THE opening of the electricity works was the big news in the Malvern Gazette a century ago.

The power station was on the site of the gasworks in Pickersleigh Road, opposite the Gas Tavern.

The works served a dual purpose: as well as producing electricity, the furnace that heated the boilers also burned rubbish.

"In addition to supplying current to the urban district of Malvern, the council have, at the request of Earl Beauchamp, entered into an agreement to light Madresfield Court, and this installation was actually brought into use on the 11th March," reported the Gazette.

The plant, adorned by a 150ft chimney, was fitted with two 25ft boilers, with each generator capable of producing 100 kilowatts at 2,000 volts.

The works was opened by Sir Henry Lambert, the chairman of the district council. The ceremony was followed by a "sumptuous luncheon" at the Imperial Hotel (now the girls' college), whose proprietor F Moerschell, was also chairman of the electricity committee.

The six-course menu started with clear mock-turtle soup and included Severn salmon and cucumber and turkeys a la Milanaise. Diners were entertained with a selection of music from the town band.

In his after-lunch speech, Mr Moerschell commented that Malvern was most fortunate "in the proud position of having splendid waterworks, magnificent gasworks and now they had added the electric light".

"In another respect, he thought Malvern was more fortunate than a great many other towns. It possessed a number of men who have done much for its prosperity by their labours," said the newspaper.