Samuel Cutler & Sons – Millwall, London and Telford, UK – maker of the Aberdeen gasometer

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Courtesy: Kevin Hogg

The prominent Towngas gasometer on the Aberdeen harbour front was erected in 1981 by Hong Kong United Engineering Ltd. though originally constructed by S Cutler & Sons of Telford, UK, on an unknown date.

The Engineer 1968 Jan-Jun: Index has under Cutler & Sons Ltd., Samuel “Gasholder in steel tank ordered by Hong Kong & China Gas Co., C (726)”. Could this be the Aberdeen gasholder? If so where did HK & China Gas originally erect it on delivery?

Both IDJ and Stephen Davies tracked down the Grace Guide article about Samuel Cutler & Sons linked below.

“Samuel Cutler was born in 1841, being the son of Mr Samuel Cutler, of the Wenlock Iron Works, City Road, London.

On leaving school he entered the shops and drawing office of the family business, and in 1850 the firm – Messrs. Samuel Cutler and Sons  – moved to the Providence Iron Works, Millwall.

On his father’s death in 1870, the subject of this memoir took his place in the management of the business, and the high reputation gained by the firm in gas engineering matters was a tribute to his genius for successful control.

The Kennington Lane gas-holder of the Phoenix Gas Co. (subsequently merged into the South Metropolitan Gas Co.) was in the early “Seventies” an interesting example of the firm’s boldness and pioneering skill in the construction of large holders, and some years later, in 1883, Mr. Cutler’s firm carried out the construction and erection of still larger holders for the Birmingham Corporation Gas Works.

As the years went on, still larger dimensions were reached. The works at Millwall were well placed for Continental business, and a 4 million cubic foot holder erected at Vienna, and subsequently removed to Berlin, afforded samples of the Firm’s activities.” (1)

Advert March 1903 Courtesy: Grace’s Guide

Advert Sept 1909 Courtesy: Grace’s Guide

This article was first posted on 20th April 2017.

Sources:

1. Grace’s Guide – Samuel Cutler

Related Indhhk articles:

1. Town Gas gasometer, Aberdeen – made and erected in 1981 through the collaboration of HUD and S Cutler & Sons, Telford, UK
2. Hornsey Gas holder No 1, London – 1892, oldest surviving example of Cutler’s Patent Guide Framing, Aberdeen Gasometer