Hailwoods Miner's lamp
Ackroyd & Best's Hailwood Lamp
Name/Title
Hailwoods Miner's lampEntry/Object ID
2025.1.836Description
Brass and metal miner's lamp. A glass cylinder protect the flame from igniting gases. The base contains the fuel, which would have been oil.Context
Label states: Made by Ackroyd & Best Ltd. Makers. Hailwoods Improved Lamp. No 452. Morley Leeds England. Manufactured after 1927.. Coal mining was one of the most dangerous professions due to the presence of flammable gases (firedamp) and coal dust. An open flame could lead to explosions. Early lamps that addressed these issues were designed by Sir Humphrey Davy and George Stephenson in the early 1800s Safety lamps were designed to give light but shield the flame so nothing in the surrounding environment could be ignited. The early design used wire gauze surrounding the flame to allow enough air to circulate but not allowing the flame to ignite gases. Ackroyd & Best designed lamps that improved upon existing designs and incorporated these features: (i) Enclosed flame; (ii) Double gauze protection; (iii) Sturdy construction (iv) Methane Detection (the colour of the flame indicate the presence of methane); (v) Air flow control ( this controlled the amount of oxygen and prevented the flame from burning too brightly (risking explosion) or going out. (vi) Locked Mechanism - the lamp could only be opened by an authorised person with a special key. These features were all present in the model Type 01B. The company was formed in 1897 and traded until 1927 at which point it was reformed to Hailwood and Ackroyd. Designed to light the darkest of the depths of a coal mine, it was adapted for use in 1939 for ARP wardens - the normal glass was replaced with blue glass.Cataloged By
Felix LamCategory
Tools