Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited

Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited
Company type	Public limited
Industry	Electricity supply
Founded	12 December 1881
Defunct	1 April 1948
Fate	Nationalisation
Successor	Midland Electricity Board
Headquarters	London (1915)
Area served	Midlands
Key people	See text
Products	Electricity
Revenue	See text

The Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited was established in 1881 with the objective of introducing and managing electric lighting services in Leamington Spa and Birmingham, England. Its operations concluded following the nationalization of the electricity sector in 1948.

History

Incorporated on 12 December 1881, the company secured rights to install electric lighting systems in Leamington Spa and Birmingham.

By 1898, the company’s generating facilities had a capacity of 290 kW, supporting a peak demand of 127 kW through a low voltage DC network.

By 1915, total installed capacity had increased to 524 kW, utilizing Belliss and Robey engines linked to electrical generators, supplying electricity to approximately 520 customers via 12½ miles of distribution mains.

During the early 1920s, the firm transitioned from producing electricity to primarily purchasing it in bulk. In 1923, it acquired 907.627 MWh to satisfy a peak load of 607 kW. That year, revenues amounted to £18,532 while expenses were £11,547, resulting in a profit of £6,985 from serving 2,135 connections.

By 1926, ownership of Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited had been consolidated under the Midland Counties Electric Supply Company Limited.

In the late 1930s, electricity distribution was managed through four main locations: Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, South Warwickshire, and Warwick. The network supported 12,354 connections with a maximum load reaching 3,944 kW. Key operational and financial figures for 1937 are detailed below:

Midland Electric Light and Power operational statistics for 1937
Sub-station	Expenditure (£)	Income (£)	Electricity sold (MWh)
Kenilworth	36,632	3,722	816
Leamington Spa	187,658	43,553	3,442
South Warwickshire	35,721	5,937	763
Warwick	78,638	16,512	1,585
Total	338,647	74,724	6,586

Key personnel

Among the directors were A. H. Beatty, William Shearer, and F. Thursfield; Percy Olver served as Chief Engineer in 1898. By 1915, Arthur Chamberlain and George Hookham had also become prominent figures within the company.

Midland Counties Electric Supply Company Limited

The Tramway Light and Power Company Limited was created in 1912 by engineer George Balfour with the purpose of acquiring shareholdings in various tramway enterprises such as Cheltenham and District Light Railway Company and Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramway Company. It also secured controlling stakes in several electricity providers including Leicestershire and Warwickshire Electric Power Company, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Electric Power Company, Midland Electric Light and Power Company, Leamington and Warwick Electrical Company Limited, and from 1937 onward, Tamworth District Electric Supply Company Limited.

Operations

The Tramway company's net profits showed steady growth from £28,627 in 1915 to £53,696 by 1920. By the following year (1921), its power generation facilities were located at Warwick (on the River Avon), Hinckley (Leicestershire), and Ilkeston (Derbyshire).

Reflecting its broader business activities, the firm was renamed Midland Counties Electric Supply Company Limited in 1921 with headquarters at 66 Queen Street, London EC4. That year saw a share issue amounting to £750,000 followed by further capital raises of £5 million in December 1932 and £6.5 million in March 1937.

Net profits consistently increased from £186,169 in 1926 to £664,703 by 1936, highlighting the company’s growing financial position within the electricity supply industry.

Board of Directors

The individuals serving as directors of the company were:

Aretas Akers-Douglas, 1st Viscount Chilston (1921)
Alfred Robert Holland (1921, 1932, 1937)
George Balfour (1921, 1932 & 1937 chairman)
Sir Joseph Nall (1932, 1937)
William Shearer (1932 & 1937 managing director)
George Verity (1932)
Morrice Alfred Edwads (1937)

Dissolution

In 1948, both the Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited and the Midland Counties Electric Supply Company Limited ceased operations following the enactment of the Electricity Act 1947, which brought the electricity supply sector under public ownership. Their principal distribution networks were incorporated into the Midlands Electricity Board.

As one of five prominent electricity providers with wide regional coverage, their assets were apportioned among various Area Electricity Boards. The other four key companies included:

References