 These lamps were still disliked by many so in 1844 a local man, Doctor William Russ Pugh (a statue of him is located in Launceston's Prince's Square), produced his own coal gas for his house and a year later Benjamin Hyrons lit the Angel Inn with methane gas.As early as 1854, the Examiner newspaper urged locals to consider the creation of a gasworks in Launceston pointing out the numerous benefits and cheaper costs of coal gas as a means of lighting.In 1856 the Launceston City Council engaged Scottish-born engineer, William Falconer of the Hobart Gas Company, to prepare plans for the proposed gasworks.