Hope's sashes, glass roofing, lanterns and windows : advert issued by : Henry Hope & Sons Ltd. : Smethwick, Birmingham : in : Architectural Review : July 1933

            An unusually subdued advert for the Smethwick based Henry Hope & Sons Ltd; usually the company's publicity and advertising was noted for its use of typography and design which is somewhat lacking in this July 1933 advert that shows the use of their products in electriicty generating or power stations. Hope's were a major manufacturer of architecture ironmongery and window systems and one of their specialities was large scale glazing systems for industrial buildings such as these.

The four generating stations seen here are all very much of the second generation "super" stations. These were actively promoted by the Government backed reorganisation of the British electriicty industry starting in the 1920s that looked to rationalise the generation, supply and distribution of electrcity that had developed in a highly fragmented and inefficent fashion. The development of the National Grid saw various existing and proposed new generating stations designated as "selected" stations and these four fit that designation.

Ironbridge "A" station seen here on the banks of the River Severn was developed by the West Midlands Joint Power Authority, an early example of cooperation in the then fragmented electrical generation and supply industry in the UK that was seen as slowing the growth of the business. The WMJPA came into existance in 1925 and was it included both municipal undertakings (Walsall, West Bromwich, Cannock, Shrewsbury  and Wolverhampton) and the local private undertaking the Midland Electric Corporation. One of the reasonings behind the Joint Authority, given added credence by the formation in 1926 of the Central Electricity Authority, was to build new 'super' generating stations and inter-connecting 'grid' lines. The site at Ironbridge had been selected in 1927, on the banks of the River Severn the waters of supplied the coal fired station, and construction of the first phase was completed in 1932.

London's now famous Battersea Power Station was constructed London Power Company, an undertaking that had been formed in 1925 made up of several of the smaller private electricity companies in the Capital and that was, in many ways, part of the Government inspired trend towards larger and more efficient generation units.

The LEP started work on the site at Vauxhall in 1929 and the intention was always to build the station in two phases. To help calm fears regarding the visual appearance of the buildings, so close to Central London, the company commissioned the eminent architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott as the consultant architect although it is worth recalling that the consultant engineers also played an important role in the design of the building. These included Leonard Pearce (who had been head of Manchester's municipal undertaking until 1926), Henry Allott and T P O'Sullivan. The main architects were Halliday & Agate and the main Art Deco finishes in the interior, notably the control room, are credited to Halliday. It is seen here in early days with one completed chimney, the second under scaffolding. The other two of the later four were constructed as part of a pot-war expansion of the station.

The Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company was a major regional player in the generation and supply of electricity and was formed in 1903 to exploit opportunities to provide supplies to smaller authorised undertakings and smaller areas without supply. The company acquired a series of existing and smaller generating stations. During the First World War the company nearly entered into agreements with the massive Birmingham municipal undertaking to jointly build two new 'super' stations at Nechells and Stourport but the scheme foundered and whilst Birmingham built Nechells, the company went ahead alone and constructed Stourport in 1927 and closing several smaller and inefficent plants at the same time.

The final station shown was the pride of the City of Birmingham's Electricity Supply Department, arguably the largest municipal undertaking in the country. As can be seen above, the original plan to jointly develop Stourport fell through and after work at the 'land locked' Nechells site was completed the city decided to construct a major new power station to the east of Birmingham at Hams Hall where coal and water were easily available. The inital phase, the A station, was commissioned in 1929 and was soon recognised as being one of the largest power stations in Europe. Such was the demand for electricity in the city that Hams Hall "B" was planned in 1937 and work started, being completed during wartime conditions in 1943 and B station was extended between 1947 and 1949.

Taken on: February 10, 2025

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Mike Ashworth Collection

industry

industrial architecture

industrial archaeology

electricity

power stations

electricity generating stations

Architectural Review

1933

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glazing

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Henry Hope & Sons Ltd.

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Ironbridge A power station

Ironbridge

Shropshire

West Midlands Joint Power Authority

Battersea Power Station

London

Battersea Generating Station

London Electric Power Company

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Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company

Stourport Power Station

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Stourport Generating Station

City of Birmingham's Electricity Supply Department

Hams Hall Power Station

Hams Hall A generating station

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