Own wharf on the River Colne. A street railway along Hythe Quay had a loop running through the gasworks.
Founded pre-1847.
In 1859 Joslin and Mills were Lesses and George Joslin Jun. was Manager.(P.O.Directory)
1866 Colchester Gas Co. formed.
1867 P.O.Directory lists William White as Scretary,
Alexander Colvin Fraser as Manager. Offices in Queen Street.
Kelly's Directory for 1870 lists John Rowan as Gas Engineer and Manager, and John Chignall as chief clerk. The offices were at Queen Street.
1875 Special Act.
1878 John Thomas Browning Engineer and Manager, Abraham Creswell Chignell Chief Clerk, also Deputy Registrar of Births and Deaths for the Third Ward District, South Street.
The 1884 Gas Engineer's Directory lists J.T.Browning as both Manager and Secretary. 7,724 tons of coal were carbonised annually to make 80m.
By 1886 Sidney E.Stevenson was Manager and Walter Hatfield was Chief Clerk.
By 1900 H.S.Pike was Engineer and Secretary. The offices were at 64,High Street, and the Gas Works. By 1915 and in 1924. W.W.Townsend was E and M, with William English as Secretary.
The 1923 make of coal gas was 211.8m plus 51.7m of CWG. 15,800 tons of coal and 20,850 gallons of oil were consumed.
In 1929 W.W.Townsend was still Manager and Engineer and W.English was still Secretary. The Showrooms were at 29,High Street.
In 1937 W.W.Townsend was still Manager and Engineer but R.C.Lingley was Secretary. The Showrooms were then at 43,Head Street.
In 1948 M.L.Smith was Engineer and Manager with R.C.Lingley as Secretary. The annual make was 572m including CWG.
1957, 27th July. Connection made between the Colchester and Ipswich grids.
1958/59Foundations installed for a 1m holder.
1964-65, Two Otto LP naphtha reformer plants, 6m/day. The first was completed in April and went into regular use in September 1964. It was the first of its kind in the UK to operate on naphtha, the enrichment being either by propane or butane. Some mechanical details were modified during the summer of 1965 but the process was highly successful and proved reliable throughout the winter.
1966-67, Two further Otto plants, LPG feedstock. Continuous reformers
1971, 24th April. Production ceased.
1972 Demolition "in hand". <1>

Historic Building Recording was carried out by MOLA (Nothampton) between 2015 and 2018 on the gasholders at the former Colchester Gasworks Hythe Quay, Colchester.<2>