History

A history of the Great British gas industry

From a Cornish engineer's coal-gas experiments to the debate about hydrogen: some of the moments that shaped the industry you now work in.

Swipe the cards, or use the Earlier and Later buttons.

1790s
Murdoch lights his home with gas
Technology
1806
First gasworks for a mill
1806
Technology
1807
Winsor lights Pall Mall
1807
Technology
1812
Gas Light and Coke Company chartered
1812
Organisations
1813
Westminster Bridge lit by gas
1813
Technology
1841
Gas cooking spreads
1841
Technology
1847
Gasworks Clauses Act 1847
1847
Law and regulation
1863
IGEM is founded
1863
Organisations
1870s
Slot meters
1870s
Technology
1948
The gas industry is nationalised
1948
Industry structure
1960s
North Sea gas discovered
Technology
1967
The switch to natural gas
1967
Technology
1968
Ronan Point collapse
1968
Safety and registration
1970
CORGI begins as a voluntary register
1970
Safety and registration
1972
British Gas Corporation created
1972
Industry structure
1974
The Health and Safety Executive
Law and regulation
1986
British Gas is privatised
1986
Law and regulation
1991
CORGI registration compulsory
Safety and registration
1995
Gas Act 1995 opens the way to competition
1995
Law and regulation
1995
The ACS competence scheme
1995
Safety and registration
1996
Customers can choose their supplier
1996
Industry structure
1996
Gas Safety (Management) Regulations
1996
Law and regulation
1997
Centrica formed from British Gas
1997
Industry structure
1998
Installation and Use Regulations 1998
1998
Law and regulation
1999
Ofgem is formed
1999
Organisations
2002
Transco's owner joins National Grid
2002
Industry structure
2005
Four gas networks sold
2005
Industry structure
2009
Gas Safe Register replaces CORGI
Safety and registration
2011
Smart meter rollout begins
2011
Technology
2017
Cadent takes over the networks
2017
Industry structure
2018
Regulations amended; L56 fifth edition
2018
Law and regulation
2018
IGEM adopts the Unsafe Situations Procedure
2018
Safety and registration
2024
Hydrogen trials scaled back
2024
Technology
2026
Hydrogen heating decision due
Technology

1790s · Traditionally dated 1792Technology

Murdoch lights his home with gas

Engineer William Murdoch lit his Redruth house with gas made from coal, traditionally in 1792, and it is seen as the start of practical gas lighting.

Photo: Tim Green, CC BY 2.0. Source (opens in a new tab)

Sources

The early days (opens in a new tab), National Gas Museum
Diorama showing William Murdoch in his house at Redruth with gas lighting (opens in a new tab), Science Museum Group

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About this timeline

This is a short showcase, not a full history, and every entry is paraphrased from the sources listed under it. Where sources disagree on a year, only the decade is given or the difference is noted. It is an independent history: it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Gas Safe Register, IGEM, HSE, British Gas, Cadent or any other body named. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the community page.

Picture credits

Murdoch lights his home with gas: Photo: Tim Green, CC BY 2.0. Source (opens in a new tab)
North Sea gas discovered: Photo: Norsk Hydro ASA, 2002, Use permitted with acknowledgement of the source. Source (opens in a new tab)
The Health and Safety Executive: Logo: Health and Safety Executive.
CORGI registration compulsory: Logo: CORGI.
Gas Safe Register replaces CORGI: Logos: CORGI and Gas Safe Register.
Hydrogen heating decision due: Diagram: SGN (H100 Fife).

Murdoch lights his home with gas

First gasworks for a mill

Winsor lights Pall Mall

Gas Light and Coke Company chartered

Westminster Bridge lit by gas

Gas cooking spreads

Gasworks Clauses Act 1847

IGEM is founded

Slot meters

The gas industry is nationalised

North Sea gas discovered

The switch to natural gas

Ronan Point collapse

CORGI begins as a voluntary register

British Gas Corporation created

The Health and Safety Executive

British Gas is privatised

CORGI registration compulsory

Gas Act 1995 opens the way to competition

The ACS competence scheme

Customers can choose their supplier

Gas Safety (Management) Regulations

Centrica formed from British Gas

Installation and Use Regulations 1998

Ofgem is formed

Transco's owner joins National Grid

Four gas networks sold

Gas Safe Register replaces CORGI

Smart meter rollout begins

Cadent takes over the networks

Regulations amended; L56 fifth edition

IGEM adopts the Unsafe Situations Procedure

Hydrogen trials scaled back

Hydrogen heating decision due

Murdoch lights his home with gas

About this timeline

Picture credits