Pictures recall Shrewsbury gasometer's last gasp
Goodbye to a Shrewsbury landmark, although how much it will have been missed is debatable.
These photos from Margaret Murray of Shrewsbury are scans from slides in her collection, and capture a change to the skyline of the county town from over 40 years ago.
They show the demolition of a gasometer at Castle Foregate, and Margaret gives the date as April-May 1980.
Remember the fuss a little while ago about the lack of gas storage capacity in the UK? Margaret's photos hark back to the days when massive cylindrical gas holders were a familiar sight in British towns and cities, but they fell increasingly into disuse and removing them freed up land for development.
However, they have been such iconic structures that some have been saved from destruction through being given listed status for their architectural and historic significance.
Margaret tells us: "I took the photos when I worked for Oakleys Fuel Oils, so they are taken from inside their yard.
"I understand that there was more than one gasometer attached to the gasworks but I only really remember the one I photographed."
Indeed Shrewsbury may have had several gas holders – there was, for instance, certainly one at Coleham, and perhaps readers can recall others.
Even small towns had them, as our 1961 aerial picture of Dawley demonstrates.
