London's Gas-fuelled Lamps

A guest post by 

Keilyn J. A. Morrissey.

A gas-fuelled lamp in Green Park.

In 1792, William Murdoch became the first man to put the idea of producing gas lighting from coal into practical use, when he installed gas lighting at the company's offices as well as lighting his home by this method.

It would be another fifteen years before the first recorded public street lighting, powered by gas, was demonstrated. This was in Pall Mall, London, on January 28, 1807. In June of that year, a line of gas street lights was illuminated by Frederick Albert Winsor, a German inventor, to celebrate the birthday of King George III. Each one was fed with gas pipes made from the up-cycled barrels of obsolete muskets.

In 1812, Parliament granted a charter to the London and Westminster Gas Light and Coke Company, the world's first gas company. Less than two years later, on December 31, 1813, Westminster Bridge was lit by gas-fuelled street lamps. 

The cost of gaslight was up to 75% lower than oil lamps or candles, which accelerated its development and deployment. This cost-effectiveness, combined with its convenience and brighter illumination, drove the rapid adoption of gas lighting in public spaces and eventually in homes, contributing to advancements during the Industrial Revolution. 

By 1859, gas lighting was to be found all over Britain and close to a thousand gasworks had sprung up to meet the demand for the new fuel. Indoors, the brighter light that gas provided enabled people to read more easily and for longer. In turn, this helped to stimulate literacy and learning.

There are approximately 1,300 gas-fuelled lamps left in London, with roughly 270 of these found in Westminster. These lamps are lit and maintained by a small team of professional 'lamplighters' employed by companies such as British Gas, or through specialised firms such as William Sugg & Co.. 

The lamps require regular maintenance, with each lamp being serviced every fortnight. Their mechanisms need to be wound every fortnight and adjusted for the seasons. This is carried out by a small team of dedicated professionals, often with a background in gas engineering, who are responsible for the upkeep of the lamps. This includes checking and replacing mantles and polishing the glass on every lamp.

While some lamps still use manual winding and require a 'lamplighter' to be present, many modern gas lamps use clockwork mechanisms. Some lamps feature a permanent pilot light that automatically boosts at night.

London's oldest surviving gas lamps are found on Birdcage Walk.