Kent Messenger Maidstone

The forgotten building that powered town’s first street lights

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Maidstone’s power station is now forgotten.

The borough council built the electricit­y works in 1900. It supplied the town’s first street lights in 1901 and electric trams three years later. In 1947, the borough lost control when the industry was nationalis­ed. The company was one of 600 independen­t power companies that shrank into 10 regional boards, with the county town coming under the South East Electricit­y Board.

The power station at Fairmeadow continued to operate for some years, but was eventually demolished in 1973.

 ??  ?? Left, Maidstone Electricit­y Works in the 1950, part of a heavily-industrial­ised area at Fairmeadow; above, the electricit­y building in January 1973
Left, Maidstone Electricit­y Works in the 1950, part of a heavily-industrial­ised area at Fairmeadow; above, the electricit­y building in January 1973
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