Description:Extinguishing a burning pan at United Lamp Black Works. Workers are pulling out a pan full of burning creosote. Creosote, a by-product of the manufacture of coal-gas, was burned in wheeled metal pans to produce the lamp black which was carbon powder. Here, a shutdown of the works had been ordered and all eight burning pans were withdrawn from the burning chambers and extinguished with water. A man is extinguishing two burning pans with a firehose. Far left is Stan Machin and Albert Machin is in the foreground.
Founded as United Lamp Black Company Ltd. during the Second World War, the company produced fine carbon powder. It was used in the manufacture of carbon paper for office use, and to create a smooth playing surface on 78rpm and early LP records. It was also an essential component in tyre manufacture, helping to prevent tyre walls overheat, so the company probably supplied the Goodyear tyre factory in Bushbury. Carbon powder was also suppled to GEC in Stafford. During the 1960s it was taken over by a US company, Columbian Carbon. The works closed in 1979.
Since 2005 it has been the site of Four Ashes Industrial Estate.