The Eventful Arrivals No.3 Electricity
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The Eventful Arrivals No.3 Electricity
from The Barwicker No.69
In March 1920 the Clerk to the Parish Council (PC) was directed to write to the Tadcaster Rural District Council (TRDC) to find out whether the Yorkshire Electric Power Co. (YEP) had obtained authority to supply electricity in the Parish - for lighting purposes.
In my own mind I feel that the PC considered that, although Barwick had not yet received an electricity supply, the YEP could be pressurised into making such a supply available under the terms of the Lighting and Watching Act of 1833 (see 'The Barwicker' No.68).
Although the PC does not record a finite date for the 'arrival' of electricity in Barwick, a long-time resident of Barwick assures me that this event took place in either 1922 or 1923. It is however quite clear that an electricity supply was being provided in a 'piecemeal fashion'. The YEP, presumably under the electricity supply Acts 1882 - 1926, submitted many 'individual site' requests to the PC between 1928 and 1937, for permission to erect overhead cables. During this period the PC submitted a succession of similar requests to YEP for the cables to be installed underground.
The PC appeared to expend a lot of its energy discussing street lighting in both Barwick and Scholes. Between 1949 and 1964 there are no less than 69 entries, in the PC minutes, relating to this subject. It is very clear that only one meeting was held in Barwick to discuss the installation of street lighting. There was a large majority in favour. In Scholes however it was a very different story - over a long period of time many such meetings were held but the local ratepayers overwhelmingly on each occasion rejected the proposal. (Electric street lighting was not installed in Scholes until 1964).
As previously recorded gas street lighting was installed in Barwick in 1937 but as time went by the PC considered that it should compare the running/ maintenance costs between gas and electricity. After much deliberation it was decided that electricity was the preferred choice.
In March 1954 the YEB was asked to erect 29 street lights - in Barwick. At the same time the North Eastern Gas Board (NEGB), successor to the Garforth Gas Co., was politely informed that the gas supply to the street lighting was no longer required. The PC, presumably having the thoughts of the ratepayers in mind, asked the NEGB "how much will you give us for our now unwanted lanterns and controllers, etc.?". I did think this was an astute move by the PC but I was not surprised when I could find no record of any reply from the NEGB. In the fullness of time, the PC accepted an offer from Messrs. Robinson and Birdsall (scrap merchants) but the amount of the offer unfortunately is not recorded!
Details of the street lighting scheme were finalised, after much adding and subtracting, but the final quotation received from the YEB appeared to vary from that given at a Parish Meeting. The YEB subsequently managed to reduce the final quotation to an acceptable figure by the substitution of solar dial clocks between the Parish Church and the Sawmill The PC, presumably with again the thoughts of the ratepayers in mind, then asked "why not more substitution in other areas?". There is no further reference in the minutes.
The YEB then informed the PC that the promised delivery dates made by its board officials for concrete standards, were not likely to be kept and that they would now be delivered in January 1955. The news appeared to have infuriated the Parish Councillors and they resolved to take this matter up "to the highest possible level" and it was further resolved that three councillors should "storm the Wetherby Office - with power to act"!!! There is no mention in the minutes of any such action taking place and no record of any further relevant correspondence. Whatever did happen must have been quite dramatic because in October 1954. i.e. only a month later, the very next minute states that an "official switch-on" by Councillor Pullan was held on Tuesday October 1954 at 6.00pm. Electric lighting in Barwick had now well and truly arrived.
This event was not however the end of the saga. The lights had to be paid for and it had to be decided as to whether this should be by Capital Funds or by obtaining a loan. It was eventually decided that a loan should be raised and an appropriate charge should be made on the rates. A loan application was duly completed but after an undue amount of time there had been no response. In the circumstances this came as no surprise to the newly- appointed Parish Clerk as, when sorting papers out, discovered the original application at the back of the safe. A further application was submitted and personally handed in by the Clerk. There was then a further undue delay. The Clerk went to visit the Loan Manager, who was emphatic that no such application had been received. The Clerk then described the person to whom he had handed the form. The manager concluded that this must have been just another of the problems he was living with -'temporary staff'. A further application was completed forthwith. The loan was very quickly approved. The Parish Clerk triumphantly informed the Councillors of the good news. Inexplicably, as there now appeared to be some dissension, a long discussion ensued. Amazingly it was resolved not to take up a loan and to pay for the street lighting out of capital.
Although electricity was originally used to provide the basic needs of lighting and heating, it now provides the main source of energy to supply the ever-increasing number of modern day appliances. Today, life without electricity would be almost unthinkable.
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