The story of the English Oilfields at Setch or Setchey, near King’s Lynn, is a fascinating chapter in local industrial history. The discovery of oil in the Puny Drain gave birth to this venture. It ignited hopes of a British domestic oil supply. Those hopes eventually collapsed due to insurmountable challenges. This story traces the ambitious beginnings, operational details, and eventual demise of a venture once hailed as a “million-pound dream”.
Discovery and Initial Optimism
The origins of the English Oilfields can be traced back to 1918. This was during the aftermath of World War I. At that time, signs of oil floating in the Puny Drain and nearby shale were seen near the waterline. This discovery sparked significant activity, and by 1919, Setch was a hub of intense exploration. Prospectors drilled extensively, with boreholes extending from Setch to West Winch, Hardwick, Wormegay, and King’s Lynn. A total of 53 boreholes were sunk, reaching depths of up to 100 feet in some areas.
The venture quickly gained momentum, with shares bought to form the company. The initial capital for the project was one million pounds, reflecting the high hopes placed on the oilfields’ potential. Local farmers were promised many things. They were offered payments of £5 per acre if their land was used by the company. They were also offered royalties from any by-products such as Toluene, Benzol, Phenol, Ichthyol, Aniline, bitumen, paraffin wax, coal, cannel, shale & oil, ironstone, gravel, oil brine, salt, clay, sand etc.
ENGLISH OILFIELDS LTD The prospectus will be issued in a few days of English Oilfields. Ltd., with a capital of £300,000. The company has been formed acquire an extensive area oil shale situated south of King’s Lynn, Norfolk, the area being estimated at not less than 20 square miles. Comprehensive development has been carried out on the property, including the sinking considerable number bore-holes, which have proved numerous valuable oil shale seams, and experimental plant has been erected near King’s Lynn with eminently satisfactory results, oil being obtained of high quality. The home supply of oil for naval and oilier purposes is of great national importance. The directorate is representative, being composed of first class business men, and the company is a purely independent British undertaking.
The Newcastle Journal, 26th July 1918
Nearly one million £1 shares were eventually sold. The processing plant in Setch was started with a standard gauge railway line from the Great Eastern Railway Ely to King’s Lynn section, connecting the works. Railway wagons were purchased and work started on digging the quarry and two mines which were just to the North West of the processing plant. Buildings were erected for workshops, canteen, dormitories, powerhouse, engine shed, etc.
At its peak, the firm had its own policeman, doctor, and ambulance on site, as well as a football team, English Oilfields United, that played King’s Lynn reserves in March 1920. The teams on the day were: Teams were Oilfields; Jacobs, Pickering, Reynolds, Jaggs, Kirk, Witt, Francis, Bage, Mann, Say, Gibson. Lynn; Gage, Monument, Trenowath, E Bray, W Bray, Harbage, Gribble, Pooley, Hill, Armes, Smith.
Shale Characteristics and Extraction Process
The primary source of oil at Setch was oil-bearing liquid shale, discovered at depths ranging from 10 to 14 feet below the surface. This shale was described as dark grey and existing in hard slabs and notable for its sulphurous content. Investigations by the Institute of Geological Sciences confirmed that the material was an organic-rich clay, rather than true oil shale, which yielded hydrocarbons upon retorting.
The extraction process involved transporting the shale in small trucks to the nearby works, where it was treated by heat. The resulting oil was then captured in cold tanks. Beyond the crude oil, the process yielded valuable by-products: sulphuric acid and ammonia. A substance called Icthyol was extracted, which found use in the medical field as a treatment for conditions like eczema and skin diseases. Despite the promising array of products, the yield was low; every 20 tons of shale produced only 3 gallons of oil.
Operational Development and Infrastructure
The English Oilfields Company embarked on a “colossal task” to develop its operations at Setch. Press reports highlighted the “immense amount of work” carried out, including establishing railway communications and a residential camp. The site included offices, houses, a farm, a ballast pit, and a cement shed. The core industrial facilities included a distilling plant, refining house, sulphate house, boilers, and a power station. Supporting these were various workshops, including those for engineers, smiths, and carpenters, along with storage areas.
An extensive rail network crisscrossed the site, connecting different operational units and linking to broader transport routes. Standard gauge 3-plank wagons were used. A narrow gauge was used at the Oilworks’ quarry.
Challenges, Criticism, and Decline
Despite initial optimism, the English Oilfields venture faced considerable difficulties. Labour was scarce at Setch(1), and workers had to be recruited from King’s Lynn and Wisbech. While shale was easily sourced locally, the extracted oil was heavily impregnated with sulphur. This made it difficult to produce a commercially viable, sulphur-free product. The manager, Mr. H. Burnett, said that sulphur-free oil was not a “commercial proposition”. The persistent smell of black smoke from the retorts was also an issue.
English Oilfields, There is little information in the annual report the English Oilfields (Limited) as the progress the undertaking, the Board not deeming it desirable the moment to make any statement in regard to the important technical investigations now taking place. In view of the inconvenience of the date and the investigations in question, it proposed adjourn the annual meeting convened for the 30th inst until a date not later than February next, by which time the shareholders will, it is stated, be in a much better position to form an opinion as to the position and prospects of the company. We see that Dr. Forbes Leslie, the expert whose optimistic reports were such feature some time ago, has resigned his office of director, and has commenced an action against the company, claiming payment for certain services rendered and for certain expenses.
The Yorkshire Post, 19th December 1921
At a shareholder meeting in January 1928, there was “severe criticism” regarding the capital expenditure and lost shares. Shareholders complained that no accounts had been presented for nearly three years. Sir Harry Foster, a Tory MP, was particularly singled out for criticism. It was revealed that £75,000 in cash had been spent on discharging old liabilities and development expenses. The project, initially hailed as a “million-pound dream,” began to unravel.
Shares were still being sold in 1935 – see certificate below:
Despite considerable investment, the company proved unsustainable. The wooden houses that accommodated workers were removed, and the derricks, once symbols of progress, were dismantled. Ultimately, the English Oilfields Company entered voluntary liquidation.
ENGLISH OILFIELDS LIMITED Notice is hereby given, in pursuance of section 290 of the Companies Act, 1948, that a General Meeting of the Members of the above-named Company will be held at Boston House, 63-64 New Broad Street, London E.C.2, on Wednesday the 19th day of February 1969, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon precisely, for the purpose of having an account laid before them, and to receive the Liquidator’s report, showing how the winding-up of the Company has been conducted and the property of the Company disposed of, and of hearing any explanation that may be given by the Liquidator. Any Member entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote instead of him, and such proxy need not also be a Member.—Dated this 21st day of January 1969.
L. Ettling, Liquidator
The London Gazette, 21st January 1969
The End of a Landmark
The definitive symbol of the English Oilfields’ closure came eight years later with the demolition of its iconic 160-foot chimney. On June 1, 1961, the chimney, a recognised “West Norfolk Landmark,” was felled. Large crowds gathered to see the event.
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