23 November 2015

The lamp lighter cometh

London still has some 1500 operational gas lights in various parts of town, and four lamp lighters maintain them, going around to wind up their clocks every fortnight.
Some of those lamps date back to 1813, a time when the streetscape was very, very different. Lamps that get damaged are restored to their original state (nice to know that).

The oldest stretch is on Birdcage Walk - lamps have the mark of the reigning monarch, for instance King George V -
If you see ladders chained to a lamp post, those belong to the lamp lighters, or rather to British Gas.

See the video here.

2 comments:

Heather James said...

Just watched the video and found it really interesting.

beatrice De said...

Ah London, london.
Margaret please go on my blog, you fall !!!!! So busy these days. artisanat markets, brocantes... You will see all the good I have to sell !!!!
Love from Lausanne.