I ' C, ·'::l,"t"I'\. !"iL,ll; 1:1 " \."': ! 'f" ! .- .' T~ ," I, . , '" ij,! ',' .', L~{" ~,.t' I ' , \ "J'')' ) ,'··ttb,t 'r, I. \~"i'l, .• ,',1,. ",,'1.~;.1"'J 1 t " ' • r· r' _, "1 \ 1 "I.,'11 , t"I ''',. '''.:i, • ',' '"I ..,' Ill",1r. ','. \:l:'J~:'. • f'" .. jj ,. ,'" ' ~ '" ~: ~ , ' ,I I , J ~.i \ '1 1 ' r ') 1'!" ,I I.: \ '"t 't' ,,:, '\; '.1., U';:. ',' ,.', ...-: ~.~ •· ,:' • J .. ·!t I ~I! , f. <. 1J ",'. " ,..,';1 ' 11:''"'il' '\' 'I". ~,'i " I' .:"; , I • i" I \:'. '" ~.• : .. I"'I 11·', .,,.J ". ... >-~Ii• j :".--' "" " Ir' I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL. INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 3.7 1928 to 1937. a Decade of Change The vertical retort house commissioned in 1928 [Figs 19 and 20] was a later version of what had been a revolutionary breakthrough in retort I design developed by West's Gas I mprovement Company in the first decade of the 20th century. Originally about 20 feet long as many of the I later horizontal retorts had been, these were installed vertically to take advantage of gravity to feed the coal through continuously from a coal hopper mounted at the top. Different temperatures could be created for I different stages of carbonisation as the coal shifted down. Gas was taken off at the top of the retort and at the base, a worm screw extractor continuously turned out coke which was removed at two hour intervals. I Their efficiency can be measured by the fact that two benches of vertical retorts were sufficient to produce a greater output than Manly's three earlier carbonising plants. The verticals installed at Little Manly Point I were larger than the original models being 40 inches by 10 inches wide and 2S feet high. (Fig 21) They were installed in benches of eight to I each producer fire. The substantial addition this retort house made to . the works can be gauged by the official photograph taken to celebrate I the Manly Gas Company's fiftieth anniversary. [Fig22) Comparison of the two 1930s works plans shows that almost all the Manly gasworks plant was renewed during this decade. In 1935 the I works still bore some resemblance to that of 1926 in that the coal storage areas remained, as did the condensers, washers, scrubbers and I exhausters at the top of the cliff above Spring Cove. (Fig 23] In fact, the section of the works right at the point was much as it had been except that most of the purifiers had been moved to the western I reclamation; (Fig 241 A new boiler house had replaced the first retort house but Wood's Plant and the old water gas plant were still in position as were all ,the early workshops. The coal plant installed on the new I jetty in 1928 was designed to move larger quantities of coal required by th;e vertical1retorts put into operation in the same year. As the 1937 I P~an shows hi greater detail, the scraper conveyor which took coal to cr~shers adjacent to the retorts, was also constructed in 1928, but the inbovative ,spiralling conveyor was introduced in 1934. Skinner's I allotment, acquired in 1929, accommodated new works offices and a works garage by 1935. I By 1937 the old works had changed completely. [Fig 25) Apart from the engineer's cottage (1910), the booster house (1928). and the tar I plant, (and possibly the scrubbers), the oldest structures remaining were the two purifiers left on the top level, the concrete retaining wall I 36 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham enclosing the western reclamation (1923),· the underground tar and I liquor tanks in the same area (1926), and the eastern reclamation (1928). Everything else on the site was restructured during the 1930s. To the boiler house built to receive a ferry boiler, a new exhauster house was I added in 1937. Tindale condensers updated this anciilary plant in the same year. The workshop area was entirely rebuilt. One of the old coal I stores was removed to make room for a new carburetted water gas plant and its accompanying holder. Wood's Plant had been demolished for extensions to the vertical retorts, already sketched onto this plan in I penci1. 31 The dates on the holders suggest that these were totally replaced by new ones of the same dimension. In fact they were I resheeted, No 2 in 1933 and No 1 in 1936. I I I I I I I I I I I 31 The 1935 and 1937 plans show the manual CWG plant as having been removed. I but iUs shown again in the WO-rksPlan dated 1942 37 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWOR~S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I Fig 19 Vertical carbonising plant in course of construction. Jubilee /listor..f" I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 38 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I I Fig 20 Vertical carbonising plant at Works. completed 1928. JubIlee Histor.:r." I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 39 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I Fig 21 Installation of 40" X 10" New Model Retorts Glover-West System, 30.9.26, AGL I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 40 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORt:S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I Fig 22 General View of Works. 1933. Jubilee Iiistor.r I I I I I I I I I I I 41 ------AlANLY fiAS Co.L/.IJ. - //A'£ /NI'"VA'"A'N.:""4 Af"-4A"£/YCO£ -PLAN OF If/IJRKS /.9..15"- #V"",.,.L'.r J"R.:?WH /FY #£P. --JCALE J?/i:-//N. -- "J I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORK:S: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham Fig 2.0( Tar Storage Tank (left) and New Purification Plant in course of I construction on Western Reclamation. Jutulee History- I I I I I I I I I I 43 I ------...., - MANLY UAS Co. LTD. - .... - PLAN OF WORKS /937- !It N L)",,//' »".'() • VI U"'A,,/ry 1-" UN.r h/f H,V/f ,I ,I I I I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I 3.8 Manly Gasworks 1942 - 1964 I There is more detail on the 1942 Works Plan but the changes since 1937, while important, were not numerous. [Fig 26] Although the Manly Company amalgamated with North Shore Gas Company Limited in 1938, I the new management could not add a great deal to the works at Little Manly Point. The site had already been developed as far as possible. One additional bench had been installed in the vertical retort house in 'I 1938-9. (Figs 27 and 28] The purifying plant on the western reclamation had been doubled but all other features remained I substantially the same. The development the Manly gasworks had reached by 1942 was maintained at maximum efficiency until 1964; the year after its new owners The North Shore Gas Company had installed I petroleum fed cyclic reforming plants at its main works at Oyster Cove. These being far more efficient than even the vertical retorts had been, the Manly Works was closed down in 1964, and was later completely I demolished. The 1960 survey provides further structural details about the plant. [Figs 29 and 30) I I I I' I I I I I '1 I 45 I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION Rosemary Broomham Fig 26 The North Shore Gas Co Ltd, Plan of Manly Works 1942 AGL Archives "I ~;I ~~ ~ ~ ~:. i ' ~ '\ ~ .. I t I ~ ~ ~ t .;: \ ~ ~ '" i .\ (/) (I.)::S:: oC( 0::,., c"c::J 11.1 ~~' a:: > .. ::r:z0 .... ~ (I.) < J t ::r: ~ ~I , I- .... .,., a::c o '\ zz oC( 11.1 .... ::r:o.. I1 -= "V" --=""""""""""""""""""-J .~ .:;. -4i(; _~~Ji " .. ~. 4~.:.,_ '.--- I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORK.s: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I Fig 27 Manly 2: 40" x 10" Vertical Retorts in Units of 2's, 9 September 1938, AGL I 40' X 10' x 25-0' VERTICAL RETORTS IN UNITS OF" 2'S. DRAWING N'.' G 3258 SECTION THROUGH PROOUCER SIDE WALL. ftlnw~, ___€NQINf:I!:"".GIf"",,- .. !IIIiIL-.l.....-"7"::"...,-:--~==3:IIII_- ~~:~ I I I I I I 47 I I LITTLB MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVBSTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham Fig 28 Manly Gas Company Vertical Retort House and Works [from Stuart Street) I January 1940 AGL Archives I I I I I I I 48 I ------~--- Cove 0/ / 17 t:; "t1 VI N 00 VI 0' VI 15 40" -' SprLrtg I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Fig 30 Gasworks at Little Manly Point. 1960 pt Z. DP ,Z8,6" Land Titles Office ,..- , -""'~------,----- \~ H ~ -~ iof ., ·~it .!:..t!.1 i...... ,- -- \~"Uq..ee-J"=+S ~on'4.S \~ t.j!"1 --.J.O!..- ______-' %.i ,00 ,0101 ·--:O.l.~• [fjI1 ~ ~ \... l{) '~ \J) ~ ") L• 0) =C cL \ ,..- o '\ ~ \ .,.- .,..- .,..- '> <> so I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I I 4.0 THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES USED IN GASMAKING Basic Principles I This etching from Pf1I"xer ~~ Cbemic3.1 C3tecbl:~m, London 1810 offers the clearest explanation of the basic principles of gasmaking. I I I I I I I I I I I To make gas, coal was heated in a sealed retort or oven. The gas released was bubbled through limewater and stored in a holder until it was I needed. Coal was carbonised in this way for the whole period of gas manufacture. From the late 18th century to the 1980s the methods of producing gas I from coal were refined rather than changed as every aspect of plant was I constantly improved. I 51 I I I LITTLE MANLl POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Br90mham The manufacture of gas for use by consu mers can be divided into four I main functions: I 1. production of the gas from _coal or other feedstocks 2. cooling and cleaning to remove tar, ammonia and I hydrogen sulphide I 3. storage 4. distribution I For the first one hundred and fifty years of gas manufacture, coal was exploited as the feedstock almost universally. It was heated in retorts which were made first of cast iron, and later of fire brick. The first I retorts were mounted horizontally above the fires that heated them with the flames directly underneath. They were usually no more than 7 feet I' long with the only opening controlled by gas sealed door. Retorts were arranged in nests or benches of at least five to each producer fire. This I method of heating was called direct firing. It was quickly realised that coal gas as it first issued from the retorts was rendered unsuitable for use by contaminants such as tar, ammonia and I hydrogen sulphide which gave the gas flame. wanted primarily for its light, the unpleasant smell of rotten eggs. Much of the tar and ammonia precipitated when the gas was cooled so the removal of hydrogen I sulphide was one of the first concerns of gasmakers. This was first accomplished by bubbling the gas through limewater. Tar and ammonia I were more efficiently removed by condensers which carried the gas through a long series of tubes. In some early condensers, the cooling was I hastened by a constant flow of water. As the retorts continued a twenty four operation and most of the gas was used only at night, it was essential to store the gas in some way. Holders I were developed on the principle of the bell jar. A tank was excavated, sealed, and filled with water to prevent the gas escaping. An open I cylinder or bell was inverted so that its base was immersed in the water. This was the holder. Mains carrying the gas in and out of the holder were directed through the water to emerge under the bell. The first I holders were quite limited in their capacity since the engineers were uncertain of the load bearing properties of their materials. Forty or fifty feet diameter was the maximum size used in Australia until the 1860s, I the height being about about eighteen to twenty feet. -I' 52 I I I, LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION a Rosemary Broomham I Coal gas was less dense than air so the early gas engineers relied on this property to carry it through the processes at the works and also through the mains and service pipes for distribution to the consumers. Mains ,I were laid in upward sloping sections, with syphon pots at intervals to collect the moisture which would otherwise prevent the flow. Gasmakers II preferred to build their works on the shores of harbours or rivers to facilitate coal delivery and to begin distribution at the lowest point. I These basic methods had limitations. They were not conducive to large scale production and the gas could not travel much farther than two miles at a pressure sufficient to give good results. They could provide I light to the main streets of a town or suburb and create a demand. I 4.1 The Basic Plant at Little Manly Point The only two installations documented at Manly when the works was I built were the carbonising plant and the gasholder. The retorts housed in the first corrugated iron building were hand charged direct fired benches. They could have been the seven foot long, stopped end variety I used first by AGL at their Darling Harbour Works, and also by j.W. Fell at when he established the North Shore Gas Company at Neutral Bay in 1876. Such settings were frequently employed in country works into the I 1880s. The first gasholder was of 40 feet diameter and held 40,000 cubic feet of gas. Manly's second holder, of the same capacity and similar I dimensions, had, previou,sly been used by AGL at its Haymarket Outstation (a holding base ,necessary to extend the distribution further from the works), While it is probable that the plant also had a condenser I to precipitate the tar and ammonia, and certain that there was some kind of purifier, it is riot known whether Manly immediately adopted the new method of purifYling by pa~,sing the gas through iron oxide, or began with I lime as AGL had done,G>ther refinements employed in the cleaning process, washer:s and scr:ubbers which literally washed the gas with water to increase the precipitation were probably not included in the I initial plant and iit is unlikely that an exhauster engine was employed to assist the flow,:of gas Qut of the retorts and through the cleaning I processes at the works. " Such a small plant would not require it. Likewise no engines booste,d Manly's gas when it was first sent out to the I district. I I 53 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 4.2 Regenerative Retort Settings and Ancillary Plant 1 91 1 The installation of regenerative settings in Manly's second retort house in 1911 brought at least part of the plant up to date. It is clear that an I exhauster engine was used by this time, and steps were taken to distil the tar collected to exploit more of the by-products from the process. I Boosting engines were introduced with the ,new plant. Subsequently, the pressure in the retorts at Manly was controlled more evenly by exhausters, and it is fairly certain that cleaning was effected by passing I. the gas through a condenser, a washing tower, and an oxide filled purifier before it was stored in one of the three holders. Gas delivered to the I district was then pushed through the mains by boosters. The improved efficiency resulting from regenerative retort settings had already been experienced by AGL and the North Shore Company since I the late 1860s and mid 1880s respectively. A. H Savill explained the differencebetwee direct fired and regenerative settings in King s JI/fanual I of Gas Manufacture, 1948 .In t.be direct fired setting t.be retort..';, w.bic.b are set over a I s.ballow fuel bed about 1ft. in dept.b, are .beated partly by direct radiation from t.be jYre /J11d partly by t.be .beat of t.be waste gases. Very little attempt is made to control t.be I amount of air passing to t.be ffre, so t.bat t.be waste gases usually contain considerable qU/J11tities of excess air. T.be fuel I consumption of t.be direct j7red setting J..~ always .big.b, t.be retorts are unevenly .beated over t.beir lel1gt.b,. md temperatures vary considerably from time' to time according I to t.be condition of t.be JYre, but t.bese settings .bave t.be adVr!111tages tbat very little sk./Jled attention 1:~ required for t.beir operation, /J11d t.bat t.bey C/J11 be started up qUicJ.::ly I wit.bout damaging t.be setting structure.... I .In t.be gaseous J7red setting /w.bet.ber regenerative or notl t.be coke l:f gasi/7ed 1n a producer. ../w.bere/ t.be fuel dept.b is usually m/11ntained at .5 to 6ft., and very careful control of I primary /11r supply to t.be producer /J11d secondary /11r supply to t.be sett1ng J..~ pract1:~ed As a result of tnese improvements 1n design /J11d operation, t.be fuel consumption"Js lower, t.be I retorts are evenly .beated from end to end, /J11d tne retort temper3tures are not subject to periodic variation. Toe I c3pital cost of a gaseous J7red setting 1:~ muc.b greater t.ban t03t of 3 direct J7red settJng; but t.be extra expenditure J..~ I 54 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham amply justi/ied by tbe greater coal tbrougbput and tbe lower I .fuel consumption.32 I Fig 30 An example of a regenerative horizontal retort setting, King'AffJJluai I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 32 King 5 MfJJluai ofGas MfJJlufacture Volume /, WaIter King Ltd, London. 1948. I p,20 55 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 4.3 earb uretted Water Gas Plant 192 1 Carburetted Water Gas Plants were designed in the 1890s to improve the flexibility of gas manufacture. Using coke as their feedstock they I occupied little space and could be put into action at short notice to supplement the output of the retorts. Their operation was cyclic, there I being three stages of productiom. First the coke was heated with air and the last vestiges of gas removed by the addition of steam, then oil was sprayed into a heated chamber or 'carburettor' to introduce the volatile I hydrocarbons necessary to give the gas flame its luminous quality. Finally both the water gas and oil gas passed through a superheater I which combined the two. 33 I Fig 31 Carburetted Water Gas Plant. };,'"il1ll'sManuaJ. p. 203 I I I I I I I I I I 33 Rosemary Broomham. First LilliJt: 150 YearsofGa..s:Hale and Iremonger. 1987. I p 232 56 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 4.4 Wood's Complete Gasification Plant 1922 Complete gasification plants were designed to maximise gas yield by I combining the action of vertical retorts with that of water gas plants. To do this they applied the principles of gasification as it occurred in water gas plants to coal rather than coke, and tried to slow the porcess I sufficiently to allow complete carbonisation to occur so that the gas would be richer than that produced from coke. and thus would satisfy statutory I requirements of calorific value.34 The first discussions of complete gasification at Manly make it clear. that gas produced this way was still of lower value. Prior to the adoption of a I -regulated calorific value in New South Wales (rather than the old candlepower), the directors investigated cookers that could operate with I lower value gas. Precise details of the operation of Wood's Plant are not available but the Engineer's Report 1927 indicates that it did not fully I live up to the expectations held for it. I 4.5 Automatic Carburetted Water Gas Plant 1936 This was a more sophisitcated version of the manual CWG on which the I valves controlling the various cycles were operated automatically. Although a luminous flame was no longer required. oil was still introduced to boost the calorific value of the gas. The CWG plant was I accompanied by a small relief holder. I I I I I I I 34 KinK 's A:ffJ..luJaJ, op. cit., pp. 251 - 259 57 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 4.6 Glover West Continuous Vertical Retorts 1928. 1938 The design of continuos vertical retorts rendered them more efficient and I less labour intensive than horizontal settings with more comfortable working conditions. [Refer to page 36 of this Report] However, from an engineer's point of view their greatest advantage was their thermal I efficiency. Rising from the step grate producer, the producer gas was admitted to horizontal combustion chambers. each of which could be separately controlled by a nostril plug with an orifice of predetermined I diameter varied to suit the pressure conditions of the various chambers. In later models the base was 'bell-mouthed to allow steaming in the last I stages of combustion. This extracted more gas than horizontal retort methods, and the secondary air from this process was taken up to misx I with the producer gas. I Fig 32 The Glover West setting, early type, /;''iLlg's .J-/l111l1aL p.75 I ; \ I I i ,,,,,:;,.,·;>I>,",C''-~ t ,l ',':'( ,I ;>ltH"S "Cl," I ,,,.... ;e, ... I I J I I The continuous flow-through of coal made it necessary to upgrade the coal moving machinery and all ancillary plant where vertical retorts were I installed. I 58 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 5.0 COMPARISON TO OTHER NEW SOUTH WALES GASWORKS Although Manly is now well and truly a Sydney suburb, in 1883 when I the Manly Gas Light and Coke Company was established, its remoteness made it more like a country town. The technology, and building design of I its gasworks reflected Manly's isolation and small population. In the 1880s, when most New South Wales gasworks were built, all were small except for those of the Australian Gas Light Company which had I been making and distributing gas since 1841, and which by the mid 1880s served most of Sydney's suburbs. Typically gasworks occupied I less than two acres, functioned with small hand operated horizontal retorts, stored moderate amounts of gas in relatively small holders, and I depended on few employees. At Manly, the buildings and presentation of the works was extremely utilitarian. more so than many country works which had brick retort I houses. In this respect. it resembled North Shore Gas Company's first works at Neutral Bay. Perhaps this economical approach was designed as I a temporary measure until the Company's district grew. By the 20th century, however, there was little resemblance between the I gasworks at Neutral bay and Little Manly Point. Whereas the North Shore Gas Company's growth was vigorous enough to cause their engineer to commence building a very large brick retort house fitted with inclined I retorts in 1907 and to mechanise coal delivery, Manly was compar.atively moribund even in the first decade. It was at this point that North Shore developed into a large metropolitan gas company while the Manly I Company continued as many others did in the country towns.' Like similar enterprises in Tamworth and Wagga Wagga, Manly lacked the I motivation. the leadership, and the capital of larger concerns and continued to earn money for the shareholders without expanding as it might have done. The few remaining records show constant delays in I decision making, and a reluctance to expand. The hesitation over the installation of vertical retorts in 1913 offers a perfect example of how Manly's directors failed to seize the opportunities before them. By I employing a series of engineers from small country works, and farming out the responsibility for planning to engineers whose allegiance I remained elsewhere, they curtailed their growth. In this manner Manly continued to present itself like a small country gas enterprise until the I 1930s. I 59 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I The transformation of the works throughout the thirties, changed the works entirely as modern technology improved both efficiency and output bringing the Company into line with the metropolis where it I belonged. The Manly district had regarded itself as part of Sydney for three decades when the gas company management caught up. By that time though, Manly's days of independence were over as the larger North I Shore Company absorbed it. The only noteworthy technological innovation tried at Manly was Wood's I Complete Gasification Plant but even this seems to have been selected for its economy alone. No record has been left of its structural details, or I its operation. No photograph, no plan remains. Even the foundations have been obliterated by later structures. I The gasworks at Little Manly Point had few distinguishing features. Composed for much of its life, of second hand plant from its larger neighbours, it failed to keep pace even with its own district. Its I significance therefore must be assessed as purely local. I I I I I I I I I I I 60 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rosemary Broomham I 6.0 APPENDIXES 2.1 .Est.imate of Cost of Sma././ gas WorKs to Produce a Afar.imum I of 30,000 cft_ per 24 boors I Sydney, ,/4 September 1876 Gasholder 45.0 X 12 cap. 19,000 c.ft. I inc1. Tank for ditto inlet and outlet pipes 7" valves complete £600/0/0 I Two purifiers with two valves & etc. 60/0/0 brick retorts 36/0/0 Six hundred 4" pipes 250/0/0 I retort mounting and hydraulic mains 50/0/0 25/0/0 Service pipes 25/0/0 I Meters 100/0/0 Freight & charges as above (say) 200/0/0 I Retort House 25' X 30' XIS' 100/0/0 Chimney 50' X 2' X 2' wide 50/0/0 Setting retorts ... bricks 50/0/0 I 1800 yds 4" pipes inc yarn 100/0/0 Erecting Gasholder tank & Purifiers 200/0/0 Mouthpieces & etc. 50/0/0 I Contingencies (say) 100/0/0 I £2,092/0/0 I ]. W. Fell [founder of North Shore Gas Co], Letter Book, Mitchell Library I I I I I I I 61 I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION 3.6 ManIy Gas Company L.im.ited I .Bng.ineer's report on ra} Capac.ity of pIant noW".in use and rh) the quest.ion of ertens.ions and replacements. I , Detot'e dealing wi bh tho capnoi by of the present plnnt .. ! wish to point: o'lt I;hat the n vel~l1ge rnruciJln.l1!l hourlY' oubput of ga.s to, be , .... provided for is 40,000 cubio .fe~tj. Ori exceptional days; such (lS Christma.s I ' DaY' !'I.nd ocrtp-in Sundays .during the winter l!Jonths, this hou~lY' rate is .. greatly "excoeded.. In nti 'opinioh; so ~is tb pl:ovic1.e the 11.eoosallry. marein ;: of safety, we must have, in prflcticaliy ~vory tmit, n pla.nt capa.ble of . dealing with 1,000,000 cUbio feet per day. Our present output is over I :.4;000,000 ~tibio teet per week. CAPACI'rY OF EXISTINQ PI.... ~f'r. I i. Carbonizing P1EUlt. Th el'e l1!'e threo rl:1.stinct methorla used by the Company in I the manUf~.oture of ge.,s:- (1) 1l0rizont!1l H~llld Gha..rged Retorts. (a) D:1.r·e~t Fired Benches. I (b) Re~enerBtive setting~. (2) Complete G/1!11ficntlcri Plant. I (3) Water d~e Plant. The 1f1e.tel~ Gns P1Dnt is uS0.d sll11pl;y nf; e. standby' un.it for I dealing vii th e~cept:t.oll.fc1.l demnnds ab il'rE1Qtl1.ll"' hours, 1'111d also in the ease of D.!ly breakdown in the othol:' plonts. In connection wi t1t 1;11c ot;IJI)r tln'ce un! ha I may stnte I that when those were working toe;etller, some throo :TOOl'S tlGo, the COln plete gasification plntn was being worked a~ 11 verticol retort, mid tbe ml1xinmm qU!Jntlty of !,:,rtS thllt VIGS llln.dc \/Inn ill tbp. ,rioinity of I 560,000 cubic feet p"r dny. A chongo wn~ II1(ld(~ in the lIJOr.llOCl of worldl1~ the aoai_fication Pln.nt, n.nd an ntteropt to U.;'lO it as a complete gnsii'lc~ al:;10n unit 'fIO.S mado. In View, hor:evcl'~ of th~ neCessity for pl'€HJerving e. proper hos.t or oalor'irie balance, it rms t'cnHu that the plrmt could I not be used to its full capacity, and a m~_ddl() eourne wao, thercfore, deoided. on, the plant oeinc; worked on n. s bnd.-comple GC C;!1sific~t tiot! ba.sis. It must be understood tha.t '.Vi th the !::hreo plnnts mnl:ing GageS of different calorific values it ia difficult to nlO.illtain the llnnt I bula.nee .. rtlrtlnlly l'~i'e!'l'ed co, i;tlld prod.uce a :li~l:1l1 I Two 40,000 cubic feof:; per 110ur exhn.u!:l Gel'S '\'lore instlllled some 16 yenrs 9.80 and these are still in use. I, tlJel'cfore, ost1mnto I ~, that the oapa.oity Q1' our exis·t1.ng J;'lont is :hl the vioinity or. 1,000,000 62 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I 3.6 liogineers Heport (continued) oubio feet per day. I 4. Washing Plant. I\; 1s only two yeol'S SiIl(}l~ !l. I1~W 'i'lO sher \701l iNl tnJ.lr.d nnd thle is oapable of denlin/; with 1,000,000 oubic feo\; per day. I 5. SC1'ubbinr; Pltlnt. This plAnt is in good order !l.1 t.11ou[[,b instnlled some I twolve years ar.;o. Its cnpncity is 1,000,000 cubic feet po!' daY4 6. PurifyinILPla.l1~. The plan\; consists or - I t 1 - 30'x 15 x 6 ' Lutalel'ls!, Furifier 2 ... 15'x lb'x 5' " 1 - 30 t x ;.',0 'x 6 t " If 1 - l2tx 12'x 5 t wat;er S~al I 5 t tI 11 "11 1 - l!~ 'x 12'x (out 01' o outmi f! Id. on) ~ Imd is caprtble, UncleI' our working conditions, of trenf;illB nppro:d.m I ntaly 1,000,000 cubic f~et p~r day. 7. station Meber. '1'he co.pacity of this llleter, \,lh10h is of the pnrld.nson I and Cowan wet t;Tpe, is 40,000 cubic feet; per holtr, or rlpproximtltely 1,000,000 cubic feet pp.r da.y. I 8. ails Holders. IIttvinr.; dismanUed the Ho. 1 holder whioh hnd a oapncity of 40,000 cubic feet, ;"0 now ha.ve only the follO'ovill~ storngf3 onpacity I for -the gas. . 1. Sphn.l r,ttided (9111[;,le lift) enp:J.cHy - 2. 11 tI (3 lifts) total cnpncity 22(;,000 oubic feet \\'ith 0111y.woJ"k:!.nr; I cnpncUy o.f Ifj7,000 11 11 3. Column Guided Holder (single 11ft) cnpnclty 2H5, OO~ f! 11 .~\) .. y':,i '.eota.l Ca.pltOi \;y 482,000 11 11 I 9. Boosting Plant. 'l'hel'c nre two' po:ostlng unir,s ln use, OIle of the sturte I vant type at the Wo!'ks cnpable: of denline; Iwi th :;"0,000 cnlJic feo t pG!' hour and ·t.he Y:~nl1er COmp1'0SS0rS, at the Blllgowlnh clepot~) which !l1'C used in connection v;ith the hir.-h presatU'8 .dl.':1tr:l:hution 'llld nrc o!1p!'1hle of d"allng with 20;000 cubio fect!.'pol' hour •. In my op:tniol1 the Utul'te'Tftllt Boostel's '1'!ill h~W9 t.o be shor t;ly rep1nced, Ha t;hf)~r ~rp. b0C0ll1illG oV'er I taxed. 10. steam Ilnisinp; Plant. " I This consiots of - / :2 Co1011inl Type Boilert!! - calea fired .. I 1 Coohra.ne Boiler - nlflo'uoko fired. The Colonial Type Boilers fiNI used for general otenm raiSing on the \'.'o1'ko, one boing in cono t1\1l1; une FInd the ol~h0l' IU1 n etandby. The CochrmJe Boiler is only ttfJ0(1 inl~0rll11 {; tnni;l;T nlloll l;hc I 'f/l1ter Gns Plont is in OpeN) tion, nnd '."711(;)11' t;11P. lfn. 1 Coloninl 'l'ype Boiler is down for inspection. I considol' villi;;, 1wvil1g J.'eU:~l.l'd to the fnet that with [;he instl111Flt,ion of two 1':lltlt€! !Ient T3o:Ueril in th~ ltew Verticnl Rotor!; 1I011S0, -thc present SI~efltn-l':f:Iillillg Plnn1; will be suffioient I for Q, few y I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I 3.6 Eng.ineers Heport (cont.inued) to install a special plnnt for the l!,enf;lr!1 tlol1 of nIl pO\'.'cr to be llsed I 011 I;he Works". REPLACEMTi:N'r AND J\TmmVAIJ q:trr:~~'r ION. I mRy point out ih' OOlmocl;ion with the llwtltlle.cion of I new units nt tho \"Jor-les to replace those no'1\' :tll Ul:le, ! hll'J'c bcf'ol'O me a. defillite prClgl'e!!rne 111 ree:nrd to the lIlt'lJdlmlnl C]twnti/;y of gRS that cnn ever be produced on 1;~1(? 07.iatitl[,; ~lte, r.md llTy opinicll 19 that the I policy of' building I~o e deflnite pl"n :lm3i; 1l~ ntric\;ly ~rlherod to. 1. Carl>ollizillF'; Plant. I . . The nl'.!cesslty for 0. l!l.Ore OCol'l0l'licn1 1l1othod of lTIn.tllJ.f~.c- I turlng eao .hns 'been lonp, npplll'ent and the erection of tho new VOl'tion1 Plant nli the norks will cortnin1y proviu.o th:ls. The c:'.1pRcity of t11(3 new plant is 9pproxlmal;ely 1,000,000 cubic feet pel' clay n1 thOUe:Jl the manufaoturers o.J:'e confident t;hnt more ens thun this can be mnu.e. riith I the iIlS\;111lo.cion of tihe llew vortica,l:1 thf'! D'b~~ct Ph'cd find HCGcnm:'ntivo Retort Plrll1to y,111 bo demolishf'\d. ~rh/.) new plnnt; beinrs pl'tlci;icn11y double th(~ a~~Ze of the old pll11Jt there ill ovel'Y nccl:ss:t1iY for '~he fullest contribution being lIlode to I;he Spoc1!'.1 Purpones Fund to cnnb1e I the pl'oportiol1rr,te npproprial;ion for l;he ne1\" plnnt to bo (l.",}):!. tect to tllnt Fund. ! estimate that nn rullount somewhere between r..1f>,OOO ond I £20,000 vdll be ~hnI'~es.ble to the FUnd in oonnec cion ;o:i I;}} thl~ new plant. 2. Pu:r1fyinll FInnto I 1\ rGCllmnnticn on the wCl1tt:'rn nhl" of· th~ \~o:rlco }lnll boon dof1.",.itel~r net n.s1rle "by me for t;110 croc 1;10n of.' nl1 our fu;;ul'o pnl':tryinG units •.. IIlrond7{ l;h~ firllt: unit. lws been e:t'ccl;'Jt1 (md I pUJ.'po~e, irnncd iate1y \;110 present 'l'Tin!;cr is over, romo'ring tile bn1n.nee of the units I fl'clTI their present n:tt(~ to the YioOStr:J:'tl y'cclnturlfjion. TIH~ cosi; df thin work 1'l111 not be lean tban !~3, 000 a.nd this aJllotUlt 113 Cllull"geable to the Speoial Ptlrp0 IHHJ Ji'nnd 11/3 an iter!! of l'emovlll. 3. Boo~tors. I , I rHn of the opinion thnt bile f\t.nrtevnnt; BooBtero instn11ed at the Work~ 9.1'e not of (1 Elu1tL'l.blo type for t;lle Vioi'l(; t)'!cy ttI'e required I to pel'form. I, t.herefore, eonsidor tho,t (Hll']:Y in 1928 i\; wIll be necel3snry to replace these boosi;ers w:lth nn eilciJ:'cly llE'W plnnt of' n somowl1at larger c!.lpncH.y. The replo.coment vft11.lC will be debited nc;o.lnnt I the Special Put'poses Fund. 4:. OilS Rolders. In tIle pl'oe;rnrmne of ex\;e!l1l10111:1 on6 of the fir~t mnf~tcr:3 that will hA.VC t,o l'oceiv(') th0 con81ci.el'~,\;ioll uf lilY BoC\rr1~ nud which hna, I in fnct, been al1:'eady mentioned to theJn, is I~he c1'8ctio11 of n ne:". holder. Aa previously pointed out herein onr prosonl; c!J.ptlci\;y rfl only 482,000 cubie feet, '"nd I am of the opir1iou thnt 1f; willlJo llCO€lOUrlry to ereot 1111 lHld1tionnl unit of not; J.ess tlJfll1. 500,000 cubic feet C:'.1pOO I ity at an enr1y dRte. 'Chs pl'oportione.te appl'opriat1on, 11'nvfllG reeortl to the sizo betwe€'n the dismalltled ITo. J. holder o.nd the new ho1u.or I I intend cr('Jct~nr; vlill be ~n itr.rl1 chRl'Fjcnhlc to \;)lC Fund.. I Enl3in001' • I 11th Fabru1:1.I"Y, 1927. 64 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Rosemary Broomham I I 7.0 REFERENCES Primary Sources I AGL Archives All photographs held of Manly Works Land Titles Office, all Certificates of Title, Transfers, Estate Plans, Records I of Purchase, Old System associated with the gasworks site on Little Manly I Point Manly Gas Light and Coke Company Limited, Minute Books I 2 February 1904 - 15 November 1906 23 April 1908 - 28 January 1910 (rough copy, unsigned) I 22 November 1906 - 7 October 1909 I Manly Gas Company Limited, Minute Books 21 October 1909 - 4 July 1913 I 17 July 1913 - 3 December 1918 7 January 1919 - 5 December 1922 I 8 December 1932 - 27 January 1938 Manly Gas Company Limited, Engineer's Report, 11 February 1927 I Appendix 6.3 attached to this Report I Manly Gas· Company Limited All remaining plans of Manly Works North Shore Gas CompanyLimited All remaining plans of Manly Works I S.ite Yis.its Manly Works Site 12 November 1989 I AGL Works Mortiake, 1982-1989 Cessnock Works Sites 1982- 1984 I Neutral Bay and Oyster Cove 1981-9 Newcastle Works Sites 1983 -1984 North Shore Gas Co Works I Tamworth Works Site, 1988 Wagga Works Sites 1981 I I 65 I I I LITTLE MANLY POINT GASWORKS: HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION I Rose mary Broomham I BOOKS aod Articles Broomham, Rosemary, .fIrst Lig.ht.· !5{) Years of (ms, I Hale & Iremonger, Sydney, 1987 I .il10rt/ai;:e, /<.flI6 - 1.9S6 'Gas Manufacture in Australia' I (prepared for Engineering History) 'North Shore by Gas Light' I (Unpublished MA Thesis) I WaIter King (ed), .KJng:~ .A1anl/a! of(las Manufactl/re VO! !, London, 1948 Manly Gas Company Limited, Jubi/ee50l/veoir /SS.J-1.9.J.J, Manly, 1934 I Dr A. Ure, .Dictiooary of Arts, Alaol/lactl/res and Alines, London, 1853 I I I I I I I I I I 66 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I APPENDIX 2. LIST OF SITES FROM PRELIMINARY REPORT. I E Higginbotham, Gasworks Site) Little Manly Point) Manl~ N.S. W. Plan of I Management. Historical archaeology overview, Land Systems, Pty Ltd, 1989. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 83 I I I List of archaeological sites and their cultural significance Inventory number Archaeological potential I Place name 1 Gasworks: Worker's cottages, Stuart Street Low 2 Gasworks: site of engineer's cottage, garage, shed. Low I 3 Gasworks: booster room and machine shop. medium 4 Gasworks: open area. Low I 5 Gasworks: concrete retaining walls around open area. Low 6 Gasworks: concrete retaining walls or footings Low 7 Gasworks:Tar plant. medium I 8 Gasworks: entrance roadway. Low 9 Gasworks: roadway near entrance. Low I 10 Gasworks: roadway between tar plants Low 1 1 Gasworks: no. 2 gasholder. medium 12 Gasworks: open area. Low I 13 Gasworks: store. Low 14 Gasworks: working coal store. medium I 15 Gasworks: eastern reclamation coal wharf. medium 16 Gasworks: coal jetty. Low 17 Gasworks: formed concrete retaining wall to working coal low I 18 Gasworks: main office, laboratory and store. Low 19 Gasworks: boundary wall. Low 20 Gasworks: entrance roadway or access. Low I 21 Gasworks: concrete steps. Low 22 Gasworks: brick steps. Low I 23 Gasworks: gasholder no. 1. medium 24 Gasworks: booster room. medium 25 Gasworks: retaining wall to booster room and gasholder : Low I 26 Gasworks: southern half of gasworks, gas manlJfacturing, medium 27 Gasworks: concrete slab to Carey Street gates Low I 28 Gasworks: Vertical retort house. medium 29 Gasworks: Water gas plant. medium 30 Gasworks: boiler house. medium I 31 Gasworks: Water gas, plant medium 32 Gasworks: open space/yard. Low I 33 Gasworks: S E range of out-buildings !, medium 34 Gasworks: S range of workshops. Low 35 Gasworks: W range of workshops : Low I 36 Gasworks: Meter room. medium 37 Gasworks: Western reclamation area. medium I 38 Gasworks: Water gas holder. ' medium 39 Gasworks: Reserve coal store. medium I 40 Gasworks: eastern roadway Low I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Conservation Analysis I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I APPENDIX 3. OTHER HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS. These photographs' of the Little Manly Point Gasworks were taken prior to demolition I in the 1970s.Prints were provided by the Department of Planning. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 85 I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. l " ~ ~, I J ,- ~ 1, Figure A3.i. View of Retort House, and Gasworks from Stuart Street. 86 Gasworks Site, Little ~1anlyPoint, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. Figure .43.2. View of the Gasworks from the west. 87 Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N .S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. Figure A3.3. View of the Gasworks from the east. 88 Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. Figure A3.4. View of the Gasworks from the east. 89 Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N .S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. Figure A3.5. View of Gasworks from the end ofStuart Street. From Right to left, Gasholder No. 2, Offices, Tar Plant, Gasholder No. l, and Retort House. 90 Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. Figure A3. 6. Retort House and coal wharf 91 I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure A3. 7. Gasholder No. I, and Booster Room, M~eter Room beyond, and Retort I House and Coke Hopper on the left. I 92 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure A3. 8. Gasholder No. I , empty. the Retort House. with Coke Hopper in front, I and on the left, the Water Gas Plant and Boiler House. I 93 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure A3.9. View from near the Workshops towards Carey Street, showing the ~Vorkshops on the left, and the Retort House on the right. In the centre ofthe picture I are Gasholder No.}, the Booster Room and the Offices beyond. I 94 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure A3.l0. Meter Room and Workshops beyond. I 95 I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure A3.II. Boiler House, Exhaust House, and Workshops. I 96 I I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N .S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Figure A3.i3. Coke Hopper for Retort House. I 98 I I I Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S.W. Watching Brief, 1990. I APPENDIX 4. RECORDS OF THE WATCHING BRIEF. Reference should be made to the preliminary report for the complete inventory of sites, I recorded before decontamination. I This appendix contains further records made of some items during the watching brief. These sites are listed in chapter 4. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I E Higginbotham, Gasworks Site, Little Manly Point, Manly, N.S. W. Plan of Management. Historical archaeology overview, Land Systems, Pty Ltd, 1989. I 99 I I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I I nventory number 5 Sheet number 1/1 Place name Gasworks: concrete retaining walls around open area. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 2 Place description Gasworks: concrete retaining walls around open area. Steel girder I uprights with formed condrete panels. Chemical leaching. I I Place history See report I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential I Present condition Removed due to unstable footings and chemical leaching Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 100 I Inventory of archaeological sites I local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 7 Sheet number 1/3 Place name Gasworks:Tar plant. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 1 Place description Gasworks:Tar plant. Concrete retaining walls, bitumen/tar surface, I partially covering sheet iron. Dry pressed brick and concrete footings. The photographs are of the concrete base of a tar tank associated with I the Tar Plant, uncovered during the watching brief. Place history See report I I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential Present condition Removed due to unstable footings and chemical leaching I Threats I Present use Little Manly Point Gasworks Site I Watching Brief 1990. Page 101 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 7 Sheet number 2/3 Place name Gasworks: Tar plant. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type ep Film number 4 I Frame number 3 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential I Present condition Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 102 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 7 Sheet number 3/3 Place name Gasworks: Tar plant. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 21 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential I Present condition Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 103 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 14 Sheet number 1/2 Place name Gasworks: working coal store. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 4 Place description Gasworks: working coal store. Concrete retaining walls, cut into I sandstone bedrock. Deep depression with concrete lining, for coal conveyor system. I Place history See report I I "Bibliography See report Archaeological potential medium Present condition Mainly undamaged by decontamination process. I Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 104 I Inventory of archaeological sites I local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I I nventory number 14 Sheet number 212 Place name Gasworks: working coal store. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 5 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential I Present condition Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 105 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 23 Sheet number 1/3 Place name Gasworks: gasholder no. 1. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 9 Place description Gasworks: gasholder no. 1. Concrete footings, together with cement I rendered dry pressed brick, in a shallow circular depression. I Place history See report I I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential Present condition Footings substantially removed during decontamination. I Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 106 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 23 Sheet number 213 Place name Gasworks: gasholder no. 1. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 10 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential I Present condition Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 107 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 23 Sheet number 3/3 Place name Gasworks: gasholder no. 1. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 11 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential I Present condition Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 108 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 26 Sheet number 1/1 Place name Gasworks: southern half of gasworks, gas manufacturing area. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 22 I Place description Gasworks: southern half of gasworks, gas manufacturing area. I Place history See report I I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential medium I Present condition Demolished structures, but layout partially intact. Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 109 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 31 Sheet number 1/1 Place name Gasworks: Water gas plant. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 12 Place description Gasworks: Water gas plant. This piece of equipment may derive from I the Water Gas Plant, as it has a concrete type, recorded elsewhere only in that structure (concrete type 11) I Place history See report I I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential Present condition I Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 110 I Inventory of archaeological sites I local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 37 Sheet number 1/2 Place name Gasworks: Western reclamation area. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 7 Place description Gasworks: Western reclamation area. Underground tar tank or I revivification tank, as shown on the 1942 plans. I Place history See report I I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential medium Present condition Partially intact, and proposed to be infilled. I Threats I Present use I little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 111 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 37 Sheet number 2/2 Place name Gasworks: Western reclamation area. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 8 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential Present condition I Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 112 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 38 Sheet number 1/2 Place name Gasworks: Water gas holder. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 6 Place description Gasworks: Water gas holder. Between the Water Gas Holder and the I Water Gas Plant, a concrete lined pit was exposed. Its function was not precisely ascertained, but its association with water gas production is I strongly implied. It may be another tar tank. Place history See report I I Bibliography See report Archaeological potential I Present condition Demolished. Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 113 I Inventory of archaeological sites I Local gov't area Manly Municipal Council I Inventory number 38 Sheet number 2/2 Place name Gasworks: Water gas holder. I Photograph I I I I I I I I I Film type CP Film number 4 I Frame number 23 I Place description I Place history I I Bibliography Archaeological potential I Present condition Threats I Present use I Little Manly Point Gasworks Site Watching Brief 1990. Page 114