Lamplighter

For other uses, see Lamplighter (disambiguation).

The lamplighter in Brest, Belarus (15 October 2011).

A lamplighter or gaslighter is a person employed to light and maintain street lights. These included candles, oil lamps, and gas lighting.

Public street lighting was developed in the 16th century.[1] During this time, lamplighters toured public streets at dusk, lighting outdoor fixtures by means of a wick on a long pole.[2] At dawn, the lamplighter would return to put them out using a small hook on the same pole. Other duties include carrying a ladder and renewing the candles, oil, or gas mantles.

In some communities, lamplighters served in a role akin to a town watchman; in others, it may have been seen as little more than a sinecure.

Beginning with Frederick Albert Winsor's 1807 exhibition at the Pall Mall,[3] gas lights steadily overtook candles and oil lamps as the dominant form of street lighting. Early gaslights required lamplighters, but by the late 19th century, systems were developed which allowed the lights to operate automatically. The advent of incandescent lighting diminished the necessity of hiring lamplighters.

Lamplighting is not as prevalent in modern times.[clarification needed] However, certain cities maintain the tradition to attract tourism. These include Zagreb, Croatia;[4] Wroclaw, Poland;[5] and Brest, Belarus.[6]

  1. ^ Schivelbusch, Wolfgang (1987). "The Policing of Street Lighting". Yale French Studies (73): 61–74. doi:10.2307/2930197. JSTOR 2930197.
  2. ^ Roskell, J. S. and Clark, L. and Rawcliffe, C. (editors) BARTON, Henry (d.1435), of London. – History of Parliament Online Archived 16 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine, The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386–1421. ISBN 9780862999438. 1993.
  3. ^ 'Pall Mall, South Side, Past Buildings: Nos 93–95 Pall Mall, F. A. Winsor and the development of gas lighting', in Survey of London: Volumes 29 and 30, St James Westminster, Part 1, ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1960), pp. 352–354. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols29-30/pt1/pp352-354 [accessed 10 August 2023].
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  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).