City Electric Light Company

In March 1917 it was reported that the State Government had authorised the formation of a company for the supply of electric light and power for Ipswich City and the Ipswich Shire areas. This was after a request from the Ipswich City Council, who had been working with the representatives of the surrounding areas to determine conditions that they believed were important for this company. These conditions included:

• The company not being able to charge more than 6d per unit for electricity supplied, plus 4d per kilowatt maximum demand
• The company profits not being able to exceed 10 per cent of the capital
• That charges to the city for supplying power to tramways could not exceed 1/2d per unit
• the cost for electricity at the pumping station to not cost more than 1/2d per unit if used, plus 6d per kilowatt demand

This was after the process was started in 1914.

In November 1917 it was decided that the Pumping Station would use an electrical pump, as opposed to one run on steam. This electricity would be supplied by the newly formed Ipswich Electrical Supply Co. Ltd.

An article in Feb 1918 quoted the City Electric Light Company and the Ipswich Electric Supply Company as stating that power should be made available to the city by April of 1919.

The power was not, in fact, turned on in Ipswich until August 1919. During the annual meeting of the company at the end of the month the chairman indicated that the work had been delayed due to various reasons, including the war, the influenza epidemic and shipping difficulties. Booval received electricity in July, the first of the region to receive power from the company.

The turning on ceremony for the city's electricity supply occurred near the Blackall Monument, which was at the time located at the intersection of Brisbane and Ellenborough Streets. According to the Queensland Times the Mayor "inserted a silver key in the switch at the Blackall Monument. The key was a present from the directors of the company" and bore an inscription:

"In commemoration of the inauguration of the first public supply of electricity. City of Ipswich, August 6, 1919. Ipswich City Council. Ald. E. J. L. Easton, Mayor; Albion Hayne Town Clerk; Ipswich Electric Supply Co. Ltd., E. J. Holmes, chairman of directors; John S. Just, A.M.I.E.E. engineer."

There were two houses that were connected to the wires at the time, and they would have been able to use their lights the following day.

The shop at 164 Brisbane was being built in September 1923, as the Queensland Times reported on the finding a historic coin being discovered during the excavations on the site. The coin was issued by "Iredale, Sydney, established in 1820, from iron merchants and general ironmongers." (Queensland Times).

Once constructed the building had club rooms, that could be rented out by groups, as was done for the Catholic Young Men's Society's Annual Meeting in 1927.

In the 1950s the company was called The City Electric Light Company, and in April 1950 they were advertising for an Electrical Appliance Field Salesman for the Boonah District. The successful candidate would be provided with a vehicle and would earn both a salary and commission. Two years later in September 1952 they were advertising for an Electrical Appliance Salesman to work in their showroom at Ipswich. Although they had expanded their operations into appliance sales, they were still advertising disruptions in electrical service during the 1950s.