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Encyclopedia > Gas lamp

Gas lighting is the process of burning piped natural gas or coal gas for illumination. Before the economicalization of electricity for general public use, it was the most popular means of lighting in cities and suburbs. Early gas lights had to be lit manually but soon gas lights could light themselves. Natural gas rig Natural gas (commonly refered to as gas in many countries) is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... Syngas (from synthesis gas) is the name given to gasses of varying composition that are generated in coal gasification and some types of waste-to-energy facilities. ... Architect lamps Lighting refers to the devices or techniques used for illumination, usually referring to artificial light sources such as lamps or flashlights. ... Electricity is a property of certain subatomic particles (e. ...


History

Gas lighting in historical center of town Wroclaw, Poland
Gas lighting in historical center of town Wroclaw, Poland

Early lighting fuels consisted of olive oil, beeswax, fish oil, whale oil, sesame oil, nut oil, and similar substances. These were the most commonly used fuels until the late 18th century. The first known gas light was made by the ancient Chinese collecting natural gas in skins that was used for illumination. Download high resolution version (288x800, 45 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (288x800, 45 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wrocław, ( [:vrɔʦwaf]), German Breslau, Czech Vratislav, Latin Wratislavia; many Polish documents in English use the spelling Wroclaw) is the capital of Silesia in southwestern Poland, situated on the Oder River (Odra). ...


What a striking contrast between the appearance of the brilliantly illuminated streets of 1827, compared with the days of Henry V. In 1417, Sir Henry Barton, mayor of London, ordained 'lanterns with lights to bee hanged out on the winter evenings between Hallowtide and Candlemasse.' Paris was first lit by an order issued in 1524; and in the beginning of the sixteenth century the inhabitants were ordered to keep lights burning in the windows of all houses that faced the streets. In 1668, when some regulations were made for improving the streets of London, the residents were reminded to hang out their lanterns at the usual time; and in 1690 an order was issued to hang out a light, or lamp, every night as soon as it was dark, from Michaelmas to Christmas. By an act of the common council in 1716, all housekeepers, whose houses faced any street, lane, or passage, were required to hang out, every dark night, one or more lights, to burn from six to eleven o'clock, under the penalty of one shilling. 1827 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... See Henry V of England Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor Henry V (play) for the Shakespeare play about King Henry V of England Henry V (1946 movie) for the 1944 movie adaptation of the Shakespeare play (for other movie adaptations see previous entry) Henry V (1989 movie) This is a... Events Antipope Benedict XIII is deposed, and Pope Martin V is elected. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Events March 1, 1524/5 - Giovanni da Verrazano lands near Cape Fear (approx. ... // Events January - The Triple Alliance of 1668 is formed. ... Events Giovanni Domenico Cassini observes differential rotation within Jupiters atmosphere. ... In the Christian calendar, Michaelmas (pronounced /mI.k@l. ... Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a holiday in the Christian calendar, usually observed on December 25, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... // Events Natchez, one of the oldest towns on the Mississippi, founded. ...


Coal and natural gases were known originally for their adverse effects rather than their useful qualities. Miners used two styles of them, called the choke damp and the fire damp. In 1667 a paper detailing the affects of these was entitled, "A Description of a Well and Earth in Lancashire taking Fire, by a Candle approaching to it. Imparted by Thomas Shirley, Esq an eye-witness." // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ...


Dr. Stephen Hales was the first person who procured an flammable fluid from the actual distillation of coal. His experiments with this object are related in the first volume of his Vegetable Statics, published in 1726. From the distillation of "one hundred and fifty-eight grains [10.2 g] of Newcastle coal, he states that he obtained one hundred and eighty cubic inches [2.9 L] of air, which weighed fifty-one grains [3.3 g], being nearly one third of the whole." These results seemed to have passed without notice for several years. Stephen Hales (September 17, 1677 - January 4, 1761) was an English physiologist, chemist and inventor. ... Events George Friderich Handel becomes a British subject. ...


In the "Philosophical Transactions" for 1733, some properties of coal-gas are detailed in a paper called, "An Account of the Damp Air in a Coal-pit of Sir James Lowther, sunk within Twenty Yards of the Sea." This paper, contained some striking facts relating to the flammability and other properties of coal gas.


The principal properties of coal-gas were demonstrated to different members of the Royal Society, and showed that after keeping the gas sometime, it still retained its inflammability. Remarkably, the scientists of the time still saw no useful purpose for it. The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is claimed to be the oldest learned society still in existence. ...


John Clayton, in an extract from a letter in the "Philosophical Transactions" for 1735, calls gas the "spirit" of coal; and discovered it's inflammability by an accident. This "spirit" happened to catch fire, by coming in contact with a candle, as it escaped from a fracture in one of his distillatory vessels. By preserving the gas in bladders, he entertained his friends, by exhibiting its inflammability. This is the closest the idea of practical application came. John Clayton was also the birth name of the fictional character Tarzan. ... Events 16 April - The London premiere of Alcina by George Frideric Handel, his first the first Italian opera for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. ...


Coal gas, as it was called, initially used 90 burners to light the Soho steam engine works of Boulton and Watt. Their manager, William Murdock, began experimenting with coal gas and, in 1782, he built a small factory to provide gas lighting for the works. One of the employees at the Soho works, Samuel Clegg, saw the potential of this new form of lighting. Clegg left his job to set up his own gas lighting business, the Gas Lighting and Coke Company. 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...


The man who first applied the inflammability of gas for light, was William Murdoch (sometimes spelt 'Murdock'), who worked for Matthew Boulton and James Watt. His cottage at their Soho Foundary, near Birmingham, was the first domestic building to be lit by gas. The lights covering the works astonished the local population. In 1792, he used coal gas for lighting his house and offices, at Redruth, in Cornwall; and in 1797 he again made a similar use of it at Old Cunnock, in Ayrshire. At Soho, he constructed an apparatus which enabled him to exhibit his plan on a larger scale than had been attempted before. He continued his experiments, Southern and Creighton, with a goal of eliminating both the smoke and the smell. German inventor Freidrich Winzer (Winsor) was the first person to patent coal gas lighting in 1804 and a “thermolampe” using gas distilled from wood was patented in 1799. William Murdoch. ... Matthew Boulton. ... This article is about the Scottish engineer and inventor. ... 19th century Cottages in the small hamlet of Crafton, Buckinghamshire A cottage is a small house of any period. ... This article is about the city in England. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1797 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...


In 1801, a M. Le Bon of Paris had also used gas lights to illuminate his house and gardens, and was considering how to light all of Paris. In 1820, Paris adopted gas street lighting. 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...


In 1804, Dr. Henry delivered a course of lectures on chemistry, at Manchester, in which he showed the mode of producing gas from coal, and the facility and advantage of its use. Dr, Henry analyzed the composition and investigated the properties of carburetted hydrogen gas. His experiments were numerous and accurate, and made upon a variety of substances; and having obtained the gas from wood, peat, different kinds of coal, oil, wax, &c. he quatified the intensity of the light from each source. 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...


Josiah Pemberton, a tireless inventor, had for some time been experimenting on the nature of gas. A resident of Birmingham, his attention was probably roused by the exhibition at Soho. About 1806, he exhibited gas-lights in a variety of forms, and with great brilliance, at the front of his manufactory in Birmingham. 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...


In 1808 he constructed an apparatus, applicable to several uses, for Benjamin Cooke, a manufacturer of brass tubes, gilt toys, and other articles. In 1808, Murdoch communicated to the Royal Society a very interesting account of his successful application of coal gas to lighting the extensive establishment of Messrs. Phillips and Lea. For this communication, Count Rumford's gold medal was presented to him. Murdoch's statements threw great light on the comparative advantage of gas and candles, and contained much useful information on the expenses of production and management. 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...


The first public street lighting with gas took place in Pall Mall, London on January 28, 1807. In 1812, Parliament granted a charter to the London and Westminster Gas Light and Coke Company, and the first gas company in the world came into being. A few years later, on December 31, 1813, the Westminster Bridge was lit by gas. January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...


As artificial lighting became more common, the general public became more interested and the desire for it to become commonly available grew. This was in part because towns became much safer places to travel around because gas lamps were installed in the street reducing crime rates. In 1809, accordingly, the first application was made to parliament to incorporate a company in order to accelerate the process, but failed to pass. In 1810, however, the application was renewed by the same parties, and though some opposition was encountered, and considerable expense incurred, the bill passed, but not without great alterations; and the London and Westminster Chartered Gas-Light and Coke Company was established. By 1816, Samuel Clegg obtained the patent for his horizontal rotative retort; his apparatus for purifying coal gas with cream of lime; for his rotative gas meter; and self-acting governor. 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...


Following this success, gas lighting spread to other countries. In the United States, Baltimore in 1816 was the first city to light its streets with gas. The first introduction of gas lights in Rembrandt Peal's Museum in Baltimore in 1816 proved to be such a sensation and success that Peale quickly organized the first gas company in the United States and the city council passed an ordinance June 1816, permitted Peale to manufacture gas, lay pipes in the streets, and contract with the city for street lighting. 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...


Among the economic impacts of gas lighting was to allow factories to work much longer hours. This was particularly important in Great Britain during the winter months when nights were significantly longer. Factories could even work continuously over 24 hours resulting in increased production.


In this year, 1817, at the three stations belonging to the Chartered Gas Company, 25 chaldron (24 m³) of coal were daily carbonized, producing 300,000 cubic feet (8,500 m³) of gas, which was equal to the supply of 75,000 Argand lamps, each yielding the light of six candles. At the City Gas Works, in Dorset-street, Black-friars, the quantity of coal daily carbonized amounted to, three chaldron, which afforded a quantity of gas adequate to the supply of 1,500 Argand lamps; so that twenty-eight chaldron of coal were daily carbonized at that time, and 76,500 lights supplied by those two companies only. 1817 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...


At this period the principal object of attention in the manufacture of gas was its purification. Mr. D. Wilson, of Dublin, took out a patent for purifying coal gas by means of the chemical action of ammoniacal gas. Another plan was devised by Mr. Reuben Phillips, of Exeter, who obtained a patent for the purification of coal gas by the use of dry lime. Mr. G. Holworthy, in 1818, took out a patent for a method of purifying it by causing the gas, in a highly-condensed state, to pass through iron retorts heated to a dark red.


By 1823 numerous towns and cities throughout Britain were lit by gas. Costing up to 75% less than lighting produced by oil lamps or candles helped to accelerate it's development and deployment. By 1859, gas lighting was to be found all over Britain and 1000 gas works had sprung up to meet the demand for the new fuel. The brighter lighting which gas provided allowed people to read more easily and for longer. This helped to stimulated literacy and learning, so speeding up the Industrial Revolution. 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...


Oil gas appeared in the field as a rival of coal gas. In 1815, John Taylor had obtained a patent for an apparatus for the decomposition of oil and other animal substances; but the circumstance which more particularly attracted the public attention to be directed to oil gas was the erection of the patent apparatus at Apothecary's Hall, by Messrs. Taylors and Martineau. 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...


Early in the 1800's, most cities in the United States and Europe had streets that were gaslight. Gas lighting for streets gave way to low pressure sodium and high pressure mercury lighting in the 1930s and the development of the electric lighting at the turn of the 19th century replaced gas lighting in homes. 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ...


Other Usages

Gaslight is also the name of several movies. The verb, "to gaslight", or "gaslighting", following the premise of the movie, has come down to us as any attempt by one or more people to subtly convince someone else that they are losing their grasp on reality, through physical trickery or mind games, in order to gain some advantage over them. Gaslight is the title of at least two films based on the Patrick Hamilton play Angel Street, in which a man marries a woman and tries to convince her she is crazy so that he can steal the jewels stored in her attic. ...


Sources

Sources of light / lighting
Natural/prehistoric light sources:
bioluminescence (Fireflies, Foxfire, et cetera) | Celestial objects | Lightning
Combustion-based light sources:
Acetylene/Carbide lamps | Candle | Davy lamps | Fire | Gas lighting | Kerosene lamp | Limelight | Oil lamp | Rushlight
Nuclear/direct chemical light sources:
Betalights | Chemoluminescence/Lightsticks
Electric light sources:
Arc lamp | Incandescent | Fluorescent
High-intensity discharge:
HMI lamps | Mercury-vapor lamps | Metal halide lamps | Sodium vapor lamps | Xenon arc lamps
Other electric:
Electroluminescent (EL) lamps | Inductive lighting | LEDs | Neon and argon lamps | Sulfur lamp | Xenon flash lamps | Yablochkov candle

  Results from FactBites:
 
EH.Net Encyclopedia: Manufactured and Natural Gas Industry (2976 words)
Natural gas is composed primarily of methane, a hydrocarbon composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, or CH4.
Manufactured coal gas (sometimes referred to as "town gas"), and its several variants, was used for lighting throughout most of the nineteenth century.
Consumers also used this gas as a fuel for heating and cooking from the late nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century in many locations where natural gas was unavailable.
Gas Lamp informatiion from Ask The Gas Man (478 words)
Gas Lamps have been around a long time, in fact, the one in your front yard could easily be 30 years old.
There are few manufacturers of Gas lamps anymore as electric has taken the market, but there is a softness to the light given and they till shine when the electricity goes out.
Cleaning the lamp is a good idea each time you change the mantles, remember that insects love the smell of gas and are drawn by that and the light of the flame.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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