Historic
Norwich Large Mid Century Industrial Oil Painting Thye Old Gas Works, St Martin's by artist Mary Woodall 1901-1988
This large industrial scene of old Norwich was purchased by myself 150 miles
away. Now that its back in its original County, I sincerely hope it gets to
stay here.
The scene depicts an old, gnarled tree stump on the near bank, with Norfolk
wherry loading beneath a gantry.
Originally, this study would have had a much larger framer, it is presented within its gilt
slip which bears a cream insert - I think this creates quite adequate framing.
A real piece of our Fine City
Size to include slip: H91.9cm
L130.2cm Image only: H76.4cm L114.4cm
Mary Woodall was born in Chelsea, west
London, into the "industrial aristocracy". Her father was Henry
Woodall, director of the Gas Light and Coke Company and son of Corbet Woodhall,
also in the energy business. Her mother was his wife Bertha (née Nettlefold),
whose family wealth came from an engineering firm bearing their name.
She attended
Cheltenham Ladies College and majored in history and then Somerville College,
Oxford. After college she attended the Slade School of Fine Art, under Franklin
White and it is there she first studied the drawings of Thomas Gainsborough.
She was awarded a Ph.D. at the Courtauld Institute of Art in 1939 with a
dissertation on Gainsborough's landscape drawings.
During World War
II Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery had seven galleries bombed. In 1942 Woodall
secured a position at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery as Keeper of Art,
and under the director Trenchard Cox, who arrived in 1944, helped rebuild the
damage. In 1948, she organised a pioneer exhibition of the works of
Richard Wilson. In 1949 she published Thomas Gainsborough: his life and
work; this book, in combination with her later related publications, remain
key texts for Gainsborough scholars. In 1956 she became the museum
director when Cox left.
Woodall retired
from the gallery in 1964 and went on to hold positions on various museum/art
related boards, including the Felton Trust for the National Gallery of Victoria
(Australia), University College London and a trustee of the National Gallery,
London.
Norwich suffered
as Germany focused its Second World War bombing raids on many areas of cultural
interest.
Throughout the blitz, one hundred gas mains within Norwich were destroyed by
bombs. Gas workers strived to keep many households connected, putting their own
lives at risk.
Gas workers throughout the country to include Norwich and also Cambridge helped
to produce gas-filled barrage balloons which forced German Luftwaffes to fly
higher, preventing dive bombing.
An extract written by Henry Woodhall, Chairman and managing director of the British
Gas Light Company in 1946, reflected on the Norwich workers efforts during
April 1942.
Henry Woodhall said: “In raids on two successive nights, we had no fewer than
100 mains fractured. Pressures had to be restricted for a day or two, but there
was no complete shutting off of supply.
“Gas-making continued at all times without intermission, which is greatly to
the credit of the men who did magnificent work with complete disregard for
personal safety.”
It was on a cold winter's day in Norwich in 1814 when people gathered round a
stall on the historic market square which has been at the heart of city life
for many centuries.
The old market, was established between 1071-1075 following the Norman
Conquest.
The people were mesmerised at Mr Harrison's stall as a light flickered in the
darkness and gas was used for the first time. It was produced by burning coal
on a stove at the back of the premises.
This was
the sight of changing times, within a city where many people were poor and some
lived in its cold and damp courts and yards. Life was very hard for the
majority.
In around four years Oxley's textile factory on Gentleman's Walk was lit by gas
which was supplied from its own gas meter and by 1820 the Norwich Gas Light
Company set up a plant that was operated in St Stephen's parish.
In the late 1830s, around four miles of the busiest roads in the Norwich were
lit by gas and plans were made to illuminate it a further eight miles.
Although gas provided better lighting than that made by burning tallow or
oil, it was not overly popular due to the smell and high risk of explosion.
The British Gas Light Company bought up the company and developed Gas
Hill and a large site in St Martin's where the courts now stand.
Sadly, many of the historic buildings
which stood in the way of gas works were destroyed in preparation for the
expansion.
Many years later the gas works moved to Trowse before it also became
redundant.
The gas holders at Gas Hill remain a great testament to the city's
industrial past.
By 1880 Norwich council took its first steps to provide electric street
lighting which was again, launched at the market.
A successful pair of lights flickered into life on the market and was
later extended to cover the main streets in the city centre.
As far as industry was concerned it was Jeremiah James Colman who saw the
many advantages of lighting up his massive Carrow Works.
He asked the Hammond Electric Light and Power Company to provide lighting
for the roadways into the factory and later extended it into many of the
departments at his mustard empire.
The high
demand for electricity attracted engineers such as William Harding Scott of
Lawrence Scott & Electromotors who started out supplying Carrow Works with
lighting.
William Harding developed a successful electricity contracting business
before selling it in 1899 to Gerard Mann who opened a new premises at the
corner of Queen Street and Bank Plain. Gerard went into partnership with Hubert
Egerton and another famous Norwich business was created.