19th century industry and utilities Berkhamsted

former buildings of cooper & nephews on ravens lane, berkhamsted

industries in 19th century included:

· timber: in mid-18th century, berkhamsted had been noted turned wood products. based on extensive woodland resources of area (principally alder , beech), milling , turning of wood town s prominent industry in 19th century. crimean war contracts supplying army lance poles , tent pegs led major expansion. largest manufacturer east & sons.
· brush making: offshoot of timber industry. largest employers goss brushworks @ west end of high street (closed 1930s) , t.h. nash in george street (closed 1920s).
· canal trade provided considerable economic stimulus town, enabling development of industries involved bulk transport of materials. these included timber , malt.
· boat building: berkhamsted became centre construction of barges needed canal trades. yard building canal barges , other boats between castle street , raven s lane wharves, 1 of 3 important boatyards in hertfordshire. owned john hatton until 1880 , william costin until 1910 when taken on key s, timber merchants in 1969 bought timber merchant j. alsford before being redeveloped flats in 1994. located @ site, adjacent canal berkhamsted canadian totem pole.
· watercress: construction of canal had helped drain marshy areas along valley of river bulbourne. in 1883, berkhamsted times congratulated mr bedford on having converted remaining dirty ditches , offensive marshes watercress beds.
· chemical: cooper s sheep-dip works; william cooper animal doctor arrived in berkhamsted in 1840s , experimented in treatments scab in sheep. formulated innovative arsenic , sulphur sheep-dip. cooper family firm later inherited nephew, sir richard cooper, 1st baronet.
· nurserymen: henry lane s nurseryman business, founded in 1777, became 1 of largest employers in town in 19th century. extensive nurseries shown on 1878 os 25 inch plan, @ western end of town.
· iron working: wood s ironworks set in 1826 james wood.

utilities in 19th century included:

· gasworks: great berkhamsted gas, light & coke co., @ junction of water lane , wilderness, set provide street lighting in 1849. in 1906, berkhamsted gas works moved billet lane; closed in 1959.
· water , sewage: great berkhamsted waterworks company set in 1864 on high street (on present site of w.h. smith , boots). mains drainage first supplied in 1898–99, when effective sewerage installed.




^ thompson & bryant 2005, p. 24.
^ thompson & bryant 2005, pp. 22,25.
^ thompson & bryant 2005, p. 25.
^ thompson & bryant 2005, p. 26.