IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
James Street, CRAIGAVON, BT63 5AT

The Carrickblacker Road in Portadown - towards Gilford and Killicomaine.

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The inscription on the plaque in the photograph is "OUR HERITAGE PORTADOWN GAS WORKS GATES ERECTED ON THIS SITE 1846 REFURBISHED BY H.TROUTON AND R.MAGEE FOR EDENDERRY CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND GENEROUSLY RELOCATED BY ASDA" Gas was supplied for street lighting and domestic purposes by the Portadown Gas Light and Electricity Co. Despite their title, electrictity never was generated. The gas was produced by heating coal in retorts. It was then cleaned and piped to a large storage gasometer which rose and fell according to the volume. From thence it was piped throughout the town in underground metal pipes. Coke and Creosote were the by-products. Coke was in great demand for firing solid fuel central heating plants in public buildings. Under its old name, Gas Light Co; gas was produced since 1846.

One of the most historic structures in Edenderry is the magnificent arch that has been erected every year except for 2007 when, due to health and safety reasons, the decision was taken not to erect it that year but to have a new one constructed by 2008. The arch, as part of the 12th July celebrations, had been erected for more than 100 years. The first arch was erected in 1900 and remodelled in 1907 and then replaced in 1920. In the 1930s Harry Kane served as Chairman of the Edenderry Arch committee. He was a signalman in the 2nd world war and was lost at sea on 21st June 1940. A new arch was erected in his memory in 1951. In 2004, this arch underwent major refurbishment. The whole structure was stripped down to the original steel and sand blasted to remove 50 years of paint, rust and dirt. A new arch has been erected, side pillars not finished yet,and was dedicated on 14th June 2008.The arch incorporates the old and the new with half depicting the Relief of Derry and the other half the soldiers, sailors and airmen of HM Forces. SeeImage

The big superstore Asda finally comes to Portadown. It has been built on the old gasworks site after many years in the planning. There are two entrances into the car park. One off Northway and the other from Joseph Street which is off Bridge Street. It will open on the 19th November 2012.

See Image Very close to where it was cast, this Portadown Foundry grating cover is on the Carrickblacker Road, almost opposite Eden Avenue.

Taken some time 1986

24 hour ASDA petrol station on the Joseph Street side of the supermarket Image (November 2012).

A clothing bin at Joseph Street.

Large supermarket which opened in November 2012. Between 1999 and early 2021 the stores were owned by the large US firm Walmart. They then sold it to UK investors, but retain some of the equity and a seat on the board.