| AdminHistory | On 31st Dec 1898 Sheffield Corporation purchased the Sheffield Electric Light and Power Company for £299,000. There already existed at that time a generating station in Sheaf Street and offices in Commercial Street. Land at Neepsend was acquired in 1902, and the first section of Neepsend Power Station was opened by Alderman Robert Styring in 1904. By 1914 the Neepsend site had developed to about a third of its capacity, but because of rapid increase in demand occasioned by the the Great War the station had reached its full potential by 1917, at which time land was acquired at Blackburn Meadows.
The first Blackburn Meadows Power Station was opened in Oct 1921 by HRH the Duke of York (later King George VI). The second generating station was begun in 1931, and opened on 6th Apr 1933 by HRH Prince George, Duke of Kent. Neither power station sustained severe damage during the Second World War, although the Commercial Street offices suffered direct hits on two occasions. In Sep 1944 work commenced on extensions to Neepsend Power Station, which were completed in 1947, and further extensions took place in 1949. Sheffield Corporation’s connection with the power supply ceased in 1948 upon nationalisation of the electricity industry.
These pictures form a comprehensive photographic record of the progress of construction of the power station extensions, including internal fittings, 1929-1949. |
| CustodialHistory | These items were donated to Sheffield Archives by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) in January 1986. |